How to Paint

Only As Good As the Hand Wielding It

A painting brush isn't animate. It isn't going to teach me how to paint or go about painting art when no one is looking. It needs the hand of the artist to do its job. Penitent Mary Magdalene by Titian, 1560s, oil on canvas. But one thing a brush—by
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Do It with a Stranger

Eva Mullarky by Kristin Künc, oil on linen, 9 x 13, 2011. I can be a really hard sell when it comes to portraiture because from a beginner painter's perspective, I'm not always sure how to get the most out of a portrait painting session.
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Painting with a Magical Medium

Astor Place by Emily Falco, watercolor painting, 14 1/2 x 14 1/2, 2009. It warms my heart when I hear artists expressing excitement about their chosen painting medium because artists are the ones in the business of knowing all the ins and outs of their
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Come Winter, I Head to the Hothouse

The botanical gardens in Washington, DC, near the Capitol. When I'm visiting family in Virginia during winter, I always make a point to walk through the botanical gardens near the Capitol in Washington, DC. It is one of my favorite places, and the
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Skies Don’t Have Brushstrokes In Them

Watercolor artist Thomas Schaller achieves convincing and dynamic effects in his skies ( Salisbury Cathedral , watercolor painting). I know it is a bias, but sometimes I can't help thinking that painting skies belongs to a particular realm of watercolor
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The Artist Watch List—Are You On It?

In the December/January issue of American Artist magazine, the editors and staff put out feelers throughout the art community to find artists who are established or up and coming, and deserve recognition. They had limited space in the print issue, so
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Your Free Portrait Painting eBook--But I Didn't Get a Chance to Gift Wrap It

Ariadne by Janet Rogers, watercolor painting. Since coming to Artist Daily, my parents are both super supportive of me and our web community. My mom does her best to get everyone she knows to join us at Artist Daily, and my dad buys me art supplies in
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You Paint Them By Not Painting Them?

T o Be Where There's Life by Ryan Coleman, oil on canvas, 30 x 40, 2010. The coolest thing I ever learned about painting flowers , specifically how to paint a rose, was when a painting teacher told me that you paint them by not painting them. Back
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Video Lesson on Using Photos for Studio Landscape Paintings

Upper Ridge at Dusk , 2011, oil on panel, 18 x 18 . Mt. Shuksan in Sunlight , 2010, oil on panel, 12 x 12. At my April 2011 exhibition at Lisa Harris Gallery, I gave an hour-long presentation on my "In Sunlight" series. This was a special opportunity
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Painting with Dreams, Memories, History and Myths

Sonata of the Sea--Finale by Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis, 1908. One of my favorite movements in art is the Symbolist movement of the late 19 th and early 20 th centuries. The artists were so free in exploring what mattered to them—personal
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It's an Excuse to Paint Umbrellas

The Coming Storm by George Inness, 1879, oil on canvas, 27 1/4 x 41 3/4. Are you as bored of pretty outdoor painting scenes as I am? My eyes just seem to glaze over when I see a plein air painting scene with picture perfect sunlight over an idyllic landscape
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3 Things I've Got to Have to Keep Going

My family and I at my opening. Cute bunch, right? The show included works from the past ten years of my career. I know it's been a while since I've written. Let's see--the last time was just when I got back from my summer vacation. And now
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Can You Outgrow Your Art?

Train Tracks by Valerio D'Ospina, 2011, oil on melamined MDF, 30 x 24. Some artists such as Jackson Pollock discover and use their own visual language to communicate with the world, and this singular voice takes them through an entire career of putting
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Breakfast of Champions: Free Still Life Painting eBook!

The Remains by Joe Gyurcsak, 2007, oil painting, 24 x 24. If I start my morning with a bit of artistic inspiration, it really carries me through the whole day, just like a wholesome breakfast does! And today is a very good day because I was able to begin
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Take a Peek at Jamie Wyeth’s Watercolors

This is one of the artist's more traditional pieces in terms of his painting process. ( Raspberry House by Jamie Wyeth, 1988, watercolor, 22 1/2 x 28 1/2.) Watercolor is one of those wondrous materials that can be manipulated in so many different
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Calling Him a Landscape Painter Would Be a Stretch

Anselm Kiefer is not a landscape painter by any stretch of the imagination, and yet his incredibly powerful work is based in and of the land. Observing his mixed media paintings and sculpture has taught me a lot about what a truly impactful landscape
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Anselm Kiefer’s Landscapes Are Anything But Picture Perfect

But that is exactly what makes them so powerful. I've never been more moved by seeing a work in person than I am when I see Kiefer's. They floor me. As I said in my other post on Kiefer , it certainly has to do, in part, with the fact that his
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He’s Nobody’s Fool When It Comes to Putting a Painting Together

Breaking the Light by Don Demers, 24 x 36, oil painting. Don Demers knows that inspiration is always there if you know how to look for it, but he's also nobody's fool—he understands that to create a breathtaking and moving painting you sometimes
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His Painting Palette Was the Size of a Piano Top

Under the Awning by Joaquin Sorolla, oil painting, 1910. "There is nothing truer than truth. All the mistakes committed by great artists are due to their having separated themselves from truth, believing that their imagination is stronger...There
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Plein Air Painting, Fall 2011

The last two editions of Plein Air Painting were a huge success—they flew off the shelves—and now the newest edition of the beloved magazine is back with even more on-site landscape painting instruction, handpicked by the trusted editors at American Artist, introducing the new special-issue
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3 Tricks So People Remember My Painting

Notice how the composition of this sparse still life is deft--from the angle of the bottle to the serpentine curve of the ivy sprig. (Dried Ivy by Kristin Kunc, 8 x 12, oil on linen, 2008). I'm not a knick-knack girl, but I do really have a connection
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Painting with the Sight-Size Method

I'll be honest with you all--I am not a painting technician. I read a lot about art and, as you know, love to look at paintings and drawings all day long, but I am still a babe in the woods when it comes to many methods and approaches to painting
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Can’t I Be Part of a Painting Dynasty?

Paris by Danny McCaw, 24 x 16. Not to be a whiner, but I don't have an artistic legacy to build on. So far as I know, no one in my family is an artist or has any particular leanings towards painting or drawing. That's why I'm so enamored with
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You Want a Free eBook on Making Color Work When Pastel Painting, Right?

Manhattan Nocturne by Frank Federico, pastel painting, 20 x 24. I have a tried and true love affair going with color. I'm drawn to it across the spectrum, but I'm a late bloomer when it comes to pastel painting, which has to be some kind of crime
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Who Is Odd Nerdrum and Why Do We Care?

