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Brushes, brushes, brushes, where do you begin? There are a million different kinds, and they all do different things! Which brush is for blending? Which brush is for details? There are so many types that it can be hard to know which you should purchase for your art. We're here to help; here's our crash course on the most popular paintbrushes and their best uses!
THE ROUND BRUSH
THE FLAT BRUSH
THE FILBERT BRUSH
THE FAN BRUSH
THE LINER BRUSH
THE ANGLE BRUSH
READY TO GO BEYOND BEGINNER STATUS?
Our Acrylic Basics guide has tons of videos that will guide you step by step through some of the basic techniques you need to learn to grow as an artist, from how to paint clouds to skin tones and more. You'll start feeling like a pro in no time!
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You can throw a Harry Potter party in many ways, but how do you ensure yours will stand out from the crowd? Creating a unique and memorable experience for your guests can be tricky, but we're here to SPELL out our favorite Hogwarts-themed activities, foods, drinks, and decorations. Before we get into it, I need you to solemnly swear you're up to no good. Ready? Let's begin!
THIS ACTIVITY IS SURE TO GET YOUR ACCEPTED INTO HOGWARTS!
Painting parties are so fun, but if you don't have the right supplies, it can make you feel like a Dementor is after you, and we don't want that! Though the remedy this time isn't chocolate, when you order canvas painting kits from us, we send you everything you'll need, including a canvas with the design drawn out for you. You'll also receive a video tutorial you can pull up on the TV or project on the wall so your guests can follow along! Your guests will have a magical and memorable time painting our Deathly Hollows and Hedwig painting kits!
THESE DECORATIONS WILL EVEN IMPRESS SNAPE!
Decorating is one of my favorite parts of parties, simply because it's the fastest way to transport your guests to another world, in this case, Hogwarts! That's why I love this table set up by Jessica Et Cetra on Pinterest: she takes you right into the Hogwarts dining hall in a way that kids and adults will love. Another absolutely adorable way to bring Hogwarts to your home is with this mini letter confetti from Southern Supply Co. on Etsy!
If you love DIY decorations, these floating candlesticks from Happiness Is Homemade are simply magical! Haley's Momsense also has some great ideas for DIY decorations sure to transport you all to the wizarding world of Harry Potter. Remember, the most critical part of setting the right tone is music! This Spotify playlist holds the complete soundtrack of every single movie in the HP series, all 11 hours! YOU AND YOUR CLASSMATES WILL REVEL IN THESE ROBES!
Now, let's get into character! These DIY Felt House Ties are too cute and will surely get you House Points. Bonus points if you find out everyone's House before they come so that you can make one specific to everyone in attendance. Along with their ties, everyone needs a wand, right? These easy DIY Wands from The Sweeter Side Of Mommyhood are positively perfect!
PERFECT YOUR POTION MAKING WITH THESE DRINKS!
With these fantastic drink recipes, let's raise the bar beyond canned soda for this party. Let's mix up some potions! This Copycat Universal Studios Butterbeer recipe is sure to be a crowd-pleaser for everyone. If you're looking for something a little more adult, this Golden Snitch Cocktail is for you! Check out our Harry Potter Painting Party board on Pinterest for even more drink ideas.
HERE ARE SOME SNACKS THAT HAGRID WOULD APPROVE!
Okay, let's get into the most important part of any party. Food! These easy little Pretzel and Cheese Broomsticks are a perfect little snack while you're painting, and these Caramel Apple Letter Pies are the perfect treat for when you finish your masterpiece! If you want to make a more substantial meal for everyone, check out this guide on How To Throw A Hogwarts Feast. And don't forget; it's Levi-O-sa, not Levio-SA!
Ready to become a pro at throwing painting parties? Keep your mischief managed with our comprehensive guide to painting parties! With our guide, you'll learn everything you need to know about supplies, setting up, and so much more!
KEEP THE MAGIC GOING WITH THESE POSTS!
It's that season again, full of festivities and spending time with friends and family! With this season's return, there's a desperate need for charcuterie. If you're fresh out of ideas for a creative spread, look no further; we've got you!
NO MORE BORING BOARDS
HOW ABOUT A CHARCUTERIE BOARD MADE BY YOU?
