I'm Danny Sabra, a visual artist and educator from Omaha, Nebraska.
I love to paint with acrylic, oil paint, gouache and watercolor in the studio as well as en plein air. I also love to go urban sketching and I often do sketches in pen and ink. I love painting landscapes, portraits and anything that interests me. I'm a self taught artist and I look to share my artistic journey and experiences with you as I continue to grow and learn. I feature painting and drawing tips as well as vlog my thoughts on creativity and painting adventures. So subscribe and come along on the journey!
Instagram: @dannysabra
Facebook: facebook.com/dannysabramusic/
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This was so helpful! May I ask what tonal paper you are using for this?
Thank you Trish! I’ve been experimenting with Canson’s “Mi Tientes” board. It’s archival colored paper on archival board. I think it’s intended use is for matting, but since it’s archival surface I’ve been experimenting with it. It holds the gouache nicely, has a subtle texture and best of all I can cut to custom sizes and easily frame. A 12x18” board is a little under $5 at my local art shop and it’s been lasting me a while so far! I think it’s superior to mixed media paper if you don’t mind cutting it to size (can be done with a utility knife) They have a ton of colors and it’s been a time saver in not having to tone it myself. I want to play around with some other colors as well. Highly recommend. I might make a video on it one of these days
@DannySabraArt That’s so cool!! Might be a good thing for me to try before my en plein air trip to Lake O’Hara. It could be safer for my paintings when backpacking.
@trishnewbery161 Definitely worth a try for sure! I’ve really been favoring boards for their ease of framing options if you might sell one. It frustrates me how most watercolor blocks are cut to European sizes and are difficult to frame without custom mattes and frame sizes. I’ve been painting in standard photo sizes and can get frames easily. It’s also pleasant to paint on something more firm and substantial and in a way it feels more “legit” to have something solid than a wavy piece of paper at the end. But I still use WC paper for sure. I’ve just been preferring it lately for those reasons.
Perfect 👌 ❤
@@JaanColorsArt thank you Jaan! 🙏
After years I still haven’t really settled on one palette lol. I definitely gravitate towards using certain pigments though. I use acrylics and have found that chroma is often lost due to the properties of the binder, so the compromise is to only use pure single-pigment paints and if the color is still lacking then a transparent glaze will do the trick 99% of the time. With acrylics you can also just separate the pigment from the binder by using a lot of water and the result is much purer color
That’s a really interesting insight Brandon. I think I’ve noticed that too with some of my more transparent colors for sure. I recently intentionally was playing around with glazing and I was surprised at the Intensity of color that it gave me. Almost too much for the passage I was working on! Sometimes I water down gouache for transparent passages but it’s almost always on a white background. And with regards to settling on a palette I haven’t either. I think it’s too much fun to fiddle with variety and experiment. But sometimes I know that possibly holds me back as when I started I used the same palette for a couple years and was able to really dial that in. So there’s benefits to consistency too. Follow the muse!
Great video and conversation. Thanks Danny! I'm wondering what kind of surface you're working on here? Thanks so much!
Thanks Michael! This is a Mi Tientes Board from Canson cut to 4x6 dimension. It’s their toned archival paper that they glue to archival matte board. I find it’s a really nice surface to paint on and I enjoy that I can custom cut it to size and the boards are easily frameable. This color is called “tobacco” but they have a lot of different colors and I’d like to try some other ones. Highly recommend!
It’s pretty economical as well. A 12”x18” board is about $5 so you can make a lot of smaller boards with it easily. It’ll be a while before I run out. I’m going to try painting with acrylic in the next couple of days so that’ll be interesting to see how it goes.
@@DannySabraArt amazing! Thank you so much. I really appreciate you taking the time to respond.
@MichaelWurmJr absolutely! No problem
Beautiful painting, There was a moment where I thought your were going to leave it as a negative space painting (I liked that too) Also, on the topic of palettes that don’t go very dark, I’ve found that blue gives a bit of an illusion of a darker value, especially if it’s surrounded by warm colors and vice versa.
