For all of our mosaic projects, we use unsanded grout for a smooth finish. Typically, we use white, but if you want you want to color your grout for your DIY mosaic projects, check out our free Mosaic Guide!

To get started, you'll need:

• Your unsanded grout
• A disposable cup
• Water
• Something to mix with. We'll often use the back of the paintbrush we used to add the glue to the backing. You can also use a disposable spoon!

​Normally, we use our hands to spread the grout over the top of the project and push it into all of the gaps between the tiles. If you're squeamish about getting your hands dirty, you can use a disposable spoon or putty knife for this.

When all of your cracks are filled in, use a damp sponge or paper towel to smooth out the grout and wipe the tiles clean. You'll need to rinse and wring out your sponge or switch paper towels several times as you wipe. Getting the tiles clean typically takes awhile, so don't panic if you feel like it isn't going very fast.

Be sure that you've removed any significant chunks of grout on top of tiles and on the edges of your project. Then, let your project dry overnight. If there's any remaining grout dust on your tiles, you'll be able to wipe it off easily when it's fully dry!

Congratulations! You did it - enjoy your DIY mosaic masterpiece!

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT MOSAIC TILES!
READ MORE

OUR GUIDE TO AN ABSOLUTELY STUNNING MOSAIC!
READ MORE

HOW TO REMOVE ACRYLIC PAINT FROM CLOTHES!
READ MORE

Check out the color wheel shown here. Red and green are opposite each other on the color wheel, making them complementary colors.

​This type of color scheme is sometimes called an I color scheme, because you can draw an I, a straight line, across the color wheel to find your secondary color. Across from blue, you'll find orange. Across from red-violet you'll find yellow-green, and so on and so forth.

The first example is a waterlily painting from our Foundations Studies course.

​As you can see, the flower itself is a vibrant pink. You can think of pink as a variation of red when you're selecting colors, so the opposite of that would be green! That's why this painting works so well. The background is a complementary color for the main subject of the painting.

Next, let's look at this mushroom painting from our Mushroom Canvas Painting Kit. Again, red and green are complementary, or opposite, colors, so when this painting was designed, we knew that green would be an excellent choice to make the red mushrooms stand out!

In addition to selecting a complementary color for the background, we also created high contrast by selecting a very dark green. This makes the color of the mushrooms stand out even more. Want to learn more about how to use value, or lights and darks, to make your paintings pop? The first section of our Foundations Studies curriculum covers this!

In this painting from the Alpha Queen Canvas Painting Kit, we knew that we wanted her crown and jewelry to stand out more than her lips or dress. In order to make the gold accessories stand out, we selected a purple background, because purple is opposite yellow on the color wheel.

In order to let those two colors really shine, the lips and dress are a more neutral shade of red. That gives the two complementary colors the opportunity to be the brightest colors in the painting. If you wanted the lips to stand out more, you would want to do a bright red, and then do a more neutral shade of gold in the accessories, rather than a bright yellow.

​This FREE course includes:

• The first thing to determine before you even think about your background
• How to pick a gorgeous color palette that is backed by science
• Why choosing a background color isn't enough, and one last decision you should make.

Perhaps the best thing about it is how forgiving it is. There's almost nothing that you can do that can't be fixed!

​Whether you've accidentally painted your background color on your flower petals, you've smeared your detail lines, or you've smudged your paint with your hand, it can all be corrected. Don't throw that painting out, even if the mistake seems huge. Just follow these very simple steps, and you'll love your painting again!

When the color you're painting on top is lighter or too transparent to cover your mistake, you'll need to take a couple of extra steps.
​

1. Let the mistake dry completely. Don't keep pushing around wet paint in a color you don't want.
2. Paint white paint over your mistake. In the example shown here, our background color got smudged onto our sunflower petals. We simply put white over the dark red color to correct the shape of the petal.
3. Let the white dry completely.
4. And paint the area as normal

Kits include:

• Canvas with drawing of your choice
• Paint and brushes
• Video tutorial
• & More!

Painting parties are a blast, but being sure that you have all the right supplies can be stressful. When you order canvas painting kits from The Sketching Pad, we send you everything you'll need, including a canvas with the design drawn out for you. You'll also receive a video tutorial that you can pull up on the tv or project on the wall, so your guests can follow along!

Sending invitations that are on theme is a great way to get your guests excited about your painting party. The easiest way to do that is to order a file on Etsy that you can edit on Canva! The invitation shown here was created by MollysPrintCo. This invitation works whether you're throwing a party for kids or adults because let's be real - pink and girlie are what we're going for here!

The most important thing is to think pink, white, black, and sparkly! Not everything has to have Barbie's face on it to be perfect for your party - in fact, keep those touches to a minimum.

We love how eye-catching this table setup is from Love the Day. This black and white table runner adds a pop of contrast, and the light pink roses are a pretty and feminine touch. You could add these touches to your refreshment tables or to your painting tables, but be sure that the table runner is disposable if you'll be laying your canvases on it.

Creating large-scale, elaborate decorations is usually not necessary to throw a party that looks fabulous, but this party is BEGGING for a photo op! Your guests will love taking photos in their very own Barbie box. You can make your own or order one online!

The best way to make a big impact with less effort is looking for decorations that are bold and eye-catching. You don't have to include a ton of small things - just select a few high-impact decorations, stick with a specific color scheme, and keep it simple.

The great thing about throwing a painting party is that the activity itself adds to the color and flair of the event. You don't have to decorate quite as much, because the room will be full of Barbie paintings!

Whether your Barbie painting party is for kids or adults, your guests are going to love this idea! Encourage them to wear pink, and provide fun accessories for them to put on during the party! Of course, this example from Twinkle Twinkle Little Party was a kids party, but adults like to play dress up too. They just need you to give them an excuse to do it!

Pink refreshments can be the finishing touch that makes your event the prettiest Barbie party!

Keep it simple by adding an easy pink signature drink, or go all the way and create a beautiful Barbie cake that will wow your guests. Because of how much fun they'll have painting, you can go as simple or elaborate as you'd like on the refreshments. As long as there's something pink in there, you're all set!

It's time to order your painting kits! These Barbie Canvas Painting Kits include:

• A canvas in the size of your choice with the design drawn for you
• Paint in all of the colors you'll need
• 2 paint brushes per canvas
• A video painting tutorial to walk you through every step of the painting
• Optional: aprons, easels, and more!