The fundamentals of art are the building blocks of an artwork. They are color, composition, value, form, brushwork, and perspective. The fundamentals are, for the most part, universal across different mediums and styles. Learning them will help you become a well-rounded and versatile artist. Color I like to break color into two parts: color theory and … Read more
Emphasis is a principle of art that refers to the use of visual elements to draw attention to a certain area, usually a focal point, in an artwork. There are many ways you could go about using emphasis in your art. Usually, it involves contrasting different elements against each other. For example, a bright, red … Read more
Harmony is a principle of art that refers to how well all the visual elements work together. Elements that are in harmony should have some kind of logical progression or relationship. It should just look like it works. If there is an element that is not in harmony with the rest of the artwork, it … Read more
Waterfalls are a fantastic subject to paint, particularly as a study of edges, color, and movement. But they can be challenging, with all the twists, turns, breaks, reflections, and turbulence as the water crashes down through the rocks. In this post, I will provide you with some guidelines for painting waterfalls, using master paintings and … Read more
I recently spent a night at the beautiful Secrets on the Lake in Queensland, Australia with my partner, Chontele. We stayed in a secluded lodge nestled amongst the dense rainforest. I used this trip as a chance to test out some of my new plein air painting equipment. But, despite the stunning nature which surrounded … Read more
In this post, you will learn fundamental tips for painting grass. The idea of this post is not to show you a strict, step-by-step process. Instead, I want to take the fundamental ideas and theories and show you how they can be applied to painting grass. This is much the same format as my earlier … Read more
Framing as a composition technique involves positioning shapes and other elements to “frame” and draw attention to certain areas in your painting. For example, you could position a tree or building to frame your focal point in the center. The idea behind framing as a composition technique is much the same as why we physically … Read more
Edges in art refer to the transition between two shapes of color. Most people do not fully appreciate the importance of edges; color and composition usually get all the spotlight. In this post, you will learn everything you need to know about edges. I’ll cover: What Creates Edges? We see edges every time there is … Read more
Rhythm in art refers to the arrangement of shapes in a way which creates an underlying beat. It is similar to the rhythm of music, but instead of notes and sounds, we use colors and shapes. In this post, I cover: The best way to learn about rhythm in art is to see it in … Read more
In this post, you will learn fundamental tips for painting leaves. I cover: Many painters seem to get caught up in all the intricate details when painting leaves. They use a small brush to painstakingly depict every single leaf on a tree. But, despite the effort, the end result often looks overworked and tedious. These … Read more