Thanks CD! I thought about it! I kinda want to try some negative painting possibly with just white on this toned surface. And I think you’re right about blue! I’d like to experiment with more blues and really dial in various color palettes
Hey Danny! I use Cad Yellow, Primary Red, Ultramarine Blue & Titanium White. Works for me!
@@steamyb2 that’s a great palette! I’ve been playing around with rotating out a primary over the past couple years. There’s a pthalo blue by Utrecht in their gouche line that is a PERFECT sky blue. But it’s tonal value is much higher than ultramarine so it’s always interesting to experiment with that one. I’ve also been using black on occasion to give me more of that tonal value depth that I lose sometimes. I’ll probably talk about that in one of my next videos.
Could i use water based varnish for gouache?
If you apply an isolation coat first you can. But the gouache layer must be sealed first before applying any varnish otherwise the painting will be ruined. The only exception to this is if you want to use wax medium as a varnish but this is not removable. One of the main purposes of varnishing is to be able to remove and reapply the varnish in the future to clean and restore the paintings color after time. So only in that one instance if in fact you don’t want to be able to remove the varnish, than wax medium is the only varnish I know of that can be applied without an isolation coat or sealant. Some spray varnishes may also work but likewise be unremovable. If on the other hand you do seal the surface and apply and isolation coat you may use any type of varnish you wish and the painting will remain intact and you may remove and reapply varnish in the future for cleaning and restoration. Hope that helps!
@@DannySabraArt thank you so much, very clear explanation ❤️
@@hisanamikazi8492 you’re welcome!
I am getting a lot out of your videos. Thank you so much!
Thank you so much.
Congrats on you winning painting keep it up.
Thank you! I really needed that encouragement today!
Hey I'm having trouble finding gear to paint on the go... could you please share some recommendations? Easels, pallets, and other equipment you might use? Thank you! I've been binge watching you videos!
Absolutely. I know I need to make a video on this soon that might explain it better than I can here. Are you thinking gouache or oil or watercolor or all of the above?
@@DannySabraArt just gouache at the moment :)
@allisonperry1734 right now as seen in this video, I’m actually using a traditional painters palette and taping my boards to it. That way it’s all handheld and I’m fully portable to stand or sit or move or walk without the use of a tripod. The next step you could do and what I might design in my own palette someday would be the use of a tripod Mount on the bottom if you can’t stand holding a palette. The next step up from that would be a vertical palette. I use the Daytripper from Prolific Painter but there are many other models out there. It’s a larger set up and requires a tripod. Lately I don’t like using it because of all the gear but it’s great for large paintings or long sessions. The pallets by NuWave look really promising but I haven’t tried them yet due to the price! You can also make your own like James gurney. Check out his “gurney sketch easel” Facebook group or KZread videos. I might make one like that someday as well. Another thing I’ve been doing for gouache lately is a cut out board of chip board with velcro attached and I apply pieces to my sketchbook and it sits on there plus a small water cup and rag. I use this in my zoo sketching video. I use the Portable Painter Micro Palette, also with Velcro. Very easy but not a lot of mixing space. They have a larger palette but I don’t think it would fit on a hand held board so that’s why I’ve gone with simply a hand held painters palette and adhere my painting surface to it. The only drawback is losing the ability to paint with the surface vertically but you do get the benefit of some watercolor techniques and I don’t miss vertical painting that much. But you have to decide for yourself. As for paints I often paint with only three tubes plus white. I try to stick to 2-3 brushes. I really like Princeton velvet touch brushes. But other brushes by them are really good. If you get a large flat, a small/medium flat and a tiny round for details you can really do a lot with that. I have been painting on illustration board or toned matte board as seen in this video. I can cut it to whatever size I want and it frames easily. I also really like painting on cotton paper used for watercolor. It just depends on what size you want. If you get watercolor paper you can get a block and then cut out the paper when you’re done. I adhere the blocks or boards to my easel with painters tape on the backside. Never had one fall off. I draw with a normal pencil and sometimes a fountain pen. A collapsible cup for water is nice and my secret weapon is a “travelers vest” similar to a fishing vest but it has lots and lots of pockets. I can keep all my sketch stuff in there. Others like using backpacks or Fanny packs. Whatever is your style! Hope that helps!
