ArtStack Podcast

Sandy Allnock
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Visual Arts
  • Updated Monthly

Art instructor wielding a paintbrush with one hand and an encouraging word with the other. Pods may include livestreams, interviews, storytelling, and more! sandyallnock.substack.com

  1. Jul 11

    How to use a dried-out tube of Sepia to watercolor a wren

    I’m trying the video at the top - to see if that’s helpful, or is it just annoying? I’ll keep them to a minute, and if there’s any “big news” I’ll put it there so you don’t have to wade through a long video to find out if I was accepted on Dancing with the Stars. These videos will be part of the podcast so just tap on the Youtube link below! Sometimes a little practical tip can change everything - and sometimes, it also has the benefit of saving you hard-earned cash. Today’s first tip is just that - how to get every last little bit of pigment out of those dried up tubes. I’ve seen countless surgeries of tubes, palette knives scraping up some of it - but I promise this is the easiest way to do it. After the video see a couple other tips. And enjoy the little bird with a bokeh background, too! Watch the video below - and if you could, pop over to YouTube to leave a thumbs up to feed the algorithm! Supplies (affiliate links provided at no cost to you; thank you for using my links and supporting my work!) Paper: Arches Bright White Cold Press 22x30 sheet BLICK | JACKSONS Brushes: Winsor & Newton Kolinsky Sable Series 7 Round #8 BLICK | AMZ | JACKSONS Da Vinci Maestro Kolinsky Sable Round #4 BLICK | AMZ | JACKSONS Da Vinci Cosmotop Mottler- Flat Wash, Size 30 BLICK | AMZ | JACKSONS Daniel Smith Watercolors: Sepia BLICK | AMZ| JACKSONS Quinacridone Gold BLICK | AMZ | JACKSONS Quinacridone Burnt Orange BLICK | AMZ | JACKSONS French Ultramarine BLICK | AMZ | JACKSONS More on cutting open paint tubes In addition to the tip about just using the cut-open tube as a “pan” to hold in your hand…here’s another: I keep a box of paints that have just that little bit left in them. And once a week I randomly pull out a few of those to take out sketching with me! I get to use them up and also play with colors I don’t normally use! What else do you do to save the last of that paint? News from the studio In this week’s poll about when to post drawing videos - the winner is keeping it at Tuesdays. And I’m shocked some people don’t like monsters, lol. But it looks like that’s something I’ll think about for Inktober! More Dad jokes about birdos * What do wrens say before they start building their house?“Measure twice, chirp once!” * Wren does a wren get paid?At the end of the tweet! * Wren is the best time to tell a bird joke?Owl-ways! * How much does it cost to build a house for a tiny bird?A song. * What did the dad wren say to his restless chicks?“Wren are you going to start behaving?” * Why are wrens so good at home improvements?Because they are the doe-it-yourself type! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sandyallnock.substack.com/subscribe

  2. Jul 10

    This girl is on fire...LIVE DEMO!

    I’m excited to be back on the Daniel Smith Friday Livestream - this time I’ll be watercoloring a campfire, and you can bring your sketchbook to paint along as well! Everything you need is listed below. Time/date Friday, July 10, 10:30am Pacific (one hour) Completed painting from the demo: Links My recommendation - join on zoom! After the livestream I’ll swap these links for replays; Facebook will be on their page almost immediately, then next week the video will be uploaded to their Youtube page. Size These are 2 versions of this painting - on the left, a quarter sheet, on the right, half that size. Different line qualities and some different colors, but both nice. Feel free to use your watercolor sketchbook to try out painting along with me! Charitable fundraising Shop for paintings - every art purchase in my shop and classes in any medium will generate a percentage donated to the International Child Art Foundation! You can also buy a mug or zipper pouch with my art on it too! Colors If you don’t have THESE colors, just something similar will be great: * Daniel Smith Hansa Yellow Light (cool yellow) * Daniel Smith New Gamboge (warm yellow) * Daniel Smith Blue Apatite Genuine (or French ultramarine or any night blue) * Daniel Smith Anthraquinoid Scarlet (warm red) * Daniel Smith Jane’s Black (Red/Green) or any nongranulating black * Optional: white gouache Paper * Arches Bright White Cold Press - or your watercolor sketchbook Brushes Size brushes are for a quarter-sheet painting; scale down for a sketchbook. * Joseph Zbukvic #16 mop * Winsor & Newton Kolinsky Sable Series 7 Round #8 * Da Vinci Maestro Kolinsky Sable Round #4 * Da Vinci Cosmotop Spin Brush (Mottler) - Flat Wash, Size 30 * Da Vinci Maestro Series 17 Maestro Inlaid Needle, Size 8 * An old toothbrush Reference photo See you on the livestream! (And of course right back here on Substack on Saturday! -Sandy This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sandyallnock.substack.com/subscribe

  3. Jun 19

    Majestic Mountains & a weekend Gofundme-ish sale

    (Note: the video was updated to this slightly longer explanation. Not sure how I messed that up and posted the short version!)Why hello there! I’ve been pondering how to handle a crunch I’ve been in lately and…..well I realized I have a community of amazing people that might be able to help. Some of you have noticed (and have told me so in no uncertain terms!) my teaching website has been getting slower and slower in the last few months. It was never speedy gonzales, but it has been getting worse. As an art site, I like nice big beautiful photos, but…well the internet doesn’t. I’ve been working at it, and this week made big progress on one step. But I need to hire someone for the other bits. But the budget has zero space in it. June is a terrible month for some regular-bills-that-all-come-at-once, and I’m just strapped. Web dude promises the work he’ll do should get the site to 4 seconds in response time, and oh doesn’t that sound just lovely? I’ve got not just the watercolor class coming, but two drawing courses too - what’s on your wishlist for watercolor classes? Tell me so I can put it on sale in the shop next month for people who miss this sale…I’d love to give people YOUR recommendation! Speedy sale This is a bit of a GoFundMe where you get a nice sale on a class you want, and I get some quick funds I can use to hire the dude who’ll ride on his white horse to kick some javascript! Or to kick something. I’m not sure what it is, but I trust experts to do their thing! (I use Codeable and have never been disappointed.) Use coupon code SPEED at checkout for 15% off any adult course that’s not already on sale. THANK YOU FOR HELPING OUT YOURSELF AND ALL MY STUDENTS! I’ve assembled one massive page with all the classes on it - so know that this link will be a bit slow. The 3 new courses are linked below individually. Know someone who likes getting a deal on art classes? Share this post! The Majestic Mountains course, as seen in the video - 5 paintings, zoom calls - so much to learn as we travel the world to see a variety of mountains! Price: $52.99 (with coupon it comes down to $45.04) Drawing Facial Features is literally just that - eyes. Noses. Mouths. Eyebrows. Philtrums. It’s level two because we’re not joining these onto faces yet. Understanding how these things work, how to make an eye look relaxed or excited or look one direction or another, what do lips look like at different angles, how to render the planes on noses. Price: $39.99 (with coupon code it’s $33.99) If you’ve been drawing all those features by themselves and need to work out how to get them onto a face in proportion - this is the class for you. I’ve had some serious breakthroughs in how I approach a drawing now, and I have faith that this is going to be a huge help to those trying to draw people! I’ve selected 5 people - men and women, old and young, different ethnicities - and different emotions. We’ll talk about what parts of the face like the globella and other features that show those emotions. Come join me! Price: $44.99 (with coupon it’s $38.24) Alrighty. That’s me setting aside my pride and putting that plea out into the universe. I’ll keep you posted if I get to hire the smart web dude and get things all spiffed up this coming week! If you’re not subscribed- what’re ya waiting on? OH I almost forgot - I mentioned there’s a Sunday newsletter. You have to jump a lil hoop to sign up: just go to https://sandyallnock.substack.com/account on a browser (not the app) and check on or off any lists you want to be on or off from. THANK YOU AGAIN! —Sandy This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sandyallnock.substack.com/subscribe

  4. Mar 21

    Leaf gelliprint replay

    Thank you Gerard Byrne, Deb Emerson, Marci Hays, Karen, and many others for tuning into my live video! Join me for my next live video in the app. Supplies: Supplies: Gel Press Gelli plate, 5x7 BLICK | AMZ | JACKSONS Richeson Printmaking Paper BLICK | AMZ Speedball soft rubber brayers BLICK | AMZ | JACKSONS Amsterdam or other heavy body paints BLICK | AMZ Interested in more gelli printing fun? Try the Gelli Plate Therapy class! Tomorrow’s watercolor livestream, 8am PDT Saturday’s a-coming, and instead of a prerecorded video on SandyPaints, I’ll be going live! You can head over now and find out what time it’ll be in your zone: Sad news: I couldn’t figure out the tulip photo in the poll this week - those flowers kicked my behind! I need more practice before I can paint that one. So I picked the second place photo, the vase of flowers. And I’ve adapted it from there to simplify the window a lot, so I could keep the painting to about an hour. This is my practice painting: Here’s the sketch and photo so you can get ready: Colors for the window: Cobalt Teal Blue or whatever blue you like for a sky, any mix of greens and yellow, and Paynes Blue Gray for the surrounding dark window. Colors for the vase: Cobalt Teal Blue, French Ultramarine, Paynes Blue Gray. Colors for flowers: Imperial Purple (or Carbazole Violet), Yellow Ochre, Sap Green, Hansa Yellow, any of the greens you have. After the livestream is over I’ll create a post here on Substack - with more info about it as usual. :) Sandy's ArtStack is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sandyallnock.substack.com/subscribe

  5. Jan 28

    The Bookmark Project

    At long last, an overdue update to The Bookmark Project! This July, I’ll be attending the big event in DC called the World Children’s Festival! (I’ve mentioned July 4th as the weekend it happens but on the website it now says July 25 to Monday, July 27, 2026, so I’ll confirm!) I’ve been fundraising for the International Child Art Foundation (ICAF) for years now, and this is a natural next step for our community to get involved hands-on! The Bookmark Guidelines Let’s make the children served by ICAF at the festival this summer feel SPECIAL. Imagine owning your first piece of real ART from a grownup artist at the age of 8-12! So...with that, some guidelines for the bookmarks: Handmade. It would be so lovely for each one to be lovingly created by hand, unique. Any medium is fine. No storebought, no digital prints of your art. Themes. While they can be childlike (recipients are age 8-12), think about creating something that can still be inspirational when they’re 15, 20, or 30 - encouragement for even later in their lives! No religious or political themes, please. Do your best. Nothing’s perfect, and kids need to know that - but let’s use our good materials for them and take our time. Quality over quantity! Size. Your bookmark measurement is 2-1/8 x 6.5, I’ll slip it into a plastic sleeve and add a ribbon. Sleeves are already purchased so please don’t buy more; I’ll have ones that all match. Nothing bulky. Paper layers can be fine, but limit thick embellishing. Write an encouraging message to the child artist on the back of the bookmark in clear PRINTING, not cursive. No religious or political messages, please. Sign it with your first name and hometown only. See samples on the next page. Postmark by Feb 28, 2026. I’ll assemble a big box to send to ICAF with everything at once. Download the instructional PDF This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sandyallnock.substack.com/subscribe

    The Bookmark Project

  6. Jan 14

    Ritzy Space Robot monoprint

    Hey friends! I was going to post this on my now-taken-hostage Youtube channel, but since I can’t, it’s here on Substack! Hooray for having alternate places for creative content, right? Sandy's ArtStack is a reader-supported publication. Join up for free, or become a paid sub and get to attend monthly livestreams here! Before I get on to the project info below, let’s get to the URGENT stuff with a deadline: If you’re a lover of gelli plates, mixed media and all that good stuff - today’s your notice that it’s your LAST CHANCE for freebies in the BAD ASS ART JOURNALING Workshop: * Sign up by January 16, 2026 11:59pm eastern time and join us LIVE via Zoom for a handmade book making session and party. * Workshop officially begins February 2, 2026. (This is when we begin our weekly mixed media lessons.) * Registration closes: February 3, 2026 * Signup HERE using coupon code SOBAD10 for 20% off! I’ll be a teacher for one of the lessons, and I’ll share a technique I worked up that’s gonna blow your mind…..you might think there’s drawing involved, but I promise you, my Weapons of Mass Creation project is going to be easier than you think! Ok back to our little robot! He’s just a prototype, and I think he’s darned cute for a practice print. Supplies are below. What do you think the robot’s name is?? He might need to become a storybook. Got some plotline ideas? Supplies used: * Gel Press gelli plate, 5x7 BLICK | AMZ * Amsterdam paints: Black, white, yellow, orange, lavender BLICK | AMZ * Speedball brayer BLICK AMZ * Ritz Crackers and Cheese snack packs * Kirkland Babywipes * Tonic Nuvo Media Spatulas (silicone palette knives) * Swissper Swabs, can’t find them now! (cheap version) * Richeson Printmaking Paper BLICK | AMZ Thanks for watching, for your ideas….and for sharing this with a friend who’d get a kick out of it! For those coming here from the email sent this morning If you’d like more creativity to inspire you, I’d love to have you as part of this growing Substack art community! If you tap to free-subscribe, you’ll get tutorial emails 2x a week, or this week, three times. If that’s more email than you want: first, free-subscribe, then go to the WEB (not the app) and click on https://sandyallnock.substack.com/account and you can uncheck everything except the weekly or monthly newsletter. Boom done. Do me a favor and go back to the email I sent, and unsub so I can start killing off that monthly subscription ransom I pay them each month…I appreciate it! Sandy's ArtStack is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sandyallnock.substack.com/subscribe

