“A lake is a landscape’s most beautiful and expressive feature. It is Earth’s eye; looking into which the beholder measures the depth of his own nature.” – Henry David Thoreau
Why ponds and lakes? Because they are the perfect vehicle for studying color, light, and composition. There are also many fascinating interactions created by the nature of water. The reflections, the color of the water itself, the partially visible surface below, the highlights, and the ripples. It makes for a wonderfully complex and dynamic subject for us artists to study. Claude Monet himself painted them over 250 times.
Introducing the Ponds and Lakes Workshop
The idea of the workshop is simple. We will create a pond or lake painting together, step by step, from coming up with an idea, all the way through to reflecting on your finished painting. By the end, you’ll have a painting you can be proud of. I'm sure you'll also have a few 'a-ha' moments along the way.
We will then feature everyone’s work in the student gallery (unless you want to keep your work private, which is fine!). It will be a showcase of ponds and lakes from all over the world, in all kinds of styles and mediums. I would love for you to take part in it.
Hi, I’m Dan Scott
I’m the artist behind Draw Paint Academy, which I run with my wife Chontele. We have dedicated our lives to helping aspiring artists like you. The world could always use more artists!
I don't want you to paint like me, unless you want to. Rather, I want to give you the tools and knowledge so that you can develop your own style and say what you want to say about the subject.
Ponds and lakes have featured in many of my paintings over the years. They provide an endless source of inspiration for me. I want to share some of what I've learned with you in this workshop.
Workshop Format
The workshop is set out as follows:
- Introduction and What You'll Need
- Resource Hub: Includes master paintings, my best reference photos, a cheat sheet for painting ponds and lakes, and helpful links.
- Part 1: Subject and Idea
- Part 2: Planning and Strategy
- Part 3: The Painting Process (This is where you'll get an over-the-shoulder look at me creating my painting.)
- Part 4: Reflection
- Student Gallery: A showcase of ponds and lakes from all over the world, in all kinds of styles and mediums.
You'll also receive emails with additional information and to guide you through the workshop.
Workshop Highlights
Here are some of the things you'll learn in this workshop:
- What it takes to find good subjects to paint.
- Why painting is so much more than just placing colors on a flat surface.
- How to use color studies to capture your ideas and impressions of the subject.
- How to combine color studies and reference photos to get the best of both worlds.
- How to narrow down on a big idea that you can build your painting around.
- How to identify interesting aspects and features of the subject that you can highlight in your painting.
- How to crop the subject to make the focal point stronger.
- How to analyze the subject.
- How to inject a sense of movement and life into the painting.
- How to get the most out of just a few brushes and palette knives.
- How to use broken color and multicolored strokes effectively.
- How to combine wet-on-wet and wet-on-dry techniques.
- When to use a brush and when to use a palette knife.
- How to combine brushwork and palette knife strokes in a harmonious way.
- How to change the color of an area without changing the fundamental structure.
- How to paint background areas in a way that they appear realistic without commanding too much attention.
- How to use your finger to soften edges.
- How to reflect on your work so that your next painting is just a little bit better.
Get Insight Into the Raw Creaton Process
One of the reasons I created this workshop is to give you insight into the raw creation process, faults and all, including what happens before and after you pick up a brush. Most teachers will only show you the actual painting process with a focus on technique, but that is really only a small part of it. A lot of work goes into coming up with an idea, finding a subject worth painting, analyzing that subject, coming up with a painting plan, and reflecting on your finished work so that your next painting is just a little bit better. The process that I'm going to show you in the workshop is what I go through for almost all of my paintings.
Stop Getting Stuck in the Tiny Details and Learn How to Simplify!
Most artists get overwhelmed trying to paint every ripple or change in color. In this workshop, you'll learn how to simplify the subject and paint the illusion of detail. This will allow you to create paintings that are stronger and more concise. Remember, less is often more in painting.
A Reliable and Repeatable Framework You Can Use for All Your Paintings
I don't usually like frameworks and recipes. They tend to restrict and limit our thinking. However, they can be helpful, particularly for beginners. This workshop will give you a reliable and repeatable framework that you can use for all your paintings, not just those of ponds and lakes.
Gain a Deeper Appreciation of Nature and Your Surroundings
By the end of this workshop, you’ll start to look at ponds and lakes in a different light. They will no longer be just ponds or lakes, but rather beautiful and dynamic displays of color, light, and movement. This will give you a deeper appreciation of nature, and you'll become a better artist because of it.
What to Expect Once You Enroll
Once you enroll, you’ll get an email welcoming you to the workshop and providing you with the next steps. If you’re new here, we will set you up with an account and provide you with login details.
You’ll be able to access the workshop from your student dashboard. This is an online portal that you can access from any device, as long as you have an internet connection.
You’ll have immediate and lifetime access to all the workshop content. We will also use email to guide you through the workshop and provide additional information as needed.
If at any point you have questions or need help, we will be happy to help.
Suitable for All Traditional Mediums and Representational Styles
I use oils and paint in an impressionistic and realistic style, but the workshop is suitable for all mediums and representational styles. We have artists of all kinds go through our workshops and courses.
I don't want you to paint like me. Rather, I want you to find your "voice" as an artist. One of the key ideas behind this workshop is to go through the painting process together with a similar subject, and see what we all come up with. By the end, we will display a vast range of ponds and lakes from around the world, in all kinds of styles and mediums.