Norwegian artist Odd Nerdrum, currently facing time in prison for tax fraud, is certainly a character, taking on more of a dramatic persona than most people do in their day-to-day lives. He's also a bit of a polarizing figure. I know artists who think
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Thomas Eakins Taught Me All About Painting People

Female Nude by Thomas Eakins, oil painting, c. 1881. The Thinker by Thomas Eakins, oil painting, 1900. Thomas Eakins earned himself quite a reputation during his lifetime. He didn't suffer fools gladly, he didn't hold his tongue, and he didn't
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Landscape Painting Lessons from the Masters: Inness

These four oil paintings have something in common. Yes, of course, they were all painted by George Inness (1825-1894), one of the greatest American landscape painters of all time. But there's something else, an incredibly valuable lesson. Have you
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American Artist Highlights: Guide to Painting Flowers, Fall 2011

Learn classical techniques with an inspiring guide that shows you how to create stunning pieces with ease and confidence. Make your colors sing and enhance your process—top contemporary masters of today show you how. Challenge yourself with more complicated arrangements and develop the confidence
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Landscape Painting Lessons from the Masters: Corot

Recollection of Mortefontaine by Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, landscape oil painting, 1864. One of my great heroes in art is Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot (1796-1875), the world-famous French artist who is still considered one of the best landscape artists
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Drawing Basics: Using the Egg to Draw Anatomy

Marjorie Forgues' figure drawing, day 1. Marjorie Forgues' figure drawing, day 2. Taking a painting or drawing class is always a learning experience, but often I find I learn a great deal from other artists in the class as well. This is especially
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Painting Darks That Are Too Dark to See

Nicole at Mille Fleurs 3 , acrylic painting on canvas, 48 x 30, 2010. In the Afternoon Light , acrylic painting on canvas, 48 x 30, 2011. Contrast is the difference between light and dark values. The human eye is able to see clearly across a contrast
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3 Painting Pointers That I'll Always Remember

Notice how Gury scratches through the paint in his oil painting Autumn Glow , reinforcing the shape and outline of the tree limbs. I'm not one to ask or judge someone by their resume or history because we all walk our own paths and get meaningful
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3 Paintings I'd Take in a Heartbeat

Unknown Woman by Thomas Wilmer Dewing, 1890, pastel painting on paper. I love the effects and colors you can get with pastel paintings . . . at least I do now. It wasn't too long ago that I felt like I had some kind of weird complex where I could
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Abandon and Control: Robert Liberace's Contradiction in Oil Painting?

Oil painting demonstration by Robert Liberace. To listen to Robert Liberace talk during one of his demonstrations, sometimes, fleetingly, it sounds to me like there is an occasional contradiction. The most recent example I can point to is when he talked
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Who Sent You Flowers? Me!—Our Newest Free eBook on Painting Flowers Is Here!

Rhododendron by James Sulkowski, 2001, oil painting. Notice how the flowers are arranged in a curving S-shape, starting in the back and bring your eye to the foreground. Most artists have a love-hate relationship with floral painting. There's plenty
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Painting the Illusion of Distance—Is It Just About Perspective?

Fifty by Mitchell Albala, 2006, oil painting on canvas. In this painting, the artist strongly distinguishes the land and sky to give a sense of vertical distance. This summer I've been traveling a bit, but of course it's never as much as I would
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Move Over MacGyver. I’ve Got a Painting Studio Gadget for You!

I was on a studio visit the other day to artist Daniel Baltzer 's place in Harlem and the first thing that grabbed my attention—even before looking at his paintings (!)—was this cool little contraption he had in the middle of his studio
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Painting Essentials: Color & Light from James Gurney

Sunset over the Catskills by James Gurney, oil painting. If I want to excel in my craft and become any kind of decent realist painter, the two aspects of oil painting that I need to focus on are color and light. Perfecting the two, together, will allow
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I’d Make You a Mixed Tape, But This Is Better. Plus, Our Collection Sale Starts Today!

My version of an art "mixed tape" is a bunch of really great info and inspiration for us as we head into the home stretch of summer. Here are several of my favorite recent Artist Daily blog entries and American Artist online articles that have
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Drawing Basics: How I Judge My Artistic Progress & Learning from Robert Liberace

This is a long pose drawing that made it into my "evaluate" pile. Part of the artistic learning process for me is learning how to evaluate my work, not on a piece by piece basis, but collectively. This summer I am looking at my drawing art works
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Mixing Harmonious Greens in My Plein Air Painting

All you landscape artists who live in the dry, deserty parts of the world, or you plein air painters in the wet, watery parts of the world, bear with me, but those of us who live in the lushly vegetated parts of the world face a big challenge: green!
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What’s the Impressionist Way of Painting with Color?

In Dancers at the Bar by Edgar Degas, 1888, the artist used complementary colors to make a sharp contrast between the figures and the space. We all know that Impressionism heralded a new way of painting. Material and technical advancements--metal tubes
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Oil Painting Lessons From John Singer Sargent

La Carmencita by John Singer Sargent, oil painting, 1890. I try and shy away from describing art in bombastic terms. It can become a slippery slope of flowery language with no real takeaways. But when I'm studying the works of no less than John Singer
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We Don't Have to Settle for Paint & Brush

Okay, I don't really mean that. I was just trying to get your attention. But I kind of do mean it because so often when dealing with how to paint a composition, I follow the same process day in and day out, which is why the idea of transferring images
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Plein Air Painting, Spring 2011

The industry’s favorite plein air magazine is back with more of what you love! Last year, Plein Air Painting magazine flew off the shelves! Capture info from on-site studies, direct observations, and outdoor painting instruction from top plein air painters of today. Perfect your plein air painting
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4 Crucial Figure Painting Tips

On Hamilton's Prairie by Rose Frantzen, 32 x 40, oil painting. Rose Frantzen's work has been on my radar for a while and even more so after I saw her oil painting portrait show at the Smithsonian Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC, which featured
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Just Back Up and Let the Painting Breathe

Early Morning by Keith McCulloch, 12 x 16, oil painting. Artist Daily Member Spotlight: Keith B. McCulloch When I first saw Keith McCulloch's paintings, I took a deep breath. It was an involuntary reaction but a telling one—the airy, openness
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Don’t Just Paint. Pour!

Portifino by Jean Grastorf (watercolor painting, 20 x 30, 2003) was created using the artist's signature pour technique. I'm always surprised that the so-called ‘Painter of Light' isn't a watercolorist. Luminous light effects are
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It’s What I’m Here For: Free eBook of Watercolor Lessons & Painting Techniques from Artist Daily

Overlay by Ali Cavanaugh, 12 x 12, watercolor painting. As a wannabe artist, I have a lot of years ahead of me to invest in perfecting my painting. Knowing this, I often think about the medium I will choose to work with—what will grow with me through
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Hybrid Method of Painting and Drawing

Magnificent Malibu by Gerald Rahm, 2005, pastel painting, 16 x 20. When I'm hiking or walking on the beach, my attention span is really short. I flit from activity to activity, sight to sight, just trying to take it all in. That's why pastel painting
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Oil Painting Odyssey: Making Pandora

Pandora by Patricia Watwood, oil on canvas. I've had it in my head to make a "Pandora" oil painting for a while now. In the myth, Pandora is overcome with curiosity (well, who wouldn't be??) and she opens the proverbial box and releases
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Create a Painting On My First Try? Yes, Please!

