Watercolour is often associated only with paint, water, and paper, but in reality there are many additives and mediums that can alter the behaviour of colour and open up new techniques. Some help achieve greater control, while others add texture, transparency, or special effects. Although mediums are not essential in watercolour painting, they can significantly expand creative possibilities and make experimenting even more exciting.
Watercolour is a light and fluid painting technique where colour, water, and paper work together. The result is transparent layers, soft transitions, and effects that are difficult to control completely. This unpredictability is one of watercolour’s greatest charms.
Lightfastness is one of the most important quality indicators of art materials, showing how well a pigment withstands the effects of light over time. When an artwork is exposed to daylight or strong artificial light, some colors may fade or shift over the years. This makes lightfastness especially important for works intended for display, sale, or long-term preservation. The marking on a paint tube, pencil, or marker is not just a technical detail, but information about how permanent your work will truly be.
In calligraphy, the nib is one of the most important tools. It directly affects the line that appears on paper, how the ink flows, and the overall feeling of writing. Different nibs are designed for different styles, line widths and working methods, and there is rarely a single nib that suits everything.
Calligraphy is the art of writing where every line, pause and curve is a conscious choice. It is a slow and focused process that offers balance to the rush of everyday life. In calligraphy, not only the final result matters, but also the rhythm and feeling of writing.
As a beginner, it may not be easy to assess which painting technique best suits your style and way of working. Acrylic and oil paints offer very different painting experiences and require slightly different skills and approaches. Let’s take a look at what this means in practice.
Cadmium paints are valued in the art world for their strong colour intensity, good opacity and excellent lightfastness. Cadmium yellows, oranges and reds are especially well known, offering intense and stable results across different techniques. At the same time, cadmium has certain characteristics that have led more and more artists and manufacturers to look for alternatives.
Derwent offers several different types of colored pencils that vary in composition, drawing feel, and overall result. If you’re looking for the right pencils for yourself, the choice may seem confusing at first. That’s why we’ve put together an overview of five of Derwent’s most widely used colored pencil ranges to help you find the one that best matches your drawing style and goals.
Watercolour paper is much more than just paper – it’s a tool that directly affects the behaviour of paint, water resistance, layering, and the final impression. Choosing the right one may seem daunting at first, but finding the right paper becomes a creative and exciting process once you know what qualities to look for. In this post, we’ll go over what watercolour paper is made of, the textures and formats available, and how to choose the right one to support your painting style.
Every artist knows that a great piece begins with the right materials, and paper is no exception. The right paper for your technique is more than just a surface to make marks on. Its composition, surface, and production method significantly affect not only the quality and longevity of your work but also how enjoyable the process feels. In this post, we’ll take a closer look at different types of paper and what sets them apart.
When you walk into an art supply store and look at the pencil shelf, the choice can be overwhelming – coloured pencils, pastels, watercolours, drawing and sketching pencils. How are they all different and which one to choose? In this post, we’ll give you an overview of the main types of pencils, their characteristics and their uses, to make your orientation in the world of pencils a little easier.
Choosing your canvas is one of the most important decisions you’ll make before you start painting. The canvas you choose can have a profound impact on your art process and the final piece. Every aspect of the canvas, from its fibre composition to its texture and weight, will affect how the paint adheres and behaves on the surface. With so many choices available, it can be difficult to decide which one is right for you. In this guide, we’ve broken down the basics of canvas, including material types, formats and surface characteristics to help you make an informed choice for your next masterpiece.
