

You found the perfect spot to make art but the lighting, well, isn’t all that enlightening. Maybe, you enjoy painting at night or on gloomy days but you need brightness to truly see your process unfold. Don’t be left in the dark when it comes to illuminating your creative space.…
The cardinal rule of color mixing in painting and drawing media is, “Don’t mix too much.” Even if you’re using the right colors, overmixing can dull a mixture. A good mixture shows the original colors used and the mixture itself–for example, yellow and blue, as well as green. This broken…
It’s no secret that landscape paintings filled with stunning light make us feel something extra, right? Sunsets on a landscape canvas can transport us to a time and place of serenity and calm. Painting during that spectacular time of day known as the “golden hour,” when light is at its best, is something…
Have you ever paid attention to how body language expresses an unspoken language? It’s fascinating how even minor movements can send a message of tension, flirtation, or annoyance. While some of this comes from subtle hand gestures or posture, much of it comes from the “windows to the soul”–the eyes.…
Narrative always has played a major role in all of my work, including paintings with great atmosphere. Creating a compelling idea for each of my paintings is, in fact, my chief aim. All other elements — composition, values and color. How To Build Atmosphere, Step-by-Step When painting skies and water,…
You may have found the most beautiful, striking subject in the world for your painting, but if you don’t ruthlessly edit your reference photos, then you may end up with a flat piece of art that just doesn’t work. Ian Roberts, featured in a new North Light Shop landscape painting collection,…
As artists, we almost have this innate attraction to our craft, to our need to create. And, we all have something or someone that has fueled this passion. For many artists, the works of others steer the way they approach their own art. Annie O’Brien Gonzales refers to these influencers as our…
Building and maintaining strong relationships in the art market can be complicated. You may be friendly with a fellow painter and simultaneously quite envious of her. You may dislike a gallery owner or a collector on a personal level but decide that the connection is too valuable to abandon, perhaps…
As pen and ink drawings take center stage this Inktober, we turn to artist Jason Franz who understands the “draw” of the ballpoint pen. Below, he shares with us how this easily accessible writing utensil can be an artist’s magic wand. The Power of Ballpoint Pen Many artists and designers favor the ballpoint pen…