The sky is a challenging and dynamic subject. This guide will provide you with guidance on how to paint it. I’ll cover: Shape and Form The sky is transient and fleeting by nature, but that doesn’t mean you should depart from all ideas of structure, shape, and form when painting it. If anything, these concepts … Read more
This follows on from my recent email: Why Theory Is Important. A few readers asked what my go-to resources are for learning theory. Below are a few off the top of my head. Books Alla Prima II by Richard Schmid – A must-read for aspiring artists. Covers technique and fundamental principles. The Art Spirit by Robert … Read more
Your inspiration for today is The Letter by Frederick McCubbin. (Click here to download a high-resolution photo of the painting.) Some key notes and observations: If you enjoyed this, you might be interested in Composition Breakdown. I feature another stunning painting by McCubbin in that course. Happy painting! Dan Scott drawpaintacademy.com
Earlier this year, I had to let this painting go to a new home. It’s bitter-sweet when you sell a painting. Especially when it’s a personal favorite. On one hand, you sold a painting! No easy task as I’m sure you’re aware. On the other hand, it’s hard to let a painting go after all … Read more
I was out driving earlier this week and one of my favorite songs came on the radio. It used to be my go-to for study and workout motivation back in university. This song sparks the same uplifting feelings in me today as it did back then, some 15 years ago. It also sparks memories of … Read more
I’m writing to share with you an artist by the name of Henry Hensche. A reader let me know about his work earlier this week. I spent the last hour exploring his website. His work is stunning and unique. His website is also quite informative, if you can look past the dated design. You can … Read more
I often write about the broken color technique. Which basically refers to using a brush or palette knife to create a patchwork of distinct, interwoven colors. You’ll see it up close in many of the top Impressionist paintings. Like Claude Monet’s Haystacks. Or Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s Chestnut Tree in Bloom. Broken color is one of my … Read more
(My “On the Easel” posts give you a behind-the-scenes look at what I am working on, what went well, what went wrong, and things I learn.) Let’s take a look at how I painted Maryvale, Overcast. It’s a simple landscape with rich greens, dark trees, and a moody sky. Reference Photo and Study Here’s the … Read more
Let’s take a closer look at Claude Monet’s Poplars series. I’ll cover: Key Details Monet painted the Poplars series in 1891 and 92. He did paint poplars on a few earlier occasions. The first was Meadow with Poplars painted in 1875. Another was Poplars in the Sun, 1887 (shown below). These early paintings are not … Read more
As is the case of many other artists, landscape artists use Instagram to promote their work and some of them have a massive following. In this post, I share some of the most-followed landscape artists on Instagram from all over the world. Thierry Duval: French Artist Capturing City Views Thierry Duval has a background in … Read more