Artist Al Gury is known for his direct or alla prima painting knowledge. The oil painting, above, shows his decisive ability to create complex colors and shapes through successive layers. I love saying the phrase 'alla prima' but it's way
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Art Isn’t Just About Pretty People

New Year by Mary Whyte, watercolor painting of a milliner from Atlanta, GA; 2009, 22 1/2 x 29. Sometimes I get so sick of people calling a painting or drawing 'art' because it has a good-looking person in it. Who wants to hang out with Barbie
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Let Nature Walk Right In Front of You

Sunrise River II by John Hulsey, oil on canvas. "You can observe a lot by just watching." - Yogi Berra I was reminded of this quote as I was sitting on the boardwalk in Constitution Marsh on the Hudson River near where we used to live. I hadn't
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Painting Portraits with Personality, Mood, and Character

Portrait of Ginevra di Benci by Leonardo da Vinci, 1474-1476, oil painting on wood, 16.5 x 14.5. I've described the most important technical parts of my study of Da Vinci: line and anatomy . When I began to study how to paint, I opted not to follow
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What's the Association Factor and Why Is It a Painting 'Must'?

I don't want to learn how to paint from just anyone. I don't mean that snobbishly, but I know how I work and learn. I am a visual learner and I learn by doing. Hearing someone drone on and on makes me want to get up and run around the room, so
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Plein Air Painting with Clyde Aspevig

Flower Garden by Clyde Aspevig, oil on canvas, 24 x 12. Content adapted from an article by Allison Malafronte. Clyde Aspevig is a landscape painter and seasoned plein air artist who prides himself on going out into his chosen environs with a feeling of
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The Best Art for a Control Freak Like Me

One of my favorite still-life artists is G. Daniel Massad. He plays with space in an incredible way. His pastel paintings are stark, eerie, and lovely all at once. Above, Three Plums and Rosehip , 2005, pastel, 11 x 10 7/8. What I love best about still
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Building a Bridge to China with Oil Painting and Contemporary Realism

The ACOPAL show featured contemporary American Realist painting. Whenever I step inside the beautiful and historic National Arts Club, on Gramercy Park in Manhattan, I'm reminded of how long it has been a supportive home for American Realism. In May
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He Told Me I Could Share His Secrets

Looking at paintings can be like unraveling a mystery, especially with watercolor. Layers are so delicate and there are many interesting watercolor painting techniques that are quite subtle to the eye. That's certainly what I felt when I looked at the work of watercolor artist Miguel Dominguez. I
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Painting This Uniquely American Place

America is a land of rich diversity that extends throughout our landscapes, cities, and regions. I'd say that one of the most distinctive places we have is Cape Cod. Now, being a born-and-raised Southern girl, I have always romanticized the northern coasts and beaches because they always look so
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3 Ways to Assure You Are Always Growing as an Artist

Ellen Cooper’s In Defiance of Erebus won the People’s Choice and First Place Award. After participating in a panel discussion about career goals for artists at this year’s Portrait Society of America Conference I wanted to share a few more tips that I use to keep my art growing and
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Bring My Painting Back From the Brink of Disaster

Meeting artist and Studio Incamminati instructor Lea Colie Wight was a little bit like meeting a favorite celebrity and miracle worker all rolled into one. Lea's execution and subject matter resonates with me, but it is her perseverance and desire to share common experiences in painting that really
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Draw with Your Brush

When Scott Royston sets his sights on flowers for one of his still life oil painting compositions, he isn’t drawn to tiny buds or small bouquets but expressive flora in full bloom. For him, painting flowers is a gradual process that starts with a rough sketch in his sketchbook and toning his canvas
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Building a Career for the Long Term

For the Portrait Society of America Conference in Atlanta this year, I was invited to participate in a panel on Professionalism, Leadership, and Service. I was asked to speak to “Building a Career for the Long Term.” Now, anyone who saw my tax returns for 2010 would NOT have put me on a short
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How to Paint Clouds in Watercolor

In a recent post on how to paint clouds at sunset , we diagrammed a pastel painting and explained a bit about the types of clouds one may encounter when painting outdoors . This time, we have dissected a watercolor, Ghost Ranch IV , that I painted in New Mexico near Georgia O’Keefe’s house
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Highlights: Painting Instruction From Master Teachers

Get instant improvement on your portraits, landscapes, and still life’s from master teachers.
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Finding the Warms and Cools of White

Painting flowers is sometimes a study in the subtlety of color, as in Ann's flower oil painting, Philadelphus III (oil, 12 x 16). Painting large flower portraits has given me the opportunity to explore what seem to be the nearly infinite shades and
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What’s Up With the Floating People?

That’s one of the first questions I put to artist Caitlin Hurd about her oil paintings, which feature dazed, inert figures floating through the landscape. But they aren’t floating as much as sleepwalking, according to Hurd. “It all started with how I wanted to live my life,” she
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There's Nothing Quite Like Custom Made

I’ve always dreamed of having something, anything—shoes, a coat, a car!—custom made. While all of those are pretty much still out of my reach, I know that I can custom design how I get my art training. There are a lot of options out there for us art-minded folk, but I spoke to Rob Zeller
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Varnish, Varnish Everywhere

I interviewed Sadie Valeri on her unusual wax paper paintings months and months ago, but since then I've been keeping an eye on her. She's got great spirit, enviable talent, and she's just super nice! Little did I know that her sweet exterior
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What Could Be Better Than a Free eBook on Landscape Painting?

My answer to that is nada! Zippo! Zilch! As the weather heats up from coast to coast, now is the time when artists turn their attention to the excitement of landscape painting. But I'll be honest with you. I'm still intimidated by the whole landscape painting process. There seems to be so much
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Artist Daily Member Spotlight: Asghar Gonchehpour

One of the things I love best as the editor for Artist Daily is getting to know the artists in our community. A few weeks ago, I saw a mixed media portrait in the Member Gallery that caught my attention. The painting--a girl with wild, colorful hair and a tranquil expression on her face--looked like
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The Gowanus Ballroom

The Gowanus Ballroom brought together installation art, contemporary sculpture, and realist painting. Every once in a while, I get to do something that is comes uniquely from the place where I’ve chosen to live—Brooklyn. My studio is in Gowanus
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Bring On the Botox...Or Not

Artist Daniel Gerhartz's new book, Not Far From Home , is a visual compendium of his life's work as a painter. In it, you not only find inspiring, lush photographs of Gerhart'z paintings, but insightful and instructional information as well. To showcase all of the great content in the book
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Painting to Establish Intimacy

Artists create for a lot of reasons--ego, instinct, livelihood--but author and painter Margaret Krug creates for a very unique reason: to enfold us in the intimacy and delicacy of her personal artistic vision. Often working on a small scale, sometimes on a surface no larger than a postcard, Krug paints
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May I Introduce Odd Nerdrum?

