Dear Shelli,

Thank you for complImenting my colors. Alex and I both paint in oils, acrylic, watercolors.

We recommend always using the best materials you can afford. Windsor Newton is a venerable brand for oil paint, available in every art supply chain, virtual and actual. Do not particularly recommend their student grade, Winton because it is less pigmented and therefore more transparent. Been loving the Shiva Richeson oil paints and adore both Holland and Holbein Vernet Superior. Williamsburg makes wonderful oil colors. Some smaller companies now offer exquisite colors that are fun to splurge on in both acrylics and oil paint. Gotta love your materials.

For acrylic paintings, we use Liquitex with its vast line of colors, as with Golden, a paint that does honor to its name.

Acrylic is best for live painting. Alex uses acrylic for a painting when airbrush is planned for the piece.

Alex & I have been committed to Windsor Newton Series 7 brushes for 45 years, best sable brushes available for oil painting and watercolor only. 

Wood panels and watercolor blocks provide the non-moving surface I prefer, especially for oil paintings that remain in the studio. Canvas and acrylics are essential for traveling with art.

For watercolors, we choose Schminke, available in wonderful half pan kits for traveling and painting outdoors. Ask for it for the holidays or a birthday. Treat yourself also to Arches watercolor paper. Their watercolor block, which comes in many sizes, is the best watercolor surface we’ve known. The “pink” cover - hot press, is smooth. Cold press is a textured surface - better for landscapes & sea scapes than skin and faces.

That’s our low-down on painting materials. Thanks for opening up the conversation.

Love,

Allyson