ADORN YOUR BOARD
Generally, I love to have a good assortment of cheese, meat, veggies, fruits, crackers, jam, hummus, and nuts. Be mindful of any loved ones with allergies or different dietary needs. If I have a particular layout in mind that might contaminate safe foods for someone, I like to make that person a separate mini charcuterie board with foods they can eat, so there's no risk!
If you need some great ideas for how to style your ingredients, check out this guide to styling your prosciutto, see how to make a festive charcuterie wreath, and see a lovely, fresh way to display your brie! WANT ALL OF THE INFO YOU'LL NEED TO MAKE A FLAWLESS MOSAIC CHARCUTERIE BOARD?
This ultimate guide will take you through everything you need to know to make a stunning mosaic, from which supplies to purchase to how to use them step by step, with little bonus tips along the way! If you're ready to get into it, now's the perfect time, especially if you're looking for unique handmade gifts to give your friends and family this season!
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2. Fan brushes aren't ideal for precise details or linework; their shape makes it nearly impossible to guarantee where they will leave their mark on your canvas. Now, let's get into what fan brushes excel at!
Now, you can create a beautiful nature scene with a fan brush. If you use any of these tips, I'd love to see it! You can email me at [email protected] or tag us on Instagram @thesketchingpad. READY FOR EVEN MORE?Do you want to learn more art fundamentals but need help figuring out where to start? There's so much to learn it can be daunting, especially with so much information on the internet, and a lot of it uses insider language that is hard to understand as a beginner. That's why we made our Foundations Study Course! It goes into everything you need to know from the start when getting into art, from understanding how to make your art look balanced to color theory and blending in a way that anyone could easily understand all in video format. Take the next step! RELATED POSTS
When you want to get into painting, it can confusing to know where to start, especially when it comes to the medium you use! A medium is the type of material you work with, so your medium of choice could be oil paint, pastels, watercolor, etc. However, when starting your painting journey, we recommend choosing acrylic paint over any other kind. Acrylic is a water-based paint that is such a joy to work with no matter your subject matter. Let's get into why!
You can also get soft-body acrylic paint for a more seamless, blendable look, perfect for more graphic or realistic art! We use soft body for all our painting kits here at The Sketching Pad because it's easy to blend, and it's easy to fix mistakes!
CUT OUT THE GUESSWORK, GET A KIT!
Get a great look at how acrylic paint works and exactly what makes it great in a stress-free way with our canvas painting kits! You'll have everything you need to make a masterpiece.
Be sure to read the descriptions and uses for any products like these before you purchase to make sure they're suitable for what you need. If you need any guidance, we'll be happy to help, just email [email protected].
Want to learn some tips and techniques for using your new acrylic paint? Get free access to our library of video tutorials and canvas painting tips here!
You've decided to make a mosaic; that's awesome! Now for the fun but challenging part: where do you begin choosing your tiles? There are so many kinds of tiles to choose from, which can make it all too easy to make the wrong choice if you're unsure what to look for! That's why we created this post; we've worked (sometimes through trial and error) to determine what makes them great for each project!
First, let's cover what you probably want to avoid getting and why! You might want to avoid plastic tiles, which won't be able to stand up to regular use. Durability is important when creating a functional project, like a trivet or tabletop. We don't want your beautiful mosaic trivet melting when you put a pot on it because your tiles are plastic! You may also want to avoid tiles with designs etched into the top. While these tiles can be gorgeous, it can be hard to get grout out of all the indentions when you finish your project.
Now it's time to cover what tiles you should use! Glass and Ceramic tiles are beautiful and functional, making them our top choice and the types we include in our mosaic kits. They're great in many ways, but one of my favorite things about them is that they can withstand heat, so they're great for making things like trivets or coasters. You can also use them outside without the sun bleaching them like it would with plastic tiles. There are loads of stunning options for glass and ceramic tiles on Etsy! Glass is particularly great to work with because you can purchase sheets of glass and cut out your own tiles in the exact shapes you need! You can watch this great video from Bonnie Fitzgerald & Kim Wozniak on YouTube to learn everything you need to know about the glass cutting process!
