I always approach studio visits with a clear intention: to turn generous, focused conversation into practical edits that push work toward clarity and, when relevant, gallery readiness. Over the years I’ve learned that a ninety-minute visit is a sweet spot — long enough to get under the surface,...
May 25, 2026
• by Éloïse Martin
Latest News from Sonriseartists Co
I make prints at home quite often — not just for editions but to proof files before sending work to a lab. Over the years I've developed a repeatable giclée proofing workflow using an Epson flatbed photo printer (I mostly use the Epson SureColor P600 and P800) and printable colour targets. It’s honest, practical and doesn't require sending everything out for profiling. Below I share the...
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I love iridescent and interference paints for the way they shift — a colour that seems to breathe as you move. Photographing them with a phone can feel impossible at first: the camera often flattens the shimmer or misreads the colour, and you end up with a dull patch where the surface had life. Over years of testing in my studio, I’ve found simple lighting and exposure tricks that help...
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When I prepare an artist statement for a gallery submission or an open call, I aim for one page that feels like a clear invitation rather than a dense manifesto. A well-crafted one-page artist statement helps curators and selectors understand the intention behind the work, the ideas driving your practice, and the practical context—without demanding too much time from a busy reader. Below I...
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I often find that the smallest edges—torn paper, fragile ephemera, feathered collage bits—are the ones that make or break a piece. Over time, delicate edges can lift, catch, or disintegrate, and that can be devastating after hours of careful layering. I rely on two simple, conservation-friendly allies to stabilise those edges: archival (Japanese/mulberry) tissue and wheat starch paste....
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I tested three lower-VOC, water-based varnish/fixative options that are easy to find in art shops: Liquitex Solvent-Free Spray Varnish (matte), Winsor & Newton Artisan Varnish (gloss, brush-on), and Golden Polymer Varnish (satin, brush-on). My aim was practical: how do they perform on mixed-media pieces where gouache, acrylic, ink and collage meet; do they change colour or sheen; how do they...
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I keep a running inventory of everything I use in the studio — from the archival gesso I prefer for panels to the exact make of sumi ink I reach for when I want a fast, staining line. Over the years I developed a simple, repeatable system for cataloguing and tagging mixed-media materials that saves me time, reduces waste, and helps me recreate textures or colour interactions across different...
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I run and take part in a lot of studio critiques — as a teacher, organiser and fellow maker — and I've learned that a carefully timed 60-minute session can be transformational for a body of work heading towards an exhibition. The trick is to make space for focused looking, honest but helpful feedback, and clear next steps. Below I share a structure I use regularly, along with prompts,...
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I spend a lot of time photographing test swatches, small paintings and pigment studies that contain metallic and iridescent particles. If you’ve tried this before you’ll know the problem: a beautiful shimmer in real life turns into a blown-out white hotspot in the photo, or the colour shift disappears entirely. Over the years I’ve developed a few reliable approaches using nothing more than...
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I often get asked during workshops: “Should I heat-set this layer or just let it air-dry?” It’s one of those deceptively simple questions that depends on the materials, the urgency of finishing, and how durable you want the work to be. Over years of studio experiments — and the odd panic with a bubbled collage — I’ve developed a risk-based framework I use to decide. Here’s how I...
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I recently switched the bulk of my underpainting work to Schmincke Horadam Gouache and ran a controlled studio test to see how it performs when layered for mixed-media pieces. I wanted to know whether that particular brand truly made a practical difference — not just in colour or finish, but in how it affects adhesion, reactivation, and the final visual depth when combined with acrylics, inks,...
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