Art Fun Cheap

I often use inexpensive square note paper as origami paper. It comes in many colors, and even the white paper can be easily decorated in a thousand different ways.
The common 3 1/2 by 3 1/2-inch memo cube paper is exactly the right size for folding small cranes, for example, to fit on artist trading cards [...]

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The brushes that come with cheap watercolors are usually just junk. Generally they are not worth even trying to use. (Save them to use for glue and other one-time uses.)
That’s why, as I mentioned in Cheap, Fun Watercolors, I was surprised to find that the brush that came with Coloriffic watercolors was quite good. That [...]

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The interesting thing (to me) about glitter glues and dimensional (3D) paints is that while the package says “water washable,” that’s only while they are wet. Once dry, they are water resistant. You can layer them, and they don’t melt each other (except the pearls).
You can also paint over them with watercolors, using the gels [...]

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People often think that you need to draw well to enjoy making art. That’s not true. But at the same time, you can have a lot more fun with art if you can draw well enough to please yourself.
How do you learn? Formal academic courses are not necessary. Many people don’t have access to them. [...]

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Magic pencils are fat, colorful wooden pencils with multicolor lead, made by the pencil company, Koh-I-noor Hardtmuth and sold for 99 cents at most Walgreen’s stores. Michael’s may still carry them, too.

Each pencil has three colors arranged in the fat “lead” in a checkerboard pattern, so you can write a rainbow, and make multicolored backgrounds [...]

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“Glitter is good,” is my motto. The great glitzy stuff I love goes by various names: glitter glue, dimensional paint, paper glaze, and fabric paint. The textures and finishes are different, but all are fun and useful. I use them for art journals, artist trading cards, drawings, paintings, greeting cards, origami paper, and all kinds [...]

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