Cheap Joe’s Art Stuff Art Blog

Tips, Tricks, Thoughts, and inspiration from across the art spectrum.

Artist Tip 16: Getting a New Slant on Painting

Artist Tip 16: Getting a New Slant on Painting

CJAS Staff

Watercolor is not easy to control. When painting, if you tip your board up high, the paint runs off the paper and onto your shoes; and, if you lay your...

Artist Tip 16: Getting a New Slant on Painting

CJAS Staff

Watercolor is not easy to control. When painting, if you tip your board up high, the paint runs off the paper and onto your shoes; and, if you lay your...

Artist Tip 17: Paint BIG

Artist Tip 17: Paint BIG

CJAS Staff

There is no element in designing a painting that is more important than the size relationship of the shapes you employ. One of the generally accepted principles of design is...

Artist Tip 17: Paint BIG

CJAS Staff

There is no element in designing a painting that is more important than the size relationship of the shapes you employ. One of the generally accepted principles of design is...

Artist Tip 18: Value Contrast

Artist Tip 18: Value Contrast

CJAS Staff

I am the proud owner of a black lab named Jazz. When she is resting on her off white dog bed her marvelous black silhouette begs to be painted. A...

Artist Tip 18: Value Contrast

CJAS Staff

I am the proud owner of a black lab named Jazz. When she is resting on her off white dog bed her marvelous black silhouette begs to be painted. A...

Artist Tip 19: Intensity Contrast

Artist Tip 19: Intensity Contrast

CJAS Staff

In the last issue of Palette-able Tips, I introduced you to my dog, Jazz, and used her as an example of how value contrast may be used to serve a...

Artist Tip 19: Intensity Contrast

CJAS Staff

In the last issue of Palette-able Tips, I introduced you to my dog, Jazz, and used her as an example of how value contrast may be used to serve a...

Artist Tip 20: Round and Flat

Artist Tip 20: Round and Flat

CJAS Staff

We wanted to make everything look round when we were first learning to paint; it was one of our big tricks. We'd been taught how to make things look three-dimensional...

Artist Tip 20: Round and Flat

CJAS Staff

We wanted to make everything look round when we were first learning to paint; it was one of our big tricks. We'd been taught how to make things look three-dimensional...

Artist Tip 21: The Right Gesture

Artist Tip 21: The Right Gesture

CJAS Staff

Drawing and painting people should be easy. After all, there's nothing we're more familiar with than the human form. If we have no trouble drawing and painting flowers and trees...

Artist Tip 21: The Right Gesture

CJAS Staff

Drawing and painting people should be easy. After all, there's nothing we're more familiar with than the human form. If we have no trouble drawing and painting flowers and trees...

Artist Tip 22: Getting Into Shape

Artist Tip 22: Getting Into Shape

CJAS Staff

We don't see shapes; we see things -boats and barns and someone that looks amazingly like Uncle Mert. We don't think about any of these things as shapes-rectangles or circles...

Artist Tip 22: Getting Into Shape

CJAS Staff

We don't see shapes; we see things -boats and barns and someone that looks amazingly like Uncle Mert. We don't think about any of these things as shapes-rectangles or circles...

Artist Tip 23: Using Watercolor Canvas

Artist Tip 23: Using Watercolor Canvas

CJAS Staff

One of the first things I noticed in painting on Fredrix Watercolor Canvas was that I could achieve many different kinds of edges than on paper.

Artist Tip 23: Using Watercolor Canvas

CJAS Staff

One of the first things I noticed in painting on Fredrix Watercolor Canvas was that I could achieve many different kinds of edges than on paper.

Artist Tip 24: Rusticating in Paint

Artist Tip 24: Rusticating in Paint

CJAS Staff

Nothing seems to attract a watercolorist more than a rust bucket, a farm building in disrepair or the old rocking chair on its front porch.Where does this interest in the...

Artist Tip 24: Rusticating in Paint

CJAS Staff

Nothing seems to attract a watercolorist more than a rust bucket, a farm building in disrepair or the old rocking chair on its front porch.Where does this interest in the...

Artist Tip 25: Cezanne: Watercolor and Form

Artist Tip 25: Cezanne: Watercolor and Form

CJAS Staff

You may have wondered. His watercolors look a little thin; his figure drawing seems a bit shaky, and the perspective in his paintings often seems slightly off. In fact, there...

Artist Tip 25: Cezanne: Watercolor and Form

CJAS Staff

You may have wondered. His watercolors look a little thin; his figure drawing seems a bit shaky, and the perspective in his paintings often seems slightly off. In fact, there...

Artist Tip 26: Making Your Mark

Artist Tip 26: Making Your Mark

CJAS Staff

That personal, calligraphic mark that distinguishes one artist's work from another — seems to be disappearing. From the evidence of current gallery shows and exhibitions, more and more painters are...

Artist Tip 26: Making Your Mark

CJAS Staff

That personal, calligraphic mark that distinguishes one artist's work from another — seems to be disappearing. From the evidence of current gallery shows and exhibitions, more and more painters are...

Artist Tip 27: Aerial Perspective: When to Use it When to Ignore It

Artist Tip 27: Aerial Perspective: When to Use ...

CJAS Staff

The effects of aerial perspective, simply stated, are that distant objects appear cooler, flatter, grayer, and smoother. It is a visual truth and a conceptual tool that is available to...

Artist Tip 27: Aerial Perspective: When to Use ...

CJAS Staff

The effects of aerial perspective, simply stated, are that distant objects appear cooler, flatter, grayer, and smoother. It is a visual truth and a conceptual tool that is available to...