A few weeks ago I received an exciting package from Maria at Art Toolkit: the new Explore Palette! The palette contains 6 Van Gogh® by Royal Talens watercolors: Transparent Yellow Medium, Permanent Red Light, Phthalo Blue, Yellow Ochre, Quinacridone Rose, and Payne’s Grey, 2 large mixing pans, plus 6 extra Read more…
I spotted this Tumuarta sketchbook on Amazon and noticed that it was 25% cotton and just had to give it a try! Here’s my review now that I’ve finished filling it up. The Pros: That 25% cotton really does make a difference! I got great granulation in my washes, brighter Read more…
I’ve been on a quest the last few weeks to find my ultimate ultramarine blue and I wanted to share the results with you — but first, the backstory! View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lisa Spangler (@sideoats) The Backstory I’ve been using ultramarine blue from Daniel Read more…
I was honored to teach a workshop at Nash Prairie Preserve near the Gulf Coast of Texas, an extraordinary place protected by The Nature Conservancy. Less than 1% of the Great Coastal Prairie still exists, and barely a fraction of it is unplowed like Nash Prairie. It is truly a Read more…
I’m honored to be featured in the Spring 2022 issue of the Texas Prairie News, the newsletter of the Native Prairies Association of Texas! The newsletter is available online as a digital PDF here on the NPAT website. The Native Prairies Association of Texas (NPAT) is a nonprofit land trust dedicated to the conservation, Read more…
I’m going to be teaching an in-person workshop near Houston and put together this palette for the students and had to share. It’s designed for ease of mixing out in the field and the colors of the Texas Gulf Coast Prairies, but I bet it would make a great everyday Read more…
Here are four ways to easily add cactus spines while working en plein air: White gouache – this is probably my favorite way to add cactus spines. I squeeze out some gouache into a little container with a snap-on lid and keep it in my pack. I prefer Winsor & Read more…
While teaching the Exploring the Desert workshop for Art Toolkit on Saturday I started thinking about the snacks I like to take hiking (lol!) and then that got me to thinking about all the times I’ve picked up “organic” trash out on the trail. I’ve often wondered how long this Read more…
I’ve had Cobalt Teal Blue on my palette for years — it’s one of my favorites. I’ve found that not many people know about this glorious color and all the magic mixes you can make with it, so I decided to write this Ode to Cobalt Teal Blue. This is Read more…
I put together a quick little video to set the mood for an upcoming workshop and thought I’d share it here: Watching this transports me to the desert and gives me those peaceful vibes. I can almost feel the sun on my face. There’s still time to sign up for Read more…