@DannySabraArt It does help, it's useful to know what you're doing. I learn from watching other people a lot but I'm the only person that I know who paints. Thank goodness for videos such as yours. It's very generous of you to list all of that out for me. I really appreciate it. Looking forward to more videos!
@allisonperry1734 I am mostly in the same boat myself so I totally get it! Thanks for your awesome question and support!
This was an inspiring video…your advice takes away the creative anxiety we all face in getting started. Thank you
Thank you Peggy! 🙏
Very nice 👍like your brushes too
Thank you! I’ve been enjoying just using these three for most of my gouache sketches and I like them. The two flats are by Princeton and I need to check what the small round is. Either it’s Princeton or Winsor and Newton brand.
@@DannySabraArt thanks for sharing...i too am fan of Princeton...especially velvetouch and catalyst also aspen series..your long flats are superb. I stopped gouache few months..was trying acrylics.. but now im back with more interest in gouache
@sujanithtottempudi2991 awesome! I’ve been also playing around with acrylics a bit and mixing them as in this video. I want to do that more I think.
@@DannySabraArt Experiments in Art is so much fun...never a waste as it teaches us something anyway...who knows maybe that road leads to your own style
@sujanithtottempudi2991 exactly. Every painting has a lesson
So beautiful and fun to watch!
Thank you so much!
I wonder if people think the paint will crack when there's more of it? I can't think of anything else😅
I think it can crack if you paint with big impasto, especially if on a flexible surface.
Its nice. Although it will not work on S bann well. But in car definitely nice
Thank you. I’m not sure what S Bann is but I hope you find a good solution for that. 👍
It's a city train in Europe. Like subway sort of. We'll the same for any public transportation I think might be challenging... thank you fir the tips of course.
@tatjanaelevate thank you! Someday I’d love to paint in Europe. It’s a dream of mine.
Great to see ya back in full painting action Danny Nice little Art piece 🎨 it looks Incredible it really turned out groovy nice brother I dig it 🤟🏡🖌🖼🎉🌞
Thank you! I appreciate it! It’s good to be back
Using Alizarin Crimson for the underpainting is perfect because of the undertones in the garlic.
Thank you! I’m always experimenting with underpainting and drawing tones. Alizarin is nice because of its transparency too. I haven’t used it in a while, so I might need to bust it out again! Lately I’ve been doing my drawing with pencil instead of the brush.
Very nice! I'll be sharing this with my students!
Thank you! 🙏
I love your process videos! This is such a complicated scene, you did a great job painting it!
Thank you! I should be getting another process video out this weekend!
Can this be done without trace or transfer paper ?
Yes there are other ways to do it. If for Instance you want to transfer a photo, print out or even from an original drawing you could do the same procedure on the back of the photo or drawing. You can also coat the back with charcoal instead of paint. This is how the old masters used to transfer their drawings. The drawback to this method is that it can ruin the original drawing or at least damage it, but if all you care about is the transfer and the finished painting than you can skip the tracing step. Hope this helps
Great music.
Haha. Thanks
It's a very interesting video! I heard some people say that they have difficulty to get correct tone on white paper, because it so bright. So the advice was indeed to tone the paper (doesn't matter which color, just make it not white)
I’ve heard that too. I also know that the impressionists were some of the first to paint on white surfaces because they liked how it made the colors pop more. I think it’s all about trying different techniques and finding what works best for you and for each individual painting
@@DannySabraArt indeed! I was wondering how artists choose color for the underpainting and your videos were very helpful in understanding how it works!
@tali_vanderkat thank you! Glad it was helpful!
Thank you for the tips and process! I will certainly try the red underpainting!
