Videos

Full Video Key Takeaways:  This painting helped me break out of a creative rut. Simple subjects like this are great to get a quick win under your belt. There’s nothing worse than having a painting go wrong after a dry spell. Simple subjects are challenging in the sense you need to work harder to make … Read more

Full Video Key Takeaways:  The tree and its cast shadow are linked. This is a form of simplification. Instead of two distinct elements, we have one larger one. The big idea of this painting is color contrast. The high key background against the dark foreground. Much like Claude Monet’s Juan-Les-Pins. Most of my time was spent … Read more

Full Video Key Takeaways:  The big idea of this painting is the shimmering light on the water. I also like the way the water weaves between the leaves. I provide some tips for painting shimmering light in this newsletter. I painted directly onto the white surface rather than applying a thin wash of color as I … Read more

Full Video Key Takeaways:  Color temperature is the key feature of this painting. Notice the striking contrast between the cool blues and purples against the tinted yellows and oranges. See my previous newsletter for more details on this. The other key feature is texture, particularly the greenery at the top of the sand dune. This conveys a … Read more

Full Video Key Takeaways:  The palette knife is a fun tool to paint with. It’s perfect for bold, crisp strokes. You can’t achieve the same effects with a brush. Palette knife work is best paired with a touch of dexterity and finesse. Otherwise, it can come off as brash and sloppy. I worked in a … Read more

Full Video Key Takeaways:  The key feature of this painting is the black trees against the muted surroundings. This was the first time using black in a while. Usually, I prefer to use blues, purples, and greens instead of black, as is the Impressionist way. But there was no substitute for black in this case. … Read more

Full Video Key Takeaways:  When landscape painting, you need to tailor your style, technique, and tools for the environment and conditions. In this case, a clear day means crisp colors and clear reflections in the water. I painted with direct brushwork and distinct colors. I used rich blues for the water at the bottom of … Read more

Full Video Key Takeaways:  I started with a thin wash of transparent brown oxide to kill the white surface. This provides me with a more balanced surface to paint on and makes it easier to judge the colors. A key purpose of this painting was to explore the use of palette knives to capture a … Read more

Full Video Key Takeaways:  This was a speed painting challenge. It took around 35 minutes all up. This is a great test of your instinctive painting abilities. Mood and ambience are the key features. I wasn’t too worried about the drawing. There’s a powerful contrast between the shadows and the warm lights. Notice the thick … Read more

Full Video Key Takeaways:  I wanted the colors to appear clean, distinct, and bright. The palette knife was perfect for this. I drew inspiration from Isaac Levitan. There’s a lot going on in this scene. Simplification was important. I had to narrow down on the few details that really matter. As with most landscapes, depth … Read more