I’m often asked how I send fragile mixed-media pieces to galleries, buyers or events without returning to my studio with a heart in my mouth. Over the years I’ve developed a repeatable method for building a transport-safe portfolio that protects delicate surfaces and layered edges using...
Why I wanted to test gouache with soft-body acrylicsI've long loved the matt, opaque quality of...
When my studio shrank from a sunny spare room to a cosy corner in a shared flat, one of the hardest...
I once rescued a small pile of collage works that had been exposed to a leaking roof after a storm....
I keep my brush-cleaning setup intentionally small and solvent-free — partly because my studio is...
I spent a rainy afternoon last week photographing a new series that uses iridescent powders and...
I remember the first time I decided to use gouache as an underpainting in a mixed‑media piece: I...
I often find myself drawn to the way a small, unexpected underlayer can transform the finished surface of a painting. Lately I’ve been experimenting with using gouache as an underlay beneath vibrant acrylic highlights — a pairing that feels slightly rebellious because gouache and acrylic sit so differently on the material spectrum. In this piece I’ll take you through why I use gouache...
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I love experiments that sit between drawing and printmaking — processes that respond to touch, time and chance. Cyanotype is one of those magical techniques: simple to set up, fast to learn, and endlessly generous when combined with collage. Over the last few years I’ve been exploring small, hybrid prints that start with cyanotype exposures and are finished with collage, gouache, ink and...
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I often get asked whether the finish you choose for a piece — glossy, satin or matte — actually changes the perceived depth and vibrancy of colour, especially in mixed-media work where papers, inks, gouache and acrylic interact in unpredictable ways. To answer that, I ran a simple, practical test with three widely used archival varnishes and documented how each affected colour depth, texture...
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I often get asked whether student or professional gouache is the better choice for illustration work. It’s a practical question with no single correct answer — it depends on your goals, budget and the life you expect your work to lead. Over the years I’ve used both types extensively, teaching students and producing finished pieces for publication, so here I’m sharing what I look for when...
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I often get asked how I keep my brushes in good shape while avoiding harsh solvents. Over the years I’ve moved almost entirely to solvent-free methods for everyday cleaning and only use substitutes with caution for deep cleaning. Below I share the practical, hands-on routine I use in the studio — simple, repeatable steps that protect your tools, your health and the longevity of your brushes...
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When I first saw Mara Singh’s series of abstract landscapes, I felt like I was stepping into the hush between memory and weather. There’s a particular hush in her work — layered, tactile surfaces that seem both held and dissolving, like a remembered shoreline after the tide has emptied. I invited Mara to the studio to talk through the ways she translates memory into paint, and what came out...
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I often return to glazing with acrylics when I want colour depth that feels almost like light passing through layers — that luminous, jewel-like effect you associate with oil glazes, but achieved with acrylics’ faster drying time and versatility. Over the years I’ve developed a step-by-step approach that balances control and serendipity. Here I’ll walk you through my process on a prepared...
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I love the tactile, layered quality of textured paintings. Capturing that texture for social media can feel frustrating—flat phone photos that don't show depth, harsh shadows that swallow subtle glazes, or blown-out highlights that erase impasto. Over the years I've developed several straightforward approaches that work without a light tent, using things most of us already have: window light,...
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Working in a compact studio doesn’t have to feel like a compromise. Over the years I’ve learned that small corners, properly thought through, become powerful workflow zones for mixed-media practice. They don’t need to be glamorous or expensive — they need to be intentional. Below I share the ways I break down tiny spaces, prioritise tasks, and kit them out so a 2m x 2m corner can support...
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I like to think of a colour recipe library as a toolbox that travels with me from one project to the next. Over the years I’ve developed a system that helps me recreate consistent palettes—whether I’m working on a series of small gouache studies, a mixed-media commission, or translating a palette into digital illustrations. The trick isn’t just in mixing the right hues; it’s in...
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