Give it a shot! It’s fun! I’ve been experimenting with different underpainting colors and it always effects the painting in unique ways.
Por favor, ative as legendas do vídeo 😢
Por algum motivo, o KZread não me permite adicionar legendas automáticas a este vídeo. Vou continuar trabalhando nisso. Eu sinto muito mesmo!
@@DannySabraArt agradeço pelo retorno amigo!
Muito bom, bravo 😊
obrigado! 🙏
I use those paints but I never use water for painting. I use it only for cleaning the brushes. I do have gamblin solvent free fluid. Also have it in gel. I use these in painting if I want more flow. W&N also has medium for the water mixable oils. Perhaps you have already figured this out. I didn’t notice when you posted this. Have fun.
Thanks Susan! Yep I do have some of their water mixable mediums as well! I know using water during the painting process is hotly debated as is using any solvents for traditional oil painting. I know there are many perspectives on the issue. I’ve been trying out all kinds of methods over the past year and still trying to figure out what works best for me. I like the simplicity of WMO though!
Question: Can you paint gouache on top of oil paint?
Unfortunately you cannot do so in a way that is archival or will last. The reason is that since oil paint is oil based it will repel the gouache which is water based. You can in theory paint oil on top of water based paints. This is most commonly done with oil on top of acrylic (most store bought gesso is also acrylic based) there are of course people who argue or speculate that that is not as archival or time tested as oil on top of oil based primers which is a more historical way to prime a painting surface. Of course I think it’s safe to say most painters do paint oil over an acrylic ground. If you tried to paint oil over gouache most likely the gouache would reactivate. Another pint you might consider if you want a matte underpainting would be the use of casein, which is a milk based paint. It’s similar to gouache in its look and feel but has a stronger emulsion and once dry won’t reactivate. Some painters do use it for an underpainting before going over it with oil paint. But the easy way to remember is oil can go over water based paints but not the other way around. Like how oil will float on top of water.
Bravo! Great painting 🎉🎉👁 Beautiful 😍
Thank you
You are so underrated! I like that you do long videos and really explain things
Thank you so much! I used to only do short videos but I like sprinkling in the longer ones because I realized it’s what I found most useful when I started out myself and hopefully for those who are interested they can maybe find a tidbit here or there that’s helpful to them.
Cool but sounds like a great way to burn out.
What do you recommend?
Found my new favorite channel! You are so gifted with identifying the artist struggle and blocks and the way through them. Thank you SO MUCH
You are so kind! Thank you so much! Welcome to the journey! 🙏❤️
Love it. I know also Lavender Essential Oil can be used as a brush cleaner too instead of brush cleaner. I bet that would be very expensive though.
I’ve heard spike of lavender oil which I’m not sure if it’s the same as essential oil or not, but I’ve wanted to try it sometime! I use just regular walnut oil to clean my brushes and it’s really nice
inspiring people and conversation. As an artist struggling finding time and inspiration with a 9-to-5 I feel like I needed to hear these things. thanks for sharing it!
Thank you! The struggle is real but there’s absolutely ways to do it and make it work for you!
Pretty cool video. I'm going to try this but without the panic attack part!
Haha. Yes I don’t recommend that part!
Thank you for your candid sharing of all your doubts, suffering, disgust, etc. about the painting process. I have had painters' block for about a year now. Your sharing has renewed my hope & enthusiasm about painting again. Until I saw your video I was really considering quitting after a lifetime of painting. Thank you!
Thank you so much Julie. Comments like these make it all worth it to me. Keep going and don’t give up! ❤️🙏
I identify with everything you said in your video entitled "I almost died". I've had painters' block for about a year now. I have renewed enthusiasm to get back to painting - am no longer so shocked at myself for thinking "bad thoughts" about the entire process! Thanks to you.
I’m so glad to hear this. I think that’s a wise conclusion as well. I need to remind myself that it won’t always be smooth sailing and I should plan accordingly!
