Opus Art Supplies
Home » The Latest How-to’s & Product Articles

Log in to post Art News

The Latest How-to’s & Product Articles

Working with Watermedia Outdoors

We sent Opus Downtown Vancouver’s Alison Woodward to Granville Island to try her hand at painting outdoors for the first time! She rose to the challenge and shares details about working with the portable watermedia and supplies we asked her to experiment with in our latest How-To Video. Here are some observations she made about the supplies.

Prepare Your Surface
Stretch Opus Watermedia Paper over the Opus Watercolour Paper Stretcher to create the ideal outdoor painting surface. The texture of the paper works great for the mixed media techniques used in this piece.

Find the Right Location
The Garabaldi Sketchbox Easel is lightweight, portable, and carries your plein air supplies while you scout out the perfect location. Learn more about this easel in our Travel Easel video series.

Extend Work Time
Yarka St. Petersburg Watercolours come in a convenient case that both holds the paints in individual pans and acts as a mixing palette. The highly pigmented colours stay moist allowing for a longer working time and enhanced workability.

Be Efficient with Space
Short handled brushes like the Opus Allegro Watercolour Brushes, and space-saving tools such as the Clic & Go Watercup, offer compact solutions for painting en plein air. And the Koi WaterBrush has a resevoir for water, the ultimate in portability!

Add Detail & Texture
Media that allows for multiple application methods is key in offering both efficiency of space and variety in your work. Waxed-based, watersoluable Derwent Artbars allow you to draw directly on your surface, or mix with water to use as paint, working well for both washes and detail work. Their triangular shape is great on the go too as they won't roll away from you!

Paint in Style
The supple, springy, and resilient Kolinsky sable bristles of the Connoisseur Travel Brushes (available in both round and flat) are protected by a metal casing, perfect for travel in your kit or even in your pocket. Remove the cover and slip it onto the end of the handle to extend the length for painting.

Try Something New
Slip the Peerless Water Colors Complete Edition Book into the pocket of your sketchbook for a compact and unique way to transport your watercolours. It contains concentrated watercolours coated on a special paper fabric. Dip your brush in water and use it to pull paint off the sheet. Brilliant!

Watch the video above to see Alison's process, hear her thoughts on the media and tools she's using, and to view the final results!

See more of Alison Woodward’s artwork here.

The Art of the Frame – Opus Plein Air Frames
by Opus Art Supplies on March 20th

Our plein air frames feature your works of art on stretched canvas and canvas panel, digital prints on canvas, and cradled wood panels beautifully with clean lines that add presence, frame construction that provides protection, and a value that lasts.

Read on to learn more about Opus exclusive plein air frames....Read more

Travel Easels at Opus

Nicoli Moir, from Opus Art Supplies in Langley BC, highlights the features and benefits of some of our favourite Travel Easels in three quick and informative videos.

Whether you’re wanting to expand your practice by working outdoors, find yourself painting on the go, or simply wish to paint on a sturdy and lightweight surface, one of these easels will surely meet your needs!

Watch the videos below or click on the links to watch them in our online store to also view detailed information about each easel.

Garibaldi Sketchbox Easel (see video above)...Read more

From the Ground UP
by Opus Art Supplies on February 27th

Much like building a home, creating a solid foundation for your artwork ensures the structure is well supported. Without this preparation, not only is the final look of the work potentially affected, but the foundation itself can cause and hasten its breakdown.

In painting, a carefully prepared surface helps seal the support material from the paint layers, ensuring that issues of support induced discoloration (from the natural acids found in wood stretchers and surfaces) or possible canvas rot do not eventually effect the look of the finished work or its structural integrity. A well prepared surface also helps your chosen medium bond well to the substrate beneath it and prevents unnecessary loss of paint through absorption into the substrate material.

Selecting the right type and combination of foundation layers begins with the your personal preference of the kind of support you wish to paint and your painting media. Time spent in preparation can be the difference between your painting lasting decades or centuries. Continue reading for a primer in surface preparation and visit your local Opus for assistance in choosing the right combination for your next piece....Read more

The Art of the Frame - Opus Frames for works on Canvas
by Opus Art Supplies on February 21st

The heart of our framing philosophy at Opus to offer simple, elegant, and economical options that enhance the look and value of any work of art.

Our frames beautifully feature your works of art on canvas and canvas prints with clean lines that add presence, frame construction that provides protection, and a value that lives on and on. Read on to learn more about our selection of frames found only at Opus....Read more

Build on Your Basics
by Opus Art Supplies on January 3rd

Can you say with confidence you’ve got the right colour palette to realize your creative vision? Do you know using a professional grade paint can result in a cost savings? A fresh new year calls for a refresher in the fundamentals of paint!...Read more

Staff Picks: Our Favourite Art Supplies

Opus Staff share the art materials and tools they love working with in their art practices!

We all have those favourite materials and tools that are a pleasure to work with but have you ever stopped to wonder why they are so special to you? We posed this question to some of the staff at Opus and the responses were as varied as materials chosen as their favourites.

Watch the video, get inspired, and share your picks below!...Read more

Studio Easels at Opus

Nicoli Moir, from Opus Art Supplies in Langley BC, highlights the features and benefits of some of our favourite Studio Easels in six quick and informative videos.

Whether you’re wanting to expand your practice by working larger, diving into the realm of mixed media, or simply wish to paint on a sturdy surface, one of these easels will surely meet your needs!

Watch the videos below or click on the links to watch them in our online store to also view detailed information about each easel.

Richeson Lyptus Wood Sante Fe II Easel (see video above)...Read more

Sharing Works
by Opus Art Supplies on October 4th

Send a message that is sure to get a stamp of approval! Begin with blank greeting cards and create multiple images using your favourite media and techniques - hand-pulled prints, creative photography, one-off watercolour creations - and greet the world with your art in folded form....Read more

Questions? Please email us at info@opusartsupplies.com
Copyright © 2001–2013 Opus Framing Ltd.