Summit by Odd Nerdrum, oil painting, 2000, 93 x 88. Odd Nerdrum: Weekend With the Masters Instructor Odd Nerdrum was born in Hälsingborg, Sweden, in 1944. He was a student at The Academy of Art in Oslo at the time when Modernism made its delayed
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May I Introduce Daniel Sprick?

Untitled by Daniel Sprick, 2006, 24 x 24, oil painting. Daniel Sprick: Weekend With the Masters Instructor Daniel Sprick was born in Little Rock, Arkansas. He studied at the Froman School of Art and The National Academy of Design and received his B.F
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May I Introduce Ron Hicks?

The Love on the Road by Ron Hicks, oil painting. Ron Hicks: Weekend With the Masters Instructor Ron Hicks grew up in Columbus, Ohio, and was introduced to art at an early age under the influence of his artist mother. Continuing to pursue drawing through
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May I Introduce Albert Handell?

Pastel painter and oil painter Albert Handell. Albert Handell: Weekend With the Masters Instructor Pastelist and oil painter Albert Handell was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1937. At an early age, a favorite activity of his was drawing with chalks on
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May I Introduce George Gallo?

Connecticut Yankee Spring by George Gallo, 20 x 24, oil painting. George Gallo: Weekend With the Masters Instructor Award-winning writer, director, and painter George Gallo is capturing the hearts of both the general public and artist-audiences everywhere
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May I Introduce Anthony Ryder?

Twilight by Tony Ryder, 1998, pencil drawing, 25 x 19. Tony Ryder: Weekend With the Masters Instructor Anthony Ryder studied at the Art Students League of New York, the New York Academy of Art, and the Ecole Albert Defois, in France, with oil painter
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May I Introduce Stephen Quiller?

February Shadows, Rio Grande by Stephen Quiller, acrylic painting, 17 x 19 1/2. Stephen Quiller: Weekend With the Masters Instructor Stephen Quiller is an internationally known painter who works primarily in water media, monotypes, and intaglio printmaking
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May I Introduce Richard Schmid?

Throughout his career, Richard Schmid has promoted art education through his books, articles, workshops, seminars, and television presentations. Richard Schmid: Weekend With the Masters Instructor Richard Schmid was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1934.
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May I Introduce Frank Serrano?

Sunlit Birch by Frank Serrano, oil on canvas, 12 x 12. Frank Serrano: Weekend With the Masters Instructor Contemporary landscape artist and plein air painter Frank M. Serrano was born in Los Angeles on November 29, 1967. He developed an early interest
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Nothing Watered Down About Her Work

Over and over again I hear artists cooing about the thick richness of oil paints and its appealing spreadability, and yes, all of that is totally true. But artist Bev Jozwiak is giving oil a run for its money in terms of buttery appearance and saturated colors, and she’s doing it with watercolor
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What I Get From Other Artists

Wilson uses the visual world as a lexicon of poetic images, as in his painting, Mary . In the 19th century, painters depicted modern life, embracing the “real” and eschewing narrative subjects and symbolism. Now, modern figure painters are
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Painting Clouds, Part I: Sunset Clouds

Living as we do in the center of the country where the dominant feature of the landscape is the sky, we have always enjoyed painting the rich variety of clouds here. Besides being beautiful to look at, clouds can tell us all sorts of things about the weather, both present and future, that can prove very
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It’s a Bird. It’s a Plane. It’s an Artist?!

Artists aren’t superheroes. No capes, no spandex onesies, and no butlers named Alfred. Artists don’t necessarily lead extraordinary lives in which they paint or draw between bouts of saving the world. Artists are like you and me. They are you and me, actually. We all go about our day-to-day
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The Ultimate Backpack--Professional Tips for Packing Light

Here's John using his heavy-weight watercolor gear while painting in Colorado. Through trial and error, over the years, we have figured out how to pack for our foot-powered plein-air painting adventures. We like to keep our heavy-duty Eagle Creek
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Do You Speak The Two Languages of Art?

No, not Spanish or Italian or French. An artist needs to be fluent in the languages of realism and abstraction. By realism I mean the formal aspects of art--the painting techniques and drawing skills we develop over time through experience. Abstraction is the other side of the coin, the visual language
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A Painting Technique That’s Outside the Box…Er, Brush

Breaking out of a painting rut sometimes requires a little more oomph than just adding another color to your palette or going from a still life to a figure painting. Sometimes your whole process needs an overhaul. A few years ago, artist Francis Di Fronzo took a fairly drastic measure to take his work
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How to Paint the Look and Feel of Spring

I’m a color junkie. In fashion, in design, and especially in painting, vibrant color is what gets me creative. But before the image of Mimi from The Drew Carey Show becomes forever attached to my name in your mind, I’ll point out that I can control myself…sometimes. It’s tough
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Okay, okay! You win! Here’s your Free eBook on Plein Air Painting

Point Lobos , oil, 12 x 16. All works by Matt Smith . Have you ever had a moment where you’ve stumbled on something unexpected and you think to yourself, “What a find!” That was so me a few days ago. I read an amazing Q&A that one
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Palette Knife in Hand

Palette knife painting sounds a little edgy and dangerous, but it’s really all about texture—the thick impasto swipes and flat sweeps of color that make up the surface of a painting. I’ve never created an entire painting with just a palette knife before, and I wanted to see what the
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Painting with a ‘Show Me’ State of Mind

Darrell Brown paints simple, seemingly timeless "portraits" of fruits and vegetables. A few days ago a reader came to me with a good point: If an artist running a workshop can talk about the philosophy behind his or her oil painting art, all
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Plein Air Painting Essentials: How to Paint Trees

This plein air painting by Tom Brown is impressionistic, but gives you a distinct sense of the form and structure of the scrub tree he's painting. We often think of trees in a very human way—that they have personalities and traits that distinguish
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Video on Light and Shadow: Portrait Painting with Scott Burdick and Daniel Gerhartz

The American Artist Weekend With the Masters events are always a whirlwind of activity—new people to meet, alluring art to gawk over, and then there are the workshops. Articulate, passionate artist-instructors share their own particular artistic
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Plein Air Painting Techniques: How to Paint Clouds