The beginning was scary. I’m glad you’re okay my friend 😪
It was scary for me too! Thank you 🙏 I had cut out part of the video just for length but I had talked about learning that I need to make a plan and let someone know where I was. That was the scary part was in the moment I realized nobody knew where I was and if I couldn’t get out I’d be stuck.
It was a fun chat, thanks for asking me to do it!
Thank you Scott!
nice work bro! i had fun chatting with you too. excited to see where the journey takes you, Keep going
Thank you Scott! Appreciate you and your wisdom. Keep killing it man!
I think we all have questions like this. So... I have a book for you. "The Practicing Stoic" by Ward Farnsworth. Highly recommend the audiobook. I think it's free on KZread? Just listen passively while your doing your daily chores. It always provides me with a profound grounding and it's my favorite take on the subject(and it makes me giggle too). If you give it a shot, let me know what you think. ❤
I will definitely check that out. Ironically I’ve been really getting into the stoic philosophers this year. I’ve read Marcus and am currently reading the writings of Epictetus and have Seneca on the shelf.
@@DannySabraArt brilliant! The way Ward pulls theology from each philosopher on specific subjects helps me. It seems repetitious but, each philosopher had a different way of explaining a fix for a problem. One may resonate more than another but, the collective goal is the same. It simplifies it all. Keeps my ADHD brain engaged especially when cleaning.🥰
Danny your concerns are not uncommon. We can begin a challenge fresh and ready to take on the world but by the end tired. Rest when you need to. I find high anxiety or overwhelm is often bought on by our own perfectionists expectations. When I feel that way I have to declutter my environment and schedule. For instance, unfinished paintings can make us feel guilty and anxious so put them out of sight visually and just commit to finishing one a week, a month or whatever works. Work out what part of art gives you joy and permission to do that until your stealth returns. Creativity is not mechanical and closely aligned to our spirit and feelings so needs to be nurtured more than driven. We became driven when our joy is nurtured. I’m sure yours will return. Be kind to yourself.
@kayleenwest thank you Kayleen. I know you’re right. I was thinking to myself that I probably should focus in my goals more to promote a healthier way of looking at my art and be more open about what productivity looks like. I don’t want to be lazy or wasteful with my time but I also don’t want to drive myself into the ground or crush my spirit. Here’s to finding a better way! 🙏
@@DannySabraArt definitely a better way to go. I uploaded a video last night that touches on this and may be helpful to you. Our emotions stem from our thinking and need to be realigned from time to time. I have endured panic attacks before so familiar with your situation at the moment.
Wow that looks amazing ❤❤❤
Thank you!
@@DannySabraArt your very welcome :)
Thank you for this! The idea of learning more through quantity before focusing on quality was such an eye-opening understanding for me in my development as an artist. I first came across it in the book Art & Fear. One of the vignettes is about a ceramics class where the professor grades 1/2 class on quantity thrown and the other 1/2 on only working on 1 piece the whole semester. By far, the highest quality work was found in the quantity side of the room. Fascinating!
That’s such a great point and Art and Fear is one of my favorite books! Although I forgot about that story about the pottery class it’s such a great example! I think fundamentally as is the case with many of my videos this is a much needed reminder for myself as much as it is for anyone else, because I so often get caught up in trying to make my art “better” and lose sight of the process that will actually get me there
Thank you for this quick reminder! 🌸
Absolutely. Thank you 🙏
Thanks!
Thank you so much Maggie! Much appreciated 🙏
Thank you for these! Trying to get back in beginners mind these days and this was super helpful! Also switching over to different medium (gouache) which is how I found you! (Different video lol)
You and me both! I find I keep having to come back to fundamentals because so often I feel like I’ve never painted before and forget everything! I’m glad this was useful and I hope you’re enjoying gouache!
Gouache in the car, good idea!
Thanks!
wow this made melancholy
Thanks
I realize this is just a small token of appreciation, but waned to say thanks for your thoughtful and insightful work. Cheers, @martinharrisonart
Wow! Thank you so much Martin! Very much appreciated. 🙏
Awesome tips!❤
Thanks Evie 🙏