My Elora painting is nearly done. It’s at that stage where I just leave it on the easel and look at it from time to time. Usually, the painting will tell me what more is required, if anything. I walked past the painting today and felt inspiration strike. The problem was, my 1-year-old daughter Arabella … Read more
I was exploring master paintings when something by Joaquín Sorolla caught my eye. It’s a simple painting. It almost appears as a study, with the simplified detail and unfinished edges. But there’s a remarkable sense of realism to it, as if Sorolla was able to capture the pure essence and character of the subject, and … Read more
I spent the weekend hiking around Mount Barney in Queensland with two old friends. I didn’t get any drawing or painting done. I figured it would be optimistic to haul around my plein air equipment when every kilogram mattered. But I did take a heap of reference photos that you can paint from: I have … Read more
I came across the work of Fausto Zonaro a few weeks ago. He was an Italian artist best known for his role as the official court painter to the Ottoman Sultan Abdulhamid II (not sure what this involved, but it sounds important!). His work is stunning in general, but I was particularly captivated by the … Read more
Someone wrote on the Draw Paint Academy about page: “I want to learn as well. I thought maybe I was too old at 76. You just challenged and inspired me. Thank you so much.” The good thing about art is, age is not much of a limiting factor. As long as you can pick up … Read more
I’ve always been a fan of the Hudson River School artists. They produced many stunning and remarkably intricate paintings. I don’t have the patience to paint like those artists, but I can certainly stand back and appreciate their work. Let’s take a look at some of my favorites. (The Hudson River School refers to a … Read more
As I mentioned in a previous newsletter, we recently moved into a new house and I had to set up a new studio. During the move, I came across a heap of old drawings and sketchbooks that I had stored away. Here’s one I did back in April 2020: I forgot I even did them. … Read more
Welcome to Part 3 of the Elora painting series. In Parts 1 and 2, I established and refined the background. Here’s where I ended up at the end of Part 2: Now for the tricky part—Elora. I’m a bit out of my comfort zone here as I typically paint landscapes. But I’m always up for a … Read more
(First, a brief reminder that the price of my Reference photo Library goes back up tomorrow. Thanks!) Most of the paintings I do are within my comfort zone—impressionist landscapes in oil. I find these to be a pleasant blend of relaxing and challenging. But every now and then, I’ll take on a particularly difficult subject … Read more
I have been painting for many years now, but I still get nervous about making the first stroke! With this Elora painting, I spent a few hours today procrastinating and thinking about how to make the perfect start. What color? What brush? What technique? Maybe I’ll study the reference photo more? Then, after all that, … Read more
It has been some time since I worked on this painting. We have been busy moving to a new home. The layout and stairs of our old home didn’t play well with two children and an old golden retriever. I’m in the process of converting the garage into a new studio for me to work. … Read more
I’ve been reading a book by Glen Vilppu titled Drawing Manual: How to Draw Figures With Gesture, Form, and Feeling. He’s one of the top drawing teachers and has been doing it for decades. I’ve always been fond of his style and his focus on the subject’s gesture. On page 19 he wrote: “The hardest … Read more