With inflation, rent and interest rates rising, life is getting pretty expensive. Throw in Christmas and school holidays and your card is whipped from your purse so often, you think it might catch fire.

You have a little time to paint and create over the break and could really use some new art supplies but, for aforementioned reasons, it's a bit out of the question (unless you cleverly popped them on your Christmas wish list!)

Materials can dwindle quickly in our commercial studio of 15 designers. And, like you, we’re on a budget. If there’s anything we can do to get the absolute most out of a tube of paint, brush or pad of paper, we will!

So here's how we rein in our art supply spend, in hopes to get you through this holiday season with piles of beautiful, completed work and your credit card in one piece.

1. Reactivate dried paints

• Unlike acrylic or oil based paints, when a blob of gouache or watercolour dries on your palette, you can use it again. Wet it...

Recently the big boss, Lola, invited a watercolor artist to teach our professional watercolorists to err.. paint in watercolor. And for a very good reason. Keep reading to find out why!

"We should 'feed our creativity' constantly, no matter what stage of our career," she says.

"Watching someone else paint inspires our creativity. That 'someone else' may use a different technique, different tools, composition and materials and by watching we get that 'ah ha' moment that is so inspirational."

So she asked Sydney artist, Susie Murphie, to come to the studio and show the designers how she paints watercolour blooms in her loose and gestural style.

Here's what they took away from the workshop:  

1.  Stamp out the water

Stamp out the water on your brush before applying it to the paper or palette so you don’t drown your paints. - Phobe, Junior Designer
 

2. Create a “creamy” consistency

Create a creamy consistency with the paints on...

Written and produced by Morgan, Social Media Coordinator

In this video you’ll learn some incredible watercolor painting tips, the essential do’s and don’ts, from our talented artist and designer Bec. These skills are ideal for beginners and for anyone who needs a good refresher. 

You can also paint alongside Bec as you watch this video.

The tools you’ll need to use throughout the video include;

• A watercolor palette
• 1 Flat Brush
• 1 Thick Round Brush
• 1 Thin Round Brush
• 2 Water Jars
• Some paper Towels 
• Standard Paper 80GSM
• And Watercolour Paper preferable 220GSM

Have you got everything? You do, great! Now let’s get started!

Different paper stock. Which is the best for watercolor painting? 

There are so many different paper stock options available to purchase nowadays. However, with watercolor painting, your choice of paper can drastically change the outcome of your artwork. 

Here Bec is painting on the...