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Tenley Brady

@bytenleybrady

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Some tips about varnishing for oil paintings 👇🏼👇🏼
⭐️ varnish is a layer of protection over a painting which preserves the layers underneath. When you see art restorers taking off layers of dirt on old paintings, they can often do that because of the varnish on top.
⭐️ oil paints don’t “dry” they “cure” which means that even if the painting is not wet to the touch, it still needs some time to rest before you put a layer of varnish on top. Many people recommend 2-4 months of letting your painting cure before varnishing. Some wait 6 months or even years to varnish!
⭐️ there is high gloss varnish and matte which creates different effects for your work. I usually like the gloss, but I’ve been trying out this new Gamvar matte product and I like it a lot so far!
⭐️ apply varnish in thin, brushed on layers for a smoothing effect
⭐️ not all varnishes are the same. Some will yellow your painting over time. It’s worth it to get a high quality product. My go-to is Gamblin Gamvar because it creates a layer of liquid glass over the painting that is really smooth and satisfying.

Happy varnishing 🫶🏼🌱
#varnish #painting #oilpaints #artist by @bytenleybrady

Some safety tips about oil paints:
👉🏼 Cadmium and Cobalt are TOXIC. Don’t use your finger to blend your paints or wash your brushes without a glove.
👉🏼 an air tight container is not only good for preserving your paints, it keeps your pets from sniffing toxins
👉🏼 turpentine should never be put down the sink. Throw it away in a trash can.
👉🏼 rags and paper towels need to be kept in a metal bin with a lid. Oil paints can spontaneously combust when crumbled up in a paper ball. Don’t leave them out and don’t throw them away in your normal trash bin.
Stay healthy and happy painting!! ✨🤗
#oilpaint #tutorial #painting #artist #safetytips by @bytenleybrady

Here’s what you need to start oil painting:
👉🏼 oil paints. I would recommend Winsor & Newton, M Graham or Utrecht brands in colors Titanium White, Ultramarine Blue, Cadmium Yellow Deep (or light), Cadmium Red, Mars Black, Raw Umber, Raw or Burnt Sienna
👉🏼 brushes. They should not be too soft when you play with the bristles.
👉🏼 Odorless mineral spirits in a sealable container. Turpentine is an option but it smells like fumes and it’s bad for your lungs. If you get turpentine, wear a mask when you paint 😷 This metal container is from Hobby Lobby and on the inside there is a filter that you can rub your brush on to get the pigment off the brush. This container lasts a long time. Once the pigment builds up to that filter portion, throw the container away.
👉🏼 Liquin. This helps speed up the dry time of oil paints. Without it oil paints will take weeks to dry. If you use Linseed oil to make the paint more smooth, it can take months to dry. With liquin it takes just a day or two.
👉🏼 a palette. doesn't need to be as fancy as mine, but I recommend getting a sealable container
👉🏼 paper towel or rags
👉🏼 a bag for your rags. Oil paints can spontaneously combust when packed into a tight ball inside a rag. It’s best to keep your rags in one place and in a metal trash can with a lid so it's in a controlled environment.

Link in bio for the palette, brush cleaning jar, and plexiglass.
happy painting! 😘
#oilpainting #howto #painting #artist #supplies by @bytenleybrady

“Pikes Peak from Pulpit Rock” • 26x18 cm • fabric and paint pen collage

This quilt block is someday meant to be apart of a larger project, but it went so well with my new quilt that i decided to frame it and keep them together. This piece is inspired by my favorite hiking spot in my hometown (picture for reference). You thought the hot pink was creative liberty huh ;) NOPE Pikes Peak really turns these colors at different times of the day. This one is from sunrise. 🩷💙 by @bytenleybrady

“Home” • 36x28” • quilted fabric
💙 My Colorado mini quilt is complete! I’m so happy with how it turned out. If you didn’t see my process of making this, the center piece is called the Rocky Mountain chain, the corner pieces are Colorado quilt blocks, and the border pieces are inspired by the Rocky Mountain puzzle blocks. I also love how the side pieces turned out looking like columbines. If you look closely, the white pieces have little houses on them because Colorado is where I grew up and will always be my favorite place in the world. My original design changed a bit as I worked out balancing colors, but I’m very happy with the results. 🏔️ by @bytenleybrady

Rocky Mountain Chain quilt block tutorial 💜
I won't be making a tutorial for all of the blocks, but I thought this was a fun start to the project. Sizes of squares are in my quilting highlight. by @bytenleybrady

“Brynn, a portrait” • tapestry quilt •
16”x18”
As I contemplated on my next project, I knew I wanted to work with my hands. I have a hard time making abstract art, but moving away from painting was the first step to unlock a new way of thinking. This quilt is a portrait of my close friend, Brynn. The fabrics, colors, and quilt pattern all are representative of my perspective on her personality, values, and attributes. The stitching is clearly not perfect, but I enjoyed thinking of this piece as a poem of sorts. (And boy does Brynn know how to write a poem)

#quilting 🩷🟫 PS. The things we do to take pictures of our art 😮‍💨 by @bytenleybrady

“Edinburgh Christmas Market” • Worldwide Market Series • 11x14” • oil on panel • sold
💙🌚 by @bytenleybrady

Everyone is more than the story told about them. Challenging the “single story” means slowing down, listening deeply, and making room for complexity. Awareness isn’t about ignoring reality—it’s about seeing it more clearly. Real understanding begins when we choose curiosity over assumption and listen beyond the narrative we’ve been given.
#knowledgeispower by @bytenleybrady

I finished these two fall-time commissions back in November. This was such a great project to get myself back into being comfortable with paints after a long break. It was good to play and enjoy the process. If you ever want a house painting let me know!! 😊 by @bytenleybrady

Prints of my value studies for Fairlington and Lubber Run markets are now available on my website for purchase! Click the link in my bio and navigate to “Shop Prints” or “WWMS: Arlington”.
#prints #valuestudies #market by @bytenleybrady