Category: Acrylic Painting Tips

Looking for acrylic painting tips that skip the fluff? Studio Insights dives into real process, progress shots, minimal palette setups, and tools I actually use in the studio. If you’re exploring fast acrylic work, speed painting, or just want a peek behind the scenes — this is your space.

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Sambal Oelek (Hot pepper paste) Painting -Time-Lapse Video

Sambal Oelek speed painting by Bart Carels

Sambal Oelek Speed Painting – The Making of a Spicy Still Life

Sambal Oelek Speed Painting by contemporary artist Bart Carels. A quick acrylic still life capturing the bold colors and glassy texture of a spicy Indonesian chili paste jar — painted in one session, with loose strokes and saturated tones.

Title: ‘Sambal Oelek’
Artist: Bart Carels
Year: 2020

Watch the Painting Progress

Behind the Painting

This one-day sambal oelek speed painting was a spicy little experiment. It’s one of the most recognizable sambal jars here in The Netherlands, and it felt like a fun challenge to capture the contrast of that glass texture, bold label, and bright red sauce.

I prepped the canvas by mixing gesso with Vermillion, which gave me a warm base layer. From there, I created a quick underdrawing in line only — no shading yet. I like starting this way when time is tight. Once the lines were in place and the proportions felt balanced, I dove into the darker tones of the sambal to build the structure of the jar.

Because I hadn’t yet committed to a background color, seeing the jar’s value range helped me decide. I didn’t stick to the background from the reference photo — instead, I chose something that worked better with the reds and helped the whole piece pop a bit more.

After the background went in, I added highlights and shadows to everything at once. I try to keep the level of detail consistent across the painting — unless I’m intentionally focusing on one area. In this case, the glass jar naturally became the star.

Painting Specs

  • One-of-a-kind artwork
  • Medium: Acrylic on canvas
  • Size: 24×18 cm / 9×7 inches
  • Color Palette: Cyan | Magenta | Yellow | Black | White

Availability

Want more quick, bold still lifes like this one? Subscribe below or follow me on social (links in the footer) for new speed paintings, experiments, and spicy surprises.

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Herbs and Spices Painting -Time-Lapse Video

Indonesian Spices Speedpainting – The Making of a Still Life

Summary

This Indonesian spices speedpainting by Bart Carels captures the process behind one of his most culturally rooted still lifes. Created in a single session using acrylics and a warm underlayer, it celebrates Indo cooking traditions through expressive, intuitive brushwork.

Title: ‘Herbs and Spices’
Artist: Bart Carels
Year: 2020

How This Indonesian Spices Speedpainting Was Made

The process starts with a canvas prepped using gesso and Vermillion — a base layer I like for the warmth it adds. From there, I loosely sketched the subject using Primary Cyan to check the layout and proportions. I then worked from the background in, layering colors, adjusting light, and building in just enough shape and shadow to keep it recognizable but still raw.

A Personal Story Told Through Spices

What makes this Indonesian spices speedpainting special is the connection to my roots. My dad was born in the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia), and when he moved to the Netherlands in the 1950s, he brought those cultural elements with him. As a result, I grew up with sambal, bumbu, and stories of another home — and that influence now seeps into my work.

This painting features staples like Coriander (Ketumbar), Candle Nuts (Kemiri), Cumin (Jinten), and Turmeric (Kunyit). Not styled on fancy platters, but in the plastic tubs we actually use — just like the ones you’d find in any Indo family kitchen.

Want to See the Final Painting?

This process piece led to a refined still life: Indonesian Herbs & Spices – Original Painting. If you like more polished results, give that one a look.

Painting Specifications

  • One-of-a-kind work (speed painted live)
  • Medium: Acrylic on canvas
  • Size: 24×30 cm / 9×11 inches
  • Color Palette: Cyan | Magenta | Yellow | Black | White

Availability

Want more like this? Explore the full food & drink painting collection, or follow me on Instagram (footer links) for new work and behind-the-scenes updates.

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“Bell Peppers” Speedpainting Time-Lapse Video

Original canvas painting of bell peppers still wrapped in plastic by Bart Carels, capturing a unique food still life.

Bell Peppers Speed Painting – Time-Lapse Still Life in Acrylic

Summary

This bell peppers speed painting was a spontaneous still life experiment by Bart Carels. Captured in a short time-lapse video, it shows the fast, layered approach I use when working without an underdrawing — focusing on movement, color balance, and immediacy instead of fine detail. The painting features three peppers placed on a wooden surface and partially wrapped in transparent plastic, making it a fun play on texture, light, and shape.

Title: ‘Bell Peppers’
Artist: Bart Carels
Year: 2020

Behind the Bell Peppers Speed Painting

Instead of taking progress photos, I went straight into a video time-lapse for this one. No sketching, no underpainting — I just started blocking in shapes using color. The goal was to create a finished piece in one go, with no backtracking. First, I added the background and wood grain beneath the peppers. Then came the peppers themselves, and finally the crinkled plastic wrapping that sits lightly over them. Everything needed to be bold but simple, painted efficiently before the paint dried and the daylight faded.

Working fast creates a specific kind of pressure. You think twice before every stroke. You start to trust your eye more than your brush. And while that may sound limiting, it actually opens things up creatively. You’re forced to focus on essentials: shape, light, contrast. There’s no time to fuss over the perfect edge.

Still Life as a Study

Food items, like these bell peppers, often appear in my art because they’re accessible and familiar. But they’re also full of opportunities to explore reflections, color transitions, and layered transparency — especially under artificial light. If you’re interested in a more culturally-rooted approach, check out my Indonesian spices speedpainting as well.

This piece may be small and fast, but it taught me a lot about patience, restraint, and composition. Sometimes, the shortest paintings stick with you the longest.

Painting Specifications

  • One-of-a-kind original artwork
  • Medium: Acrylic on canvas
  • Size: 24×18 cm / 9×7 inches
  • Color Palette: Cyan | Magenta | Yellow | Black | White

Availability

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Glass of Whisky (“Firewater”) Original Painting

Original acrylic painting on canvas 'Firewater' – whisky glass painting by Bart Carels.

Glass of Whisky Painting – ‘Firewater’

Looking for a bold glass of whisky painting with a punch of color and character? Firewater is a modern still life that captures that golden glow just before the first sip. Vibrant, moody, and painted with acrylic on canvas, this piece stands out in any setting.

Behind This Glass of Whisky Painting

Like most of my work, this whisky painting started with a blank canvas and a plan — sort of. I toned the surface using a mix of gesso and burnt sienna, a technique I use to reduce glare and build a warmer base for later layers. The burnt sienna also helps cover the white of the canvas, so even if the top layers are loose or transparent, nothing harsh shines through.

This time, I wasn’t focused on value mapping. I was more interested in locking down the composition and mood early on. I wanted the drink to glow — like it was lit from within — without overcomplicating the background or the glasswork.

Progress Shots

Here’s a peek behind the scenes. These images show the full process from first strokes to final details. You can see how the composition evolves and where I push and pull color to balance realism with atmosphere.

Why This Whisky Painting Works

This piece isn’t just about whisky. It captures that still, glowing moment of calm — the second before everything kicks in. The contrast of rich teal and amber pulls your focus exactly where it belongs.

Whether you’re building a collection or looking for a conversation piece, this glass of whisky painting brings bold energy and timeless stillness into any space. It’s one of those pieces that can live in a lounge, studio, or kitchen and still feel right at home.

Availability

Check below for availability of the original painting and fine art prints: