I'm Trying Something New

For my birthday my husband got me some oil painting things. He's been bugging me about painting in oils for years, many years, and when he said he was going to take me to the local art and craft store and I could pick out what I wanted (within reason); I knew what was going to happen. It was a somewhat underhanded way to get me started in oils.

Now the best art store here is sub par, the main one is mostly a mish-mash of craft items, material, tools - sort of an art mercantile. Things are generally organized - the styrofoam is grouped together, the material is all on one floor, and the thread, floss, ribbon, and yarn is loosely grouped in one corner. The trouble begins when you need writing and drawing implements - will they have put them with the school supplies or the art supplies (two different floors), or glue - in the tool area, the art area, the craft area(s), or the school supply area. Things are not shelved logically and many things can be found in two places... It is a very confusing store for me. They carry a few fine art things, but mostly, crafts.

The other main store is a bookstore that carries electronics (computers, cameras, phones, iPads, etc.) and their accompaniments, stationary, art supplies, toys, and books in Arabic and English. They carry Winsor and Newton, Derwent, Faber Castel, and other companies art materials. They have a smaller selection than the other bigger store, but it's mostly fine art and good quality.

We went to the larger store and got some good stuff; then I went to the other store and filled in what I was missing. It worked out fairly well. It was nice going to the big craft store and having time to just poke around - almost a birthday present in itself. I dislike going to it because it is downtown and the traffic is terrible. Every time I go we almost get hit 5 or more times. I'm always really glad my driver has excellent reflexes.

So one of the things we got at the craft store was a Daler Rowney Oil Creative Pot with 6 tubes of oil color, two paintbrushes, 12 oil ATCs, and this adorable 2.5" by 2.5" mini canvas and easel. I actually started on one of the bigger canvasses, but oil paints take forever to dry, OMG, so I did this little butterfly while waiting for the bigger piece to dry. I think I'm going to get some googly eyes and glue them on... When it dries...

Have a great day!
[If my paint dries, I will be ;) ]

Theta