"I work in watercolor, and am very much a newbie. The technique used in the demonstration videos was so very different from what I'm working with, yet I found things that I could apply to what I was doing." - C Wilson
Lifetime Access and Your Painting Critiqued For $97 USD
Is This Beginner Friendly?
You'll be fine to join if you're new to painting. However, I also recommend you go through the fundamentals course on the side.
"As I am fairly new to painting, and have no formal training, I am not the best at talking about specifics. But I can say that, without a doubt, this class helped me. Your classes are affordable, and you share your expertise in a clear, easy to understand manner. I would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone." - M Cooper
Your Questions Answered
All lessons have a comment section where you can leave any questions or thoughts. Chontele and I will be available to answer these questions. Other students might also lend a hand. You can also email us directly.
Will My Work Be Critiqued?
Yes! During our first launch (over the next week), those who enroll will get their final painting critiqued by me personally. Many students think this is worth the price of admission alone.
Testimonials
As this is a new workshop, if you join, you will be the first students to provide feedback. But, here are some student testimonials from our earlier workshops:
"The course was so well set up and beautifully presented - clear, step by step, and with lots of really helpful resource material , and master works to look at and be inspired by. Even though this isn't a 'live' course as such, in that there are no live demo's or webinars, it did actually feel intimate, there was a strong sense of being part of a group, and I was impressed by how Dan and Chontele are very hands on and available to students. And can I just say what great value for money all of Dan's courses are.
Dan is a wonderful and generous teacher." - F Carboni
"I like Dan’s approach to teaching which is really just a way of delivering information that we interpret and use as it supplements what we may already know. He doesn’t tell us “how to paint” but how to approach thinking about a painting. I also get a lot of inspiration from seeing the other student’s work. There are so many ways to look at a subject and I learn from the work of others as much as reflection on my own work." - L Wilson
"The studies were very interesting and also the pallet knife approach. This is exactly why I wanted this course, to begin to be more abstract and have more movement in my paintings. I think now I can tackle the sunsets we photograph from our deck. Thanks for this course." - A Kikta
"I just wanted to thank you for the Sunrises and Sunsets Workshop. I truly appreciated the insight you provided on planning and strategizing a painting—it gave me a clearer approach before even picking up the brush. I also found it so helpful how you emphasized the importance of not simply recopying, but instead bringing a personal touch and style to the work.
The reference photos you included were inspiring, and the tips on palette and brushwork were valuable. I’ve also found myself going back to the theory you shared—it's been a great resource whenever I need a refresher.
Lastly, thank you for the thoughtful critique of my final painting. It gave me a lot to think about and helped me grow. (Especially avoiding the straight lines.....I’m grateful for your generosity in sharing your expertise." - J Davidson
"Sunrises are intimidating, but I was able to push through the fear and just paint. I think getting started with a framework is helpful. I was able to take one of my favorite photos and make something." - R Jeffers
"I really enjoyed the course, and learnt a lot about the differences in sunrises and sunsets. I had quite a few images on my phone taken over the last few years of both sunsets and sunrises, all taken in my local area, so it was a great opportunity to make use of them and learn how to go about it. I was quite happy with my results, thanks to Dan's instruction and guidance, and hope to use this knowledge to do more paintings.
Dan has a great way of teaching and passing on his ideas and methods to us students, and I thank him for this. I have enrolled in many of his workshops in the past, and have found them great value." - S Daley
"I really enjoyed becoming aware of what I am painting, and why I want to paint it. I used to just see a picture and think, oh I like that one, I can paint it. Now I am starting to analyze why and it makes a big difference in my choices. Thank you for al your support. It’s great!" - P Carson
"I have been following and taken many of Dan’s workshops and find that I always learn something new and informative to help me progress in my pursuit of becoming a better painter. I mostly like portraiture but I’m trying to become more proficient at landscapes because natural beauty is challenging to portray and Dan has a unique impressionistic style but he does not limit that to those of us who try to paint more realistically in his teaching which also helps me to loosen up and try impressionism. I love trying different styles and subjects and learn from each." - G Koch
"I enjoyed the workshop very much. In particular I find the demonstration videos very helpful. I love oils as they enable me to paint slowly with many layers. Although I do envy your ability to complete a painting in a few hours. Thank you so much for your informative emails and workshops." - S Daley
"I loved the encouragement you gave to all of us. The amazing output of artwork proves there is a stunning uniqueness in each painting. Loved it all Dan and thank you for all the examples and references you provided. That in itself is worth so much more than I anticipated. Well Done Sir!!! LOVED the course and thank you for a great online experience." - B Dougherty
"I really liked the workshop as it was. I especially appreciated the time you took to respond and critique my painting. You're very kind, by the way!" - J Bodenheimer
"I enjoy the structured format for deciding what to paint and why and how. Your format for developing the subject and idea, the planning and strategy, the execution and reflection are all useful and instructive for my development. These things really made me focus more on exactly what I want to do and the results are well, what they are. I spent many years not painting and now there are so many subjects I want to paint" - D Coen
Frequently Asked Questions
My 100% Guarantee
Your satisfaction is my number one priority. If for any reason you do not enjoy the workshop, just send me an email within 60 days of purchase and I will refund you in full.
Lifetime Access for a One-Time Payment of $97 USD
If you have any questions, you can email me at admin@drawpaintacademy.com. Hope to see you in the workshop!