Trekell Art Supplies

09/01/2026

Have you ever tried painting a texture and realized there was way too much information to paint everything you could see?

Trekell Pro Team Artist Carlo Miranda ran into exactly that when he decided to paint a crocheted balaclava on our Crescent Moon Panel.

Instead of trying to paint every stitch, he started looking for the larger patterns, values and shapes that would make the fabric feel like crochet without describing every strand.

We love getting to share experiments like this because what one artist figures out might be exactly what another artist needs for their next painting.

Watch Carlo’s process, then tell us: what’s a texture you’ve wanted to try painting?

We put Carlo’s full process and more about what he learned in the blog. You’ll find it in the first comment.

08/31/2026

We need some extra eyes on the Pet Portrait Competition gallery.

We’ve been reviewing entries, but with so many submissions this year, there’s always a chance something slipped through that shouldn’t have.

Take a look through the gallery and if you spot an image you believe may be AI-generated, digital, etc, let us know so we can take a closer look before judging begins.

Comment PET and we’ll send you the gallery.

And while you’re there, check out all the incredible work artists submitted this year. There is a LOT of good stuff in there.

08/28/2026

Not all soft brushes behave the same.

In this demo, Trekell Pro Team Artist Eric Johnson compares Golden Taklon, Spectrum, Sienna, Legion and Mop brushes and shows how their differences affect glazing, blending, smooth paint application, texture and detail.

If you’ve ever wondered which soft brush to reach for and why, Eric breaks it down while putting each one to work.

Watch the full demo below.

Join Trekell Pro Team Artist Eric Johnson for a live webinar explor...

08/27/2026

What happens when two artists have to give up their favorite brushes and paint with someone else’s?

Trekell Pro Team Artists James and Alex took on our Brush Swap Challenge, and it forced both of them to rethink how they normally work.

Watch the challenge and see what happened when familiar tools were taken out of the equation.

Would you be willing to swap your favorite brushes with another artist?

08/21/2026

Sometimes the hardest part of painting is knowing when to leave a good brushstroke alone.

Trekell Pro Team Artist Josh Sorrell painted Defiant on a 5 × 5 panel using just three brushes: two Hog Bristle Fan Brushes and one Spectrum Bright.

Using a limited set of brushes helped Josh stay loose, avoid overworking the painting, and preserve some of those unexpected marks that happened early in the process.

Watch the full painting process and see how Defiant comes together from the first shapes to the finished portrait.

What’s harder for you: knowing when to keep working or knowing when to stop?

In this demonstration, I show you how to paint a loose, expressive ...

08/19/2026

Do you change brushes as your painting develops?

Trekell Pro Team Artist Julie Beck does. She uses different tools for the loose beginning stages, building form, refining details, and even removing or reshaping paint along the way.

Scroll through to see how the painting develops from the first marks to the finished piece.

Want to see Julie’s full process and which Trekell tools she uses at each stage? Comment JULIE and we’ll send it to you.

08/14/2026

What would you paint on a panel shaped like a postage stamp?

Trekell Pro Team Artist Sandra Sanchez took our Stamp Panel in the portrait direction, and we love seeing how the shape becomes part of the finished piece.

Want to see more Stamp Panel inspiration and learn more about the panel? Comment STAMP and we’ll send it to you.

08/12/2026

When you think of oil painting, what brush comes to mind?

For many artists, it's hog bristle. But Trekell Pro Team Artist Alex Garant takes a completely different approach.

She relies on soft synthetic brushes to create the smooth blends, clean edges, and buttery finish that have become her signature.

Do you paint with traditional hog bristles, soft synthetics, or a mix of both? We'd love to hear why.

08/07/2026

Does the shape of your painting surface influence the way you compose your artwork?

Most artists reach for a rectangle without thinking twice, but changing the shape of your surface can completely change the way a painting comes together.

We recently followed artist Stefani Rabideaux as she created a piece on one of our Oval Floater Panels, and it was fascinating to watch how the oval influenced her composition from the very first brushstroke.

We're curious...

Have you ever painted on an oval panel? If so, what was different about the experience? If not, what's holding you back?

👇 Tell us in the comments!

08/04/2026

Some of our favorite products begin with an artist's idea.

The Stamp Panel was inspired by an idea from artist Lizzy Gass, and after so many requests, it's finally back. Watching Lizzy bring it to life reminds us why we love creating products in collaboration with artists.

Comment "STAMP" below, and we'll send you all the details.