My Museum

Oil pastel on different papers Oil pastel not only can be a bit messy but it’s also picky with surfaces. Although you can use it on smooth paper, it’s best on grainy sketch pads that can hold more than two layers of pastel. Even if you blend the oil pastel on smooth surface with a tool or finger, the colors still don’t blend as well as they would on a more toothy paper. This doesn’t mean though that you can’t use oil pastel on a smoother canvass, you can depending on the effect you want.

Oil pastel on a 14x20 sketch pad

Oil pastel on a "7x10" sketch pad - JAn. 2011

Do you know that the first Christmas card was designed by John Calcott Horseley in 1843? The first set of printed cards went on sale at London . Bet not many know that. If you want to know more about it – click here

One of the things that make an artwork worth bucks and recognition is the signature of the artist. We don’t only go after the exceptional work we so admire but also the artist’s name immortalized on the canvass, the honor of owning an excellent piece of art authenticated by its creator. Here’s one of mine, unsigned. Forgot to before I took this picture besides, I’m still looking for a verse for this one. So remember to sign your works whether it’s just a practice project, a card painting, something you’re giving away or keeping to pass on to your next generation. Someday, when you’ve become really famous and have your own following, that autograph will be worth more than you think it will ever be.

Choosing the right background color for your painting is as important as the color of your foreground subjects. Your background should bring out your subject (focus or foreground of your painting ) and not overshadow it or take the attention from it. Unless you’re doing ‘still life’, or abstract and just a beginner, go by this rule. Now, should you do the background first or last? It depends on what’s more convenient for you, there’s really no rule regarding this.