Artist Toolbox: Painting Tools & Materials

Founded in 1922 by artist Walter T. Foster, Walter Foster Publishing, an imprint of The Quarto Group, is the world's leading publisher of instructional art books and kits for adults and children. Walter Foster's diverse selection of drawing, painting, doodling, and mixed media art books and kits have created a foundation for millions of beginning, intermediate, and advanced artists looking to hone their talents, learn new techniques, and discover different mediums. From color mixing recipes and art tools to the fundamentals of drawing and painting, Walter Foster's books cover a wide variety of topics and mediums across a broad spectrum of traditional and eclectic subject matter for artists of all skill levels. Walter Foster Publishing continues to expand its offerings every year, producing cutting-edge art-instruction books and kits for a worldwide audience.

Maury Aaseng has always been excited about drawing and art. After graduating with a BFA in graphic design from the University of Minnesota-Duluth, Maury began an illustration career, and his freelance work has spanned a variety of subject matter and illustration styles, including cartooning, medical illustration, natural sciences, patient education, and watercolor. An avid nature enthusiast, Maury lives in northern Minnesota with his wife and two children. Visit www.mauryillustrates.com and maurymedicalart.com.

Varvara Harmon is an award-winning multimedia artist who works with oil, acrylic, watercolor, silk paintings, and ink and pencil drawings. Her work has been juried into national and international exhibitions and is in private collections around the world. Varvara's work has been published in International Artist and American Artist magazines, as well as in The Best of America Oil Artists book in 2009 and The Best of World Landscape Artists in 2012. Varvara is a member of the International Guild of Realism, Oil Painters of America, and Landscape Artists International. She is represented at several galleries in the Northeast and teaches workshops in acrylic, watercolor, and oil.

Jim McConlogue lives in Encinitas, California. He paints with oil, both in plein-air and out of his home studio. Jim has studied life drawing, painting and illustration through the Corcoran School of Art, The Athenaeum School of the Arts, and others. He is a past artist member of the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association, and his original oils are shown in galleries throughout the San Diego area. He is also represented by J.G. Editions Fine Art Dealers.Jennifer McCully is a graphic designer who also does mixed media work. Her creative spirit can be seen on her bold canvases, which feature vibrant and simple objects that are energetic and inspiring. Her childlike creations evoke happiness, and her inspiration is drawn from practically anything. Jennifer operates four different shops on Etsy.Patti Mollica lives and works with her fellow-artist and jazz musician husband, Mark Hagan, in New York City and Nyack. An impressionistic and contemporary painter, she believes that a painter's job is to show the viewer the inherent beauty of all subjects and scenes. She has been selected by Golden Paints to facilitate workshops demonstrating "Creative Techniques Using Golden Paints and Mediums."Paul Talbot-Greaves is a professional watercolorist and art teacher who holds numerous workshops throughout the British Isles. He has been a member of several art organizations, including the International Guild of Artists, the British Watercolour Society, the Halifax Art Society, and the Society for All Artists (SAA). Paul has written for a number of publications, such as Paint and Artists & Illustrators Magazine, for which he is a regular contributor. He also has produced four art instruction videos on watercolor painting.Artist Caroline Zimmermann of Laguna Beach, CA, spends much of her time traveling, painting, and exhibiting abroad.