“It is absurd to look for perfection.” Camille Pissarro In this post, I take a closer look at the interesting life and art of Camille Pissarro. His work is colorful, and adventurous, and played a pivotal role in the development and popularity of Impressionism. However, he is often overshadowed by fellow artist and friend, Claude … Read more
Thanks for Reading! Thanks for taking the time to read this post. I appreciate it! Feel free to share with friends. If you want more painting tips, check out my Painting Academy course. Happy painting! Dan Scott Draw Paint Academy
In this post, I walk you step-by-step through my New Zealand Reflections painting. This was done in oils on a 20×24 inch canvas. For those of you who paint in acrylics or watercolors, many of the fundamental concepts still apply; the main difference between the mediums is the way you apply the paint. I cover: … Read more
“I must have flowers, always, and always.” Claude Monet In this post, I take a closer look at a pleasant landscape painting named The Poppy Field by Claude Monet. It depicts four people (probably including Monet’s wife and son) strolling through a poppy field at Argenteuil, Paris. Unlike many of the other paintings I write … Read more
Josh Clare is a remarkable landscape painter who impressed me with his controlled, yet painterly brushwork and his peaceful depictions of the landscape. I reached out to him with some questions about his life and work as an artist. The questions and his answers are below, along with some of his beautiful paintings: Q: How … Read more
Grid drawing is a technique that will help improve your accuracy without compromising the development of your freehand drawing in the long-term. It basically involves placing a grid over your reference photo and canvas, then using that grid to assist with the placement of your drawing. The grid provides you with common reference points between … Read more
Variety in art refers to the use of different qualities or instances of visual elements. It is the opposite of repetitive or monotonous use of the elements. In this post, I cover: Below is a great demonstration of variety by Tom Thomson. Notice all the different colors, lines, shapes, and brushwork. The end result is … Read more
In this post, I provide you with some guidance on how to paint mist, fog, smoke, and other transient effects. These effects are typically challenging to capture on a flat surface due to their elusive and fleeting nature. Many artists seem to be either too timid with their approach or too bold. I cover the following … Read more
In this post, I take a closer look at The Fighting Temeraire by Joseph Mallord William Turner. It is one of those interesting paintings where the more I look, the more I seem to uncover. I cover: Key Facts and Ideas Here are some of the key facts and ideas about the painting: The actual name … Read more
Édouard Manet (1832-1883) was a French painter who bridged the gap between Realism and Impressionism. In this post, I take a closer look at his life and art. I cover: Key Facts Unlike many of his contemporaries, he was fortunate enough to be born into a wealthy family in Paris on 23 January 1832. His father … Read more
Shape is one of the visual elements which refers to an enclosed two-dimensional area. You create a shape whenever you draw a line that connects at both ends. In this post, I discuss the different types of shapes you will encounter in art, how to use them, and provide master painting examples. I cover: Geometric … Read more
Color saturation refers to how vivid, rich, or intense a color is. It is one of the three elements of color, with the other two being hue and value. Below is a saturation scale showing what happens when you take a vivid red and gradually lower the saturation until you have pure gray: Most artists … Read more