Blog | The Dining Table Studio

Follow Friday: Refael Idan Suissa

12 March 2021

This week's Follow Friday artist is Refael Idan Suissa, also known as @irefaels. He is a tattoo artist who is better known for his digital art. His digitally created prints resembles imperfectly handprinted linocut prints. His style is a nostalgic swirl of graphic novels and tarot cards.

Tutorial

Screen printing with screen filler and drawing fluid

18 January 2021

I love using screen filler and drawing fluid for screen printing as it is relatively straightforward compared to the photo emulsion and results in a more organic looking print. There will be imperfections, but that is part of the charm.

Art Tips

Drypoint etching on plastic packaging

24 May 2020

During this lockdown period, some art supplies have inevitably gone out of stock. It seems appropriate at this time to try out drypoint etching on various materials commonly found in household waste. I have tried etching on tetrapak, and now my latest experiment is on plastic sheet cut out from ham packaging.

Journal

Art in the time of Coronavirus

29 April 2020

It has been 47 days since we started self isolation due to a persistent cough and fever. We never managed to end the isolation as the country went into national lockdown just as we were approaching the end of our quarantine period. Like many, I experienced shock and anxiety in the beginning, and had my fair share of teary outbursts and hiding in car for solace.

Journal

Painting with a Guerrilla Painter pochade box

05 January 2020

Like any easily influenced fan, I was seduced by Lena Rivo's plein air videos, and splurged on the rather expensive Guerrilla Painter 9x12 inch pochade box in an attempt to paint like her. The weather here in the UK is nothing like Portugal, especially now in winter. So I compromised and painted in the shelter of our garage instead.

Inspiration

Follow Friday: James Gurney

03 January 2020

James Gurney is best known as the creator of Dinotopia, but is also a prolific plein air sketcher and online art teacher. I can't love him enough.

Inspiration

Follow Friday: Charlie Mackesy

20 December 2019

It was hard not to notice Charlie Mackesy’s new book in the bookshops, it was widely promoted everywhere. I was immediately drawn to his loose poignant style.

Inspiration

Follow Friday: The Toronto Ink Company

06 December 2019

The Toronto Ink Company, with the slogan 'We make ink from anything', was founded by Jason Logan in 2014 as a citizen science experiment to make eco-friendly, urban ink from street-harvested pigments.

Inspiration

Follow Friday: Andrea Serio

29 November 2019

Andrea Serio is a published artist based in Turin. He has a distinctive style, featuring coloured pencils with gestural strokes and rich visual texture, much like the Van Gogh's Starry Night, but with coloured pencils.

Inspiration

Follow Friday: Lena Rivo

22 November 2019

I came across her in one of the Gouache facebook group comments and fell in love with her work immediately. I love the way she captures light. Indeed, one of her primary goals in art is to convey the illusion of light.

Journal

How mama draws

14 November 2019

Many people ask me how I find time to draw, juggling 2 kids and a day job. Especially during the Inktober challenge, each drawing would take me around 3hrs to create. Here's a breakdown of a typical day...

Journal

On being praised and post-Inktober blues

08 November 2019

It's been 8 days since Inktober and I haven't posted anything new on Instagram. Am I experiencing a burn out? Or is it more than that?

Journal

What would you kill for style?

26 October 2019

I never thought I had a style as I am too fickle and keep trying different things. Recently, since the Inktober challenge, I started drawing in a consistent way and got a few positive comments about my 'style'.

Journal

Day out to Oxford Museum of Natural History

29 August 2018

Owen loves to draw, perhaps as much as I do. We went on a trip to the Natural History Museum where we both did some Urban Sketching.

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