  7. 12/29/2025

    Why unboxing this YouTube Award makes me want to beat the algorithm even more

    In this episode of the monthly podcast: Unboxing the recently-arrived award that YouTube sends to creators as they cross the 100,000 subscriber threshhold. Unless you’re Sandy Allnock, in which case you get it after another 60,000 subscribers. Grrr! I had to do my own legwork to find out what happened. Every few years I got a bee in my bonnet and would try to reach out to them, but to little avail; I was always told there “must have been something wrong with my channel” because the process is automatic. But this fall I found someone willing to escalate it to higher ups, and I received the box in early November. The unboxing was saved til now since I knew I’d be making changes - and looking at the box just made me more mad by the day about how YouTube treats video makers. They want us to jump hoops, yet never tell us when a yawning canyon is opening beneath our feet, filled with alligators. Alas. It’s free, so I guess we don’t get to complain. The list of YouTube channels and social media sites is as follows….you may already be following some of them, as a few are repurposing ones that I hope won’t be adversely affected by zombies! Thank you for not just subscribing, but committing to, at least for a few months, watching videos fully through, and leaving likes and comments. That should get the channels started on a good foot! WATERCOLOR (WET MEDIA): * INSTA @sandyallnockwatercolor (my old sandyallnockfineart page) * FACEBOOK SandyAllnockWatercolor (my old Art Classes Facebook page) * YOUTUBE Sandy Paints (new) DRAWING (DRY MEDIA): * YOUTUBE Sandy Draws (new) * INSTA @sandyallnockdraws (new) * FACEBOOK Sandy Allnock Draws (new) While you’re here, how about subscribing to Substack too as a free or paid sub? Have a HAPPY and SAFE New Years Celebration!! See you in 2026!!! Sandy This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sandyallnock.substack.com/subscribe

  8. 12/13/2025

    Fly Agaric Mushroom sketch

    Thank you to everyone who tuned into my live video! Join me for my next live video in the app. Oh my - this is a poisonous mushroom! Fly Agaric is romanticized in all those “cute” kids book illustrations, tea towels, and more - but don’t go eating it! yikes. Symptoms include “nausea, drowsiness, muscle spasms, low blood pressure, hallucinations and loss of balance. In extreme cases, seizures and coma have been recorded. Symptoms typically appear between 30-90 minutes after consumption and peak within three hours, although many unlucky souls have reported ‘piercing headaches’ for many days after.” New accounts for 2026 If you’d like to give any of these a pre-follow….have at it! I’ll be perhaps changing names on some - depends on how confusing it gets for me to remember what’s what. If there’s content on any of them, feel free to give it a like and a comment too, I’d love to juice the algorithm and see how fast I can get the new channels and pages to grow. * INSTA @sandyallnockwatercolor (my old sandyallnockfineart page) * FACEBOOK SandyAllnockWatercolor (my old Art Classes Facebook page) * YOUTUBE Sandy Paints (new) * YOUTUBE Sandy Draws (new) * INSTA @sandyallnockdraws (new) * FACEBOOK Sandy Allnock Draws (new) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sandyallnock.substack.com/subscribe

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Art instructor wielding a paintbrush with one hand and an encouraging word with the other. Pods may include livestreams, interviews, storytelling, and more! sandyallnock.substack.com

Information

  • Creator
    Sandy Allnock
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    14
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Sandy Allnock
  • Show Website
    ArtStack Podcast