I take my mixed-media practice to festivals and outdoor events a lot — small commissions, quick commissions, live painting, or just sketching between talks. Over the years I’ve refined a kit that is compact, resilient and, crucially, forgiving of rain, mud, coffee spills and the odd bumpy ride...
Feb 22, 2026
• by Éloïse Martin
Latest News from Sonriseartists Co
I’ve been asked more times than I can count: “Can I swap synthetic brushes for natural-hair when working in gouache?” It’s a great question, especially as gouache sits somewhere between transparent watercolor and opaque acrylic in its behaviour. I decided to run a practical test in my studio to answer it properly — not just theoretical pros and cons, but how the brushes actually...
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I’ve spent years refining a compact mixed-media kit that fits comfortably under a café table, in a train seat pocket, or on my lap without turning a brief sketching session into a logistical puzzle. The trick isn’t just squeezing supplies into a small bag — it’s designing a system that protects fragile materials from spills, keeps inks and wet media tidy, and gives you enough variety to...
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There’s nothing quite like the sinking feeling when you lift a flap of collage and find brittle, cracked layers beneath — torn paper revealing white gashes, flaking paint, or adhesive failures that threaten the whole piece. I’ve walked into my studio to find a finished panel with a cracked collage layer after a hot weekend, or spotted tiny fissures spread across a layered work made years...
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When I prepare images of my paintings and mixed-media pieces for giclée printing, I try to think like both the maker and the reproducer. I want the texture, colour relationships and subtle marks to survive the translation from studio surface to archival print. Over the years I’ve developed a practical checklist that starts in the studio and ends with an exported file that a print lab can...
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I often think of “mistakes” in the studio as conversations my work invites me to have, rather than problems to be solved. Intentionally introducing slips, glitches and unexpected marks can open narrative possibilities in figurative work—hinting at memory, vulnerability, or the unspoken. Below I share practical techniques I use in painting and mixed media to weave purposeful imperfections...
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Stepping into a small studio means learning to be resourceful. My current workspace is compact, north-facing and blessed with a large sash window that floods the room with soft, indirect light for most of the day. I’ve built my working routine around that light and the constraints of limited space — it’s shaped everything from my daily schedule to what I keep on the workbench. Over years of...
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I’m often asked how to pull together a solo show when time is short and the budget is even shorter. Over the years I’ve learned that a focused concept, a tight timeline and a few practical shortcuts will get you from first idea to hanging flush on the wall — without losing the integrity of the work. Below I share a step-by-step approach I use when planning solo exhibitions on a shoestring:...
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When I teach mark-making to beginners, I aim to create an atmosphere where experimentation feels safe, playful and deliberately low-stakes. Mark-making is about decision-making: line, pressure, speed, tool choice and surface. My goal is to help students move from hesitation to curiosity — to try marks without worrying about 'getting it right'. Below are three classroom exercises that I use...
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I take my painting outside as often as I can — there’s something about the day's shifting light, wind, and the odd passerby that keeps my practice alive and frank. Over the years I’ve tried a few solutions for portable light when the weather turns grey or when I want to extend a short golden hour: headlamps, clamp lights, even lanterns. Recently I started using small LED panels designed for...
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When I stand in front of a primed large canvas for the first time, there’s a small, familiar flinch — part excitement, part dread. Large formats ask for decisions that feel irrevocable: scale, focal point, and how marks will breathe across the surface. Over the years I’ve developed a set of quick compositional studies that act like a warm-up for the brain and body. They help me move past...
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