Jacksons Paper

Jacksons Paper

Reading Time: 3 minutesI’ve just spent an absolute tonne of money on paper… While you can create impressive artwork on and with anything, it is certainly the case that for certain techniques, having good quality watercolour paper can make a lot of difference. Three of my favourites are …

A. Gallo – YInMn Blue

A. Gallo – YInMn Blue

Reading Time: 6 minutesIn my quest to try every weird and wonderful pigment under the sun, I have of course had my eyes set on acquiring some YInMn Blue (PB86). For those who don’t know, YInMin Blue (also known as Oregon Blue, or Mas Blue) is a relatively …

Inside The Sketchbook Vol. 2

Inside The Sketchbook Vol. 2

Reading Time: 6 minutesWelcome to Volume 2 of my Inside the Sketchbook series, where I have scanned and presented my sketchbooks, in the hope that they will be of use and interest to other Artists. This is a black sprial bound A4 Sketchbook, from Poundland – they produced …

Hebden, Todmorden and Wallace Seymour

Hebden, Todmorden and Wallace Seymour

Reading Time: 6 minutesFor something to do, this last week, we decided to go over the Hebden Bridge – the archetypal day out in West Yorkshire. Of course the climate-changed English Weather being what it is after a lovely hot Monday (which was actually quite beneficial to get …

The Finest Green (making a similar sort of mess as Percy…)

The Finest Green (making a similar sort of mess as Percy…)

Reading Time: 7 minutesAfter a bit of a flurry of pigment buying, I have got to the point I have enough different pigments to have a bit of a go at making my own colours, to slightly more defined recipes than before. Though as weill be seen, it’s …

Verdigris

Verdigris

Reading Time: 4 minutesA long time ago I decided to try and make verdigris. Verdigris is the common and historical name to for a number of salts of copper and acetic acid, or more simply copper acetate. Salts which could be characterised as copper acetate have a number …

Rosa Watercolours

Rosa Watercolours

Reading Time: 4 minutesI have been meaning to try out Rosa Watercolours for a while, in my general quest/obsession to try every colour or preparation on the planet. Rosa are a Ukranian brand, with a good reputation. They are also very inexpensive, and lets face it buying Ukranian …

West End, Colourmen and The Turner Appreciation Society

West End, Colourmen and The Turner Appreciation Society

Reading Time: 4 minutesLondon, day 2. The general itinery seemed to split itself into West End, East End, and today we head off towards Covent Garden and the west end shops. I have enduring memories of visiting Covent Garden Market as a child, though my last quick visit …

Inside the Sketchbook Vol. 1

Inside the Sketchbook Vol. 1

Reading Time: 5 minutesOne feature I very much enjoy on the Jacksons Art Blog is the insight into other artists sketchbooks. Often this is something very personal and many artists would flinch at this idea – it is reputed that Turner once chased a woman round a table …

To Temu, or not to Temu, that is the question…

To Temu, or not to Temu, that is the question…

Reading Time: 4 minutesIt’s probably impossible to have escaped knowledge of Temu over the last couple of years. The site that (apparently) lets you “Shop Like a Billionaire” became the darling of the younger Gen Z and the oldest Gen Alpha, amid concerns abouy Viruses, data protection, poor …

Mungyo “Passion for Masterpieces”

Mungyo “Passion for Masterpieces”

Reading Time: 9 minutesAfter picking up the Munyo “Nostalgia of Pastels” set a while ago I was interested to find a larger Mungyo set in The Range for £11.99. While I keep a large “professional standard” pallete it’s always nice to have a few more paints, and I …

Avocado Ink

Avocado Ink

Reading Time: 3 minutesPrompted by my continual playing with natural pigments in my paints, I made a batch of Avocado ink the other day. This is perhaps one of the better known vegetable dyes, creating a relatively stable and lightfast dusty pink colour. I’ve brewed up a couple …