Art is more than just something pretty to look at, or something striking that challenges you–it’s a way of looking at the world in new ways, and it’s not just for the privileged few to enjoy. Art belongs to all of us–not just to see and appreciate but to create. And you don’t have to start from scratch, either, with a little how-to guidance from The Desire Company’s professionals. Let’s get you started on a rewarding journey with your own arts and crafts.

Tips for Painting

Get out your brushes and paints, it’s time to join the Dutch masters and the Italian renaissance. Vermeer and DaVinci started somewhere, too, so don’t be shy about making mistakes. After all, we are our own worst critics. 

Choosing the Right Tools and Materials for Your Paintings

The logical first step for any new painter is the choice of their materials. Which kinds of paints should you use? While this mostly comes down to trial and error (don’t be afraid to try as many as you like until you find one you like), our pros have some tips of their own.

First, we have Julie Orr reviewing Blick acrylic paints, which she points out are specifically good for beginners. They’re high quality and priced affordably–a perfect combination!

On the other side, we have Kathryn Kampovsky to share her review of Gamblin Oil Paints, a high-quality choice for somebody ready for a little more of a challenge in their painting. While you’re considering whether you’d like to use oil paints, maybe Kathryn’s tips for using mineral spirits can give you a little inspiration.

Kathryn knows what she’s talking about, and that doesn’t stop with paints. Take a look at her review of Royal & Langnickel Paint Brushes for some additional insight into the tools you can use to make your own masterpieces.

How to Mix Colors

So you’ve got your paints, now what? Not to worry, we have LA-based painter Julie Orr to give you the basics of what artists have been doing for thousands of years: mixing colors. Watch here.

While we can’t help you decide what the subject of your paintings should be, you might be tempted to try your hand at the classic portrait painting. In that case, you’re definitely going to want to pick Kathryn’s brain for mixing colors for the multitude of skin tones around the world. Learn more here.

How to Feather as a Painting Technique

So you’ve got your paints and your brushes and colors you’ve picked, you’re ready to get to putting paint to canvas. Whether you’re going for an old-fashioned landscape or portrait or something a little more abstract in mind, the entire universe of visual representation is literally at your command. As long as you’re experimenting, why not give Kathryn’s feathering technique a try? Watch it here.

Tips for Woodworking

There’s no doubt about whether painting qualifies as art, but you might not think something as useful as, say, a table can be a work of art. It absolutely is, calling upon all of your creativity and using experimentation and trial and error to figure out the best ways to make the end product you have in your mind. A nice bonus about woodworking as an art is that the stuff you make often has another purpose, like a chair or desk. It’s important to remember to enjoy the fruits of your labor, and there are few crafts more rewarding than woodworking.

Freelance artist, animator, woodworker, and sculptor Xavier Perry will be our guide through the challenging and exciting world of woodworking. 

The Scroll Blade Technique

At its most basic, woodworking is the process of sculpting wood into something useful and beautiful (or maybe just one or the other). In order to accomplish this, you have to make some cuts, and Xavier Perry starts us off with a basic but essential tip: the scroll blade technique.

How to Fix Your Mistakes

There’s no way to avoid making some mistakes while you develop your woodworking skills. Heck, you will probably make mistakes even when you’re a master woodworker making your own videos. Xavier is just like you, and shows us all how to fix those little mistakes the easy way. Learn more here.

Painting Your Products

So you’ve finally got your woodworking to a point where you’re cutting and shaping wood into things that are recognizably tables, chairs, or that just give you a sense of personal achievement. Now, it’s time to give them a little life and color–for that, we’ve got Xavier Perry to show us how to use spray paints to give your work a personal touch here.

It wouldn’t be a Desire Company blog without some expert reviews. Don’t worry if you don’t know what to buy, Xavier’s got you covered. Here’s Xavier Perry’s review of the paint he uses, Montana spray cans. Xavier also reviews the stuff he uses to fix the little mistakes - Mod Podge.

Last but not least our favorite woodworker, Xavier shares his review of the Ryobi jigsaw here.

Tips for Candle Making

Cozy and calm are a perfect compliment to each other, and nothing gets you both of them like a nice candle. Sure, you can buy them, but why not take some very small, easy steps to create your own? Our blog about arts and crafts would be incomplete without tips on candlemaking from top yoga instructor and candle pro Alicia "Ace" Easter. 

Let’s start off with a comprehensive overview of candlemaking with Alicia in this class.

Without a wick, your candle is just a pretty wax sculpture. Alicia helps us out with the wicks of our candles, first with a brief but important tip for using glue dots in your wick prep, and then she shares with us her expert guide to maintaining our candle wicks here.

Flower Arranging Tips

Last but certainly not least, we have florist Audra Lambie to help us out with our flower arrangements. Flowers are a simple, easy way to liven up your home or office but it’s also a simple and easy way to dip your toe into the arts and crafts scene. Here Audra helps us out with her basic overview of how you can make a beautiful flower arrangement that lasts.

Audra also helps us get a handle on the tools of her trade: flowers! She tells us the best way to dethorn a rose and, in our final video, Audra shows us how to get our flowers to bloom faster.

If those weren’t enough to get your creative juices flowing, take a look at all of the crafty reviews and how-tos you could ever want right here at the Desire Company.