Clouds are not all created equal, just like not every sunset or skyscape is the same. They all have their own unique look and feel, even though we can see them all the time. And it is the plein air artist's goal, passion, purpose to eek out that unique something in every scene they decide to paint
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A Painter's Best Bet: Stay in Kindergarten

Jeffree , oil, 18 x 15. All works by David A. Leffel. I spend a lot of time brainstorming how an artist can become an Old Master of the 21st century. What kind of confidence, skill, and vision will it take for an artist working today to gain that reputation
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If I Could Paint Any Four Walls

After developing an unnatural dependency on my galoshes and stocking my kitchen shelves with an outrageous amount of sugary sweets in case of snowstorms, I’ve come to realize that it is nice to be on the inside, cozy and warm, looking out. My creature comforts appreciation has definitely also influenced
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Faith in the Wilderness--How One Oil Painting Artist Stays Committed

Perhaps sometime over the last couple of years, you looked at your most recent drawing or oil painting and thought “Why am I doing this?” The economic recession has caused all of us to rethink our commitments and has given many artists reason to doubt that “making it” as a professional
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5 Surefire Plein Air Painting Techniques

The Evening Show by Clyde Aspevig, oil, 40 x 36. You can often tell a painting that was painted en plein air from one that wasn’t. There is an immediacy to the light and atmosphere depicted in plein air paintings that isn’t always achieved
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Is "How to Paint" the Right Question?

When we start making art, we don't start from a position of, "I want to paint like so-and-so," or not even, necessarily, "I want to paint well." We should start from a position of, "I have a need to make art." This is an important principle; it gives us the strength
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How to Paint a Piece of Americana

Shaker Barns by Charles Sheeler, 1945, tempera on board. When I think of the features that make up a truly American landscape, there’s one structure that always sticks out in my mind—a big, broadsided barn. They dot the countryside from coast
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Free Video Demo—Watercolor Painting With Mary Whyte

Learn more about Mary Whyte’s full-length DVD. I'm a reader and studier by nature, but the lessons and techniques that I learn from books and magazines always seem to click much quicker when I watch an artist paint, rather than try to puzzle
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Oil Painting, Studio Practice, and More from New Blogger Patricia Watwood

Waiting for Supper , 18” x 35”, oil on canvas, 2010. All works by Patricia Watwood . Hello! I am delighted to begin this new venture with Artist Daily and start an ongoing conversation about my painting process and my thoughts on art. Most
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Extreme Plein Air Painting--Conquering Old Man Winter

Fire and Ice by John Hulsey, watercolor. We both love painting landscapes outside, especially in the winter, when the air is clear and the landscape is reduced to its architectural purity. But winter weather conditions are rarely moderate in the places
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It's Finally Here: Our New Free eBook on Oil Painting Techniques

I’ve always prided myself on learning good technique when faced with any new skill, and doing this has definitely made a difference. That goes for when I was learning to dance, swim, draw, or paint in oil. Art techniques were always especially rewarding to tackle this way, because once you grasp
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You're Gonna Need a Pair of Boots

Painting outdoors in winter can be an extreme sport. The snow, the wind, the cold—it takes a certain kind of artist to paint a winter landscape while in a winter landscape. The first time I attempted this was a couple of years ago when I was living in Connecticut. Two feet of snow had fallen the
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Painting Instruction Highlights from Master Teachers, Fall 2009

14 Top Instructors Share Their Secrets; How to Paint From Photographs; Complete Instruction in Painting Figures, Still Lifes & Landscapes; 12 Step-by-Step Demonstrations & Lists of Materials Check out what's featured in the Fall 2009 issue of American Artist Highlights.
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Don't Fear the Pack

As much as the stereotype of the solitary painter working alone and shutting him- or herself off from the world makes artists seem mysterious and cool, I’ve found that artists tend to be fairly social creatures, and their cool factor isn’t lessened by their sense of community. Sometimes this
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Learn the Latest Tips in Our Free Portrait Painting eBook

Trying to capture the likeness of a person in a finite period of time and meeting the high expectations often associated with portraiture are far from effortless tasks. They take commitment and savvy to do well. Our eBook Oil Painting Lessons on How to Paint a Portrait: 15 Portrait Painting Techniques
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Nature with a Bit of Edge

Shaped by Reaction , acrylic on maple panel, 2010. All works by Tiffany Bozic. Courtesy Joshua Liner Gallery. Looking at San Francisco-based artist Tiffany Bozic’s work is a bit like falling down Alice’s rabbit hole: the natural world looks
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Free eBook—Full of Acrylic Painting Techniques for You

Sunset in the Teton Valley by Gil Dellinger, 2008, acrylic, 16 x 20. Almost all the painting I did in college was with acrylics, and most of the students I worked in class with did the same. Painting with acrylics was our best option because the paints
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Are You Using This Critical Painting Technique?

The process of underpainting has such a buttoned-up reputation. If it were cast in a movie, it would be the uptight, by-the-book stickler that no one wants to hangout with. That’s because the process of underpainting is often associated with a belabored, rigid series of steps that delays us from
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Draw on Tradition to Create Lasting Art

I'm always surprised-and, okay, a little peeved-when my mention of an arts background is often met with a puzzled look followed by the somewhat skeptical question, "What do you do with that?" The truth is there's a lot to do with that, especially now-at a time when images are all around
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Free eBook for Your Best Summer Outdoor Painting Experience

With summer in full swing, I've been spending as much time as possible outdoors, going to concerts and plays, walking from place to place when I do my errands, and just finding every excuse for an outdoor excursion. Plein air painting is another perk of the season. There's something invigorating
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Learn to Paint the Unexpected

Artists are the sharpest of observers, attuned to a person's passing gesture or the play of light and shadow on a building façade—but not everything that catches our eye is a painting waiting to happen. For Utah watercolorist Joseph Alleman , the stories that hold his interest are reflections
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Best of Watercolor, 2010

On the Cover: Barrens in October (detail) by Paul Rickert, 2002, watercolor, 11 x 14. Collection the artist. Artists In This Issue Anne Abgott Jane Paul Angelhart Sue Archer Bo Bartlett Dan Brown Peggy Brown Carl Dalio Sondra Freckelton Laurin McCracken
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Make the Most of the Plein Air Painting Season

Almost any artist will tell you that there's a certain appeal to working outdoors that can't be found anywhere else. With summer in full swing, many of us have left our studios for our porches, backyards, and beyond. To celebrate the season and all of the art being made en plein air, here are
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Paint Every Figure With the Power of a Portrait

Painting the people and places one sees every day can be either a mind-numbing trial or an impetus for creativity that just happens to be homeward bound. For New Jersey-based artist Michael de Brito-who has spent the last several years painting family members and friends in familiar surroundings, such
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Plein Air Classes at WWM 2010

American Artist’s Weekend With the Masters Workshop & Conference will be arriving on the sunny shores of Southern California this September 22-26, in our second-annual presentation of this four-day event. Workshops, demos, lectures, panel discussions, and evening events from more than 25 instructors
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Sharpen Your Ability to Judge Color Tone and Value

In last Friday's post featuring artist-instructor Kerry Dunn, we explored some of the opportunities and challenges that an extensive color palette offers. On the flipside, Bulgarian-born painter Ignat Ignatov understands how an artist can benefit from the use of a limited palette. For a time Ignatov
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Discover How to Use an Extensive Painting Palette

There is nothing that defines an artist quite like his or her palette. Some consist of premixed colors and others are developed in the moment, determined by the needs of each painting. Some artists are meticulously organized, with paints arranged by color temperature, while other artists arrange colors
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How to Successfully Paint Color Relationships from the Start

Painting instructors often ask students to consider two important relationships between the colors squeezed out on their palettes: value and temperature. By that they are asking them to consider whether one color mixture is lighter or darker than another, and whether the mixtures tend to have a warm
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Learn How to Paint Like a Sculptor

Weekend With the Masters instructor Jacqueline Kamin paints with a sculptural sensibility that isn’t at all foreign to her practice. Earlier in her career she spent time as a bronze bust sculptor. “Working with sculpture is a lot of fun,” Kamin says. “It is very tactile and organic
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Adaptability and Durability are Proven Aspects of Encaustic Painting

After spending all day sitting at my desk, click-click-clicking away on my computer, I savor getting out and being active, especially if I’m learning a new activity or skill. It’s the difference between reading through the steps of a complicated, unfamiliar process and actually seeing it
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New eBook Teaches Acrylic Painting in 7 Steps

Paintings of the sheer peaks of the Alps or serpentine glimmer of the Hudson River showcase the awe-inspiring characteristics of the natural world. But there’s something equally compelling about depictions of interior spaces. Think of how bleak and bereft Edward Hopper’s bedroom scenes are
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Free Tips and Techniques for Painting Oil Landscapes

With landscape artist Chris McHenry's hard-won oil painting tips and techniques, you’ll start to understand how to create a realistic sense of contrast for objects in your paintings, establish depth and focus in a landscape painting with a balance of warm and cool colors, and more. Attending
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April 2010

How to Paint With Spontaneity & Insight; Benefit from a Beginner's; Sense of Adventure; Bring Drawings to Life In Watercolor Paintings; Professional Advice on Painting With Pastel, Oil & Watercolor and much more!
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Finding Your Personal Style

It’s often said that artists don’t find their personal style—it finds them. Although I agree with this statement, I found in my experience that individual style develops only after a number of other tasks are accomplished. All professional
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Taking Advantage of Free Instruction

I recently joined a gym in my neighborhood, with the hopes of working off some of those extra holiday pounds that seem to wear out their welcome around this time every year. My schedule is pretty busy, so I try to streamline my visits, making a beeline
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Sight-Size Drawing and Painting

I've written a number of articles on artists who use the sight-size approach to painting, but the method became clearer to me while I was writing an article on Paul DeLorenzo for the spring 2010 issue of Workshop . The procedure is to stand a measured
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Paint Landscapes From Sketches, Memory, and Photographs

Ever since my trip to Venice, Italy, last year, I have been looking at paintings of the city by 19th-century artists such as Sargent and Whistler, as well as contemporary artists such as Steve Rogers and Leonard Mizerek . I've become more aware of
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Free Watercolor Painting Tips and Techniques

It’s often said in sports circles that the best players often make the worst coaches. That’s because it is hard for naturally gifted athletes to relate to players who are not so innately talented. A perfect example of this is former Boston
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Watercolors by Architects

Greek Steps, Sifnos by Thomas W. Schaller, 2008, watercolor, 12 x 9. I just finished writing an article on Thomas W. Schaller's watercolor paintings for the April 2010 issue of American Artist, and it occurred to me that Thomas is the third licensed
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24 Tips to Learn How To Paint a Plein Air Landscape

Our newest free eBook, “24 Tips to Learn How to Paint a Plein Air Landscape,” is now available to download, and in it you’ll find tips on how to get started working en plein air and how to improve your en plein air painting technique
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Watercolor, Winter 2010

On the Cover: Breakfast Club (detail) by Gordon France, 2004, watercolor, 20 x 28. Private collection. Artist to Artist: Dean Mitchell Modern Masters: Jan Kunz DEPARTMENTS Editor's Note Contributors Noteworthy FEATURES Weekend With the Masters Review
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Free Lessons From Top Watercolor Artists

The basic set of supplies John Hulsey uses when painting on location. The recent spat of wet weather in New York has made it difficult to get outside to paint, but that doesn’t mean we in the American Artist offices haven’t been thinking about
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How to Act Like an Art Collector

When artists shop for a gallery to represent them, it's helpful if when they first visit they avoid acting or looking like an artist and instead take on the behavior of a collector. This can help you to learn how attentive a gallery’s staff is, and it allows you to assess how much they know
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En Plein Air: A Conversation With Jacob Collins

Known primarily for his figurative work and for leading a resurgence in classical art education through his Water Street Atelier and the Grand Central Academy of Art, in New York City, Jacob Collins is now the founder of the Hudson River Fellowship ,
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Painting Instruction Highlights from Master Teachers, Fall 2009

14 Top Instructors Share Their Secrets; How to Paint From Photographs; Complete Instruction in Painting Figures, Still Lifes & Landscapes; 12 Step-by-Step Demonstrations & Lists of Materials Check out what's featured in the Fall 2009 issue of American Artist Highlights.
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Children Painting, Laughing, Learning and Your Valuable Advice

I recently assisted my granddaughter, Amanda, as she painted with water-soluble tempera colors in our backyard. Like most four-year-olds, she loves to draw and paint, and although her drawings have become increasingly controlled pictures of herself, her parents, five pets, and her home, the paintings
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How to Paint En Plein Air: Beginner Landscape Oil-Painting Techniques

California landscape painter Frank Serrano is a popular instructor of plein air painting, generously sharing his knowledge and experience with students and helping them develop a foundation in the fundamentals of painting outdoors. Here we present two step-by-step demonstrations, taken from his book
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En Plein Air: The 400th Anniversary of the Hudson River Valley's Exploration

As the Hudson River Valley gears up to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson’s voyage, landscape painters are remembering the famed 19th-century Hudson River School painters who put the Hudson on the map and are celebrating with plein air events and exhibitions of their own.
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How to Triumph In Spite of the Odds

Emerging artist Daniel James Keys couldn’t enroll at an art school, but he used every other available means to educate himself as an artist, to connect with other painters, and to promote his artwork. His experience proves that with determination, support, and computer savvy, artists can make significant
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Workshop, Summer 2009

The Table of Contents for the Summer 2009 issue of Workshop magazine.
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En Plein Air: Local Color

Los Angeles screenwriter, director, producer, and plein air painter George Gallo's movie Local Color will be released this summer and is already touching artists and audiences everywhere through prescreening promotion. Here is a preview of that movie and the story that inspired it.
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Highlights: Painting Instruction From Master Teachers

Get instant improvement on your portraits, landscapes, and still life’s from master teachers.
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How Do You Personalize Your Still Lifes?

Recent visits to still life painting workshop and exhibitions has reminded Steve how still lifes provide an opportunity to share some aspect of our lives with those who look at our drawings and paintings. Here, he expands on that thought, and asks about the ways you compose, execute, and personalize
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Watercolor: Setting Up and Painting a Floral Still Life

A simple floral arrangement can be the perfect subject for beginner still lifes.
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English distilled turpentine

Q: My instructor for an upcoming workshop is requesting we use English Distilled Turpentine. How does this differ from regular turpentine? His painting medium is a mixture of English turpentine, linseed oil, and dammar varnish. A: English Distilled Turpentine
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Painting Airy Clouds

Q: I'm a beginner painter, and I'm hoping you can recommend a technique for painting clouds that will create the illusion of airiness. Can you help me? A: Regardless of your medium—watercolor, acrylic, or oil—the basic rules for edges
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Workshop Spring 2009

The table of contents from the Spring 2009 issue of Workshop magazine.
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Quang Ho: Essential Information for Painters of All Levels

Colorado artist Quang Ho’s new instructional DVD series offers a concise version of what students can expect in his workshops, including his eight visual approaches to painting, his views on developing understanding, and a discussion of everything he wishes he had known before he started painting
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What Do Viewers Say About Your Art?

Steve Doherty talks about the various comments he's received while painting en plein air, and asks other artists what they've heard while working on or exhibiting their art.
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Drawing Basics: Is Pastel a Drawing Medium?

Many pastelists consider their pieces to be paintings. Here at American Artist, we have tried to steer clear of the debate on whether pastel is a drawing medium or a painting medium, although when put against the wall and poked in the chest, we'll
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En Plein Air: Letters On Landscape Painting

Asher B. Durand was one of the great leaders of the Hudson River School of landscape painters, and his monthly “Letters on Landscape Painting” column he wrote for The Crayon offered readers of the time invaluable insight into his approach to painting nature. Durand’s advice is just
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En Plein Air: Nocturne-Painting Tips

At some point most plein air painters try their hand at painting at twilight or at night, otherwise known as a nocturne. This can be a fun and challenging way to expand your skills as a landscape painter and force yourself to judge colors and values under
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Gifts Artists Give One Another

Steve Doherty asked several well-known artists what gifts they would present to another artist during the upcoming holiday season. Here's what they said.
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Acrylic: Fine Art or Illustration?

Whether creating fine art or illustration, for Connecticut artist Bernie Fuchs—who boasts a long and successful career as an illustrator—it’s all the same. Either way, “I’m making a picture,” he explains. A Perfect
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Watercolor: Back to Watercolor Basics

Connecticut artist John Falato primarily paints in oil, but he also enjoys introducing students to the nuts and bolts of watercolor in his exciting, fast-paced beginner classes. August Road 1983, watercolor, 21 1/8 x 16. All artwork this article private
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Beginners: Back to Watercolor Basics

Connecticut artist John Falato primarily paints in oil, but he also enjoys introducing students to the nuts and bolts of watercolor in his exciting, fast-paced beginner classes. August Road 1983, watercolor, 21 1⁄8 x 16. All artwork this article
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A Practical Approach to Creating & Marketing Oils and Pastels

When J.C. Airoldi left a successful career as a designer, she applied the same level of determination, practicality, hard work, and marketing skills that she used in her previous profession to creating and selling paintings. Gloucester Solitude 2008,
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"American Artist" Magazine Cover Competition Winners

Hundreds of artists from around the country sent in submissions for American Artist’s 2008 Cover Competition, and the editors narrowed the selection down to the 10 they thought best captured the skill level and style of our publication. When those
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Casey Baugh's Workshop: Seeing Accurately and Solving Problems

This dynamic young artist believes anyone can learn the language of painting and use it to express themselves, which he proves in both short-term and extended workshops. by M. Stephen Doherty Baugh working directly on a student's canvas “There
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Drawing Basics: Judith Carducci's Workshop and the Benefits of Drawing and Working From Life

During a recent plein air workshop in Southern France, Judith Carducci helped students who worked with pen-and-ink, pastel, watercolor, and oil colors. The unifying themes of the 10-day class were that drawing basics are a foundation of all media and
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Judith Carducci's Workshop: The Benefits of Drawing and Working From Life

During a recent plein air workshop in Southern France, Judith Carducci helped students who worked with pen-and-ink, pastel, watercolor, and oil colors. The unifying themes of the 10-day class were that drawing is a foundation of all media and working
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Tony Curanaj's Workshop: Knowledge and Structure Allow Freer Painting

This New York City artist has found that the more he understands the science of the elements in his still life scene, and the more carefully he executes his drawing and underpainting, the freer he can interpret the subject matter in the final stages to
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Artist of the Month: Sarah Siltala: Capturing Utter Stillness

This New Mexico artist slowly builds up transparent glazes of oil colors to create still lifes and landscapes with luminous, vibrant, and subtle textures. Evening Solitude, 2008, oil on board, 15 x 15. All artwork this article private collection. by Naomi
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Oil Painting: Daniel E. Greene: Gleaning Inspiration From Formative Experiences

In the Fall 2007 issue of Workshop magazine, we presented Daniel E. Greene's approach to teaching drawing and painting in art-school classes, short-term workshops, and filmed programs. Here we reproduce the article from the November 2007 issue of
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Watercolor: "Watercolor" 2008 Cover Competition Finalists

Congratulations to the 10 finalists chosen in the 2008 Watercolor Cover Competition. These accomplished artists each take a different approach, revealing the versatility and adaptability of watermedia. Here, they describe their sources of inspiration
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Pastel: Denise LaRue Mahlke: Art as a Calling

Denise LaRue Mahlke believes that being an artist is a calling that involves preserving, celebrating, and sharing in God’s creation. That’s one of the reasons she challenges herself to strive for excellence as a pastel painter and a teacher
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Oil Painting: Daniel E. Greene: Gleaning Inspiration From Formative Experiences

In an exhibition opening this month in New York City, Daniel E. Greene presents still-life and figure paintings inspired by the experiences and objects of his childhood. Those paintings allowed him to explore the themes of challenge, contrast, and competition
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Jeffrey Reed: Introducing the Basics of Painting

Students at the Community College of Philadelphia receive thorough instruction in the fundamentals of drawing and painting, especially those currently enrolled in Jeffrey Reed’s introductory course, Art 115—Painting I. by M. Stephen Doherty
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Oil Painting: Susan Lichtman: The Powerful Use of Light in Oil Interiors

This Massachusetts painter uses a closely controlled palette and open painting approach to create highly evocative visions of interiors and figures. by John A. Parks Family at Sundown 2005, oil on linen, 48 x 72. All artwork this article collection the
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Pastel: Sam Goodsell: Sticking With the Figure

In 1994 New York City pastelist Sam Goodsell returned to the art world after nine years away, determined to fully explore the challenging and rewarding genre of figure painting. His dedication is paying off. To read more features like this, subscribe
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Beginner Oil: Options for Oil Painters

The vast array of materials and tools available to artists can make it difficult to determine which is best for rendering a certain subject. Even a traditional oil painter has a wealth of options and can choose from alkyds, water-soluble oils, and traditional
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Technique: Sissi Siska: Transforming Silk Painting

New Jersey artist Sissi Siska reinvents traditional silk-painting techniques to create multimedia works of art. by Stephanie Kaplan Orchids on Blue Ferns 2005, dyes, gutta, and wax on crepe de chine silk, 6’ x 3’. Collection the artist. Detail
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Drawing Basics: Values Create Dramatic Drawings

Careful use of darks and lights within and around the figure can give your drawings more power and dramatic force. by Dan Gheno Laocoön by Baccio Bandinelli, red and black chalk, 21 x 15¾. Collection the Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy. Some
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Pastel: William Schneider: Painting the Mouth

Painting the expressiveness of a person’s mouth helps establish his or her likeness, personality, and vitality in a portrait, yet many artists have difficulty representing that facial feature. Here’s how I teach students to paint a mouth in
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BACAA: Classical Training From Contemporary Masters

The Bay Area Classical Artist Atelier, just outside of San Francisco, began with one woman’s dream to establish a school steeped in the traditions of the European ateliers of the past. Today the atelier is one of the most regarded classical contemporary
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Beginner Oil: Setting up for Plein Air painting

The joy and excitement of plein air painting is worth the extra effort required to paint comfortably outside. Here, we address common problems and experiences artists face when first working outdoors. by Naomi Ekperigin Since the 19 th century, artists
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Oil Painting: Peter Fiore: Freely Interpreting Nature

Because most of his Pennsylvania landscapes begin with his photographs, Peter Fiore considers his paintings reorchestrations of reality. “A painting is what I envision,” he says, “not necessarily what nature gave me.” by Linda
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Watercolor: Charles Reid: Natural and Authentic Watercolors

Renowned for his watercolor paintings of the figure, this artist reminds others to simplify, merge the subject with the background, and respond in a way that is natural and authentic. To read more features like this, subscribe to Watercolor today! Watercolor
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Beginner Oil: Recommended Books for a Beginning Artists

From the thousands of art-instruction books available, we offer a list of those that have proven beneficial to new artists. by Naomi Ekperigin There are many options available for artists wishing to improve their skills. However, the price and time commitment
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Watercolor: 20 Great Watercolor Teachers: Biographies and Artwork

We present biographies and artwork from our 20 esteemed watercolor teachers. by Beth Patterson Mary Alice Braukman The Power of Letting Go by Mary Alice Braukman, 2005, mixed media and collage, 22 x 30. Collection the artist. Mary Alice Braukman is an
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Art in Colorado

Read more information about the arts in Colorado in conjunction with the spring 2008 Workshop magazine feature on Ron Hicks' Denver workshop. by Allison Malafronte Jeanne Mackenzie conducted a plein air landscape workshop through Cottonwood Artists’
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Watercolor: Peter Hussey: The Impact of Geometric Shapes in Watercolor Paintings

When Rhode Island artist Peter Hussey taught himself to paint, he noticed that great artists often used diagonal and curved shapes to bring viewers into and around their pictures. That lesson, along with many others he learned by studying both historic
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Artist of the Month: Lonnie Shan

Texas cattle rancher Lonnie Shan depicts the animals he admires in stunning watercolors, taking great care to capture their personality and soul. by Naomi Ekperigin Hard is the Journey 1991, watercolor, 14 x 10. Collection the artist. Viewing one of Lonnie
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Technique: Watercolor Pencils: Bridging the Gap Between Painting and Drawing

Water-soluble colored pencils offer the perfect solution for artists who want to create watercolor effects without the hassle of watercolor paints. by Stephanie Kaplan Plumeria 2006, watercolor pencil, 8 x 10. Watercolorist Kristy Ann Kutch owned a set
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Pastel: Albert Handell's Pastel Paintings: A Retrospective Exhibition

Albert Handell, one of the most important artists working in pastel today, is currently the subject of a retrospective exhibition at The Butler Institute of American Art. Here, he describes some of the seminal paintings in the show and his continuing
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Pastel: Ann Sanders: The Practical Pastelist

Santa Barbara artist Ann Sanders finds natural beauty in her surroundings and puts it down in pastel using proven methods—and she stresses that you can too. by Bob Bahr Devereux Afternoon 2006, pastel, 11 x 15. Collection Shirley Dettmann. The scenes
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Oil Painting: Frederic Edwin Church: A Great Landscape Painting Teacher

There are few American painters who were as celebrated, successful, or influential as Frederic Edwin Church. by M. Stephen Doherty Twilight, a Sketch by Frederic Edwin Church, 1858, oil, 8¼ x 12¼. Collection Olana State Historic Site, Hudson
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Oil Painting: Using Subtle Grays in Still Life Painting

Two masters of still life painting have much to teach us about developing our paintings. by Joseph Gyurcsak Ochre & Blue Gray 2007, oil, 12 x 16. Collection the artist. Two of the most admired masters of still life painting are the Italian artist
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Oil Painting: Ismael Checo: Color, Richness, and Light

This Dominican-born artist uses rich color to create an exotic and intense experience of the world. by John A. Parks Standing Nude Study 1988, oil, 20 x 16. All artwork this article collection the artist unless otherwise indicated. Although he has long
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Acrylic: CRITIQUE: "Moonlit Forest"

Be sure to locate the light source in the composition before you begin painting. by Elizabeth Pruitt Moonlit Forest 2006, acrylic, 24 x 30. This artist demonstrates some good, basic painting skills; however, the artist might want to consider the following
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Oil Painting: Sneak Preview of Dan Thompson’s Figure-Painting Demonstration

View a demonstration of artist-instructor Dan Thompson's figