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How to Choose the Best Paint Brush Cleaner
Every creative space should have a paint brush cleaner. This simple tool can keep your space clean and prevent spills and mess in your studio. A paint brush cleaner may seem like a simple thing, but they aren’t all equal. Today we’ll talk about what to look for in a paint brush cleaner. What design elements to consider, and the paint brush cleaner I recommend. Plus, we’ll discuss ways to use this paint brush cleaner both in and out of the studio. Hop-A-Long Studio is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more. My Favorite Paint Brush…
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Mystified by Acrylic Pastes? How to Color Pastes in 1 Easy Step!
Are you mystified by acrylic pastes? Acrylic pastes can add beautiful textures on any project, but if you don’t know how they work, they may seem hard to use. Today we’ll talk about what you need to know to purchase and color acrylic pastes. Hop-A-Long Studio is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more. Choosing the Right Acrylic Pastes There are so many acrylic pastes available that you may be overwhelmed by choice. Here are some things to consider when choosing the right acrylic paste for your creative practice. Craft Pastes There are a variety…
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Looking for an Easy Painting Exercise? How to Paint a Tree with Ink
Do you ever find yourself unsure of how to improve your painting skills? You may not know where to start and it may feel overwhelming. If that’s you, here’s a very simple project on how to paint a tree with ink that will help you improve your painting skills. As a creator, I sometimes go through times where I’m not feeling inspired. I can feel like I’m out of ideas or am uncertain on where to start with a project. When this happens, I tend to simplify my process as this can help get the creative juices flowing. For this project, you’ll need a piece of watercolor paper, ink and…
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Do You Have Ruined Paint Brushes? How to Fix Acrylic Paint Brushes in 3 Easy Steps!
Do you have ruined paint brushes that are rock hard from mediums and paint? Even when you’re careful cleaning them, it’s very easy to run into problems with brushes getting rock hard. You might think that these bushes are destined for the garbage, but you may be able to revive them using there 3 easy steps. Hop-A-Long Studio is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more. How to Revive Ruined Paint Brushes Start with Dish Soap I like to use my favorite dish soap, Cucina Lime Zest and Cypress, and rub the soap into the bristles…
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How to Get Comfortable with Your Watercolors
Are you new to watercolor paints or have recently purchased a new set of watercolors? Watercolors are a wonderful medium but every new color or set of colors can take time to get used to. The colors may act differently than what you’re accustomed to, which can cause frustration. So how do you get comfortable with a new set of watercolors? I recently purchased a new set of Russian watercolor paints called White Nights at my local art store. I wanted to share with you my process and the exercises I use to get familiar with the paints and color combinations. We’ll be creating a simple watercolor painting in our…
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Create this Easy Snake Book with 1 Sheet of Paper
Have you ever tried creating your own book? Making a book might feel intimidating, but this easy snake book is a great place to start! I love these snake books because they are simple to make and work perfectly as gifts. I like to use mine for art journaling and for a place to write down my favorite quotes. These also make great gratitude journals! Hop-A-Long Studio is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more. What is a Snake Book? A snake book is a simple folded book made from one piece of paper. The size…
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New to Art Journaling? Basic Techniques using Paints and Napkins
Are you new to art journaling? Or do you have a pristine art journal that you’re afraid to start creating in? The first few pages in an art journal can be hard. You may not feel like you know what you’re doing, or perhaps you’re struggling with what to create in your journal. Today we’re starting with a simple prompt and basic art journal techniques to get you started. Hop-A-Long Studio is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more. Starting with a Thought or Question Usually most of my art journal pages start with a thought…
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How to get the Best Results with Acrylic Pastes and Stencils
Do you ever use acrylic pastes with your stencils? Acrylic pastes can create beautiful dimension and crisp images in your art journal, if you know how to apply them. Here are some tips and techniques for how to get fantastic results with acrylic pastes and stencils. Hop-A-Long Studio is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more. Types of Acrylic Pastes Acrylic pastes are beautiful, but they can be a little overwhelming at first. There’s so many brands and types of pastes to choose from. As I’ve been teaching online and in-person, I’ve realized that most of…
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Amazing Ink Techniques for Your Art Journal
Looking for creative ways to use ink techniques in your art journal? So often when we’re working in our art journal, we like to use acrylic mediums. But inks can also create amazing results in an art journal. The benefits of dye and archival inks is they are easily available, aren’t super messy, and have so much versatility as an art journal medium. Earlier this week I was asked the question by a reader, “Can you use ink in a journal?” Yes, you absolutely can. Today we’ll look at several creative ink techniques for your art journal. Hop-A-Long Studio is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site,…
The Art of Self-Care
