articles, demos and materials
I have been very fortunate to have tremendous support and encouragement from so many people along the way and I continue to enjoy sharing and learning more about painting 'in the little'.
On this page I have gathered together various resources from magazine articles, interviews, step-by-step demonstrations and videos that I have done over the years that may be of interest if you would like to find out more about my miniature painting techniques and the materials that I use.
owl painting in miniature
rose painting in miniature
quince painting in miniature
materials
This is a list of the materials I use for my both my illustration work and miniature fine art.
Please remember its a personal choice - what suits me and the way I like to work may not suit you. Neither is it an exhaustive list (and its always fun to try new materials) but I hope its of help to those who have asked.
BRUSHES: I use series 33 Kolinsky Sable. Mostly sizes 10/0 to 3, all from Rosemary & Co.
MAGNIFIER: Most miniature artists work with the aid of magnification of some kind, which can be anything from reading glasses to lenses fitted onto headbands. Hand-held magnifying glasses and 'gooseneck' magnifiers are also popular. It is worth trying out a variety to find the one that best suits you as it is very much a matter of personal preference. I also rely completely on my reading specs!
SURFACES: I only use Hot Pressed (HP). It's smooth, which is good for detail. Any surface texture will lead to frustration in miniature painting.
Here are some to try (there are many more!):
Crescent Premium Watercolor Board
Daler Rowney Saunders Waterford Watercolour Board
Arches Paper - Widely available
PAINTS: Whatever the brand, only buy Artist quality - it's not that much more expensive and student grade paint is basically just frustrating! I use mainly Winsor and Newton Artist Watercolours and Daniel Smith Watercolors. Both are widely available.
FRAMES & MOUNTS:
After all the effort, it is a shame to try and skimp on decent presentation!
PAINTING BOX
For my miniature paintings I often to use an antique Reeves and Sons painting box that was a gift from an elderly artist friend and dates from her time in Paris at the turn of the twentieth century. I'm often asked about it so am mentioning it here! Although a little battered, it's an absolutely lovely thing and makes it easy to paint almost anywhere. It includes a tiny water bottle, water dish, pan tray, brush storage, palette, finger slot and adjustable bar to hold it all in place. There is even an adjustable picture viewer. They thought of everything!
If you do an internet search for 'pochade box' you will find lots of similar modern boxes. It's not an essential piece of kit by any means, but I do like mine!