Now you understand all the tile options at your disposal, but what about the other supplies you'll need for mosaics? Check out Our Guide To An Absolutely Stunning Mosaic to learn everything you need to know about mosaic making from surfaces, grout, tile adhesive, and more!
If you're ready to get a feel for mosaic making, check out our mosaic kits for a great project that won't have you stressing about supplies!
Whether it's just you and your BOO, a large group of family and friends, or something in-between, we have loads of inspiration for a spooktacular Halloween painting party, so get on your costume and let's get into it!
This guide will give you ideas for snacks, drinks, decorations, and of course, painting kits! We offer loads of fall painting options that will get you PUMPED for Halloween. And if you're looking for something more spooky to paint than our examples, you can always get a custom kit! We can sketch anything you'd like on a canvas and give you paint, brushes, and tips on how to paint! And don't worry if you need a little more guidance; you can always email [email protected], and we'll offer you guidance and techniques to execute your specific vision! 
FALL IN LOVE WITH MORE KITS!
IT'S TIME TO BREW UP A NEW PAINTING!
(No cauldron necessary!) We love fall so much, which is why we have so many seasonal fall painting kits and we add more almost every year! You'll be sure to find something that LEAVES you in awe!
Want to be known for throwing flawless painting parties among your loved ones? Look no further than this guide that gives you everything you need to know to do just that with no added stress!
Even though not all of us have been able to make it to the Eras tour, we all get to experience the concert in theaters on October 13th, and I couldn't be more thrilled. Plus, with 1989 (Taylor's Version) coming out only a month after tis the season for Taylor parties, so let's get into it!
Want to know how to host a flawless painting party? Check out our free Painting Party guide. We'll explain how to prep your house, what to buy, and even give you printables for your guests!
LET'S GET THIS PARTY STARTED
WATCH PARTY INVITATIONS
MAGICAL DECORATIONS
FOOD IDEAS
LOKI INSPIRED MOCKTAIL RECIPE
Want more info on every little detail for the perfect painting party? We'll explain how to prep your house, what to buy, and even give you printables for your guests!
UNDERSTANDING CONTRAST
EXAMPLES OF CONTRAST IN A BLACK AND WHITE PAINTINGThe example below shows the difference between high contrast and low contrast in a simple black-and-white painting. Below is an excellent example of why high contrast is important in making things clear and readable. On the high contrast side everything is highlighted where it should be and everything that is meant to be bold stands out as it should! That isn't the case on our low contrast side; it's tough to see what it is. Of course, you can still tell that it's a flower, but you might have to look closely to distinguish the details. Art needs to be clear, especially if it's something like this where it's an object; it's even more critical in a portrait where it needs to look like someone specific.  EXAMPLES OF CONTRAST IN A FULL COLOR PAINTINGIn the following example, you can see high contrast versus low contrast in a full-color painting. Just like the first example, you can see just how much easier it is to tell what you're looking at in the high contrast painting; even though the color makes it a little more apparent where different objects are in the image, it's still nowhere near as pleasing to look at as the high contrast example.   HOW TO MAKE SURE YOUR ART HAS ENOUGH CONTRASTIt's easy to tell if your art has enough contrast if it's already in black and white, but what if it's in color? How on earth are you supposed to be able to tell what your color values are? It's easier than you might think! Just take a photo of your painting and edit the saturation down to zero; this will give you an exact look at the values so you know if you'll need to make any adjustments! Not that technical? Try this: when looking at your painting, identify the lightest and darkest areas. If you need help determining what those are or if the lightest and darkest areas are at all similar to each other, bump up the contrast! You can mix white with colors to lighten certain areas and darken others by mixing in black. This method can be especially helpful if you're working from a reference because you can go ahead and adjust the saturation of your reference photo too, to see if they match up!
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hey there!The Sketching Pad has been helping people just like you have fun and stress-free painting experiences for over a decade. Whether we're helping people create masterpieces in person in our studio, or we're guiding people who are painting at home through our painting kits and video tutorials, we are passionate about helping people see that everyone can be an artist with the right tools and guidance! 
This FREE Acrylic Painting Guide includes:
You'll learn...
This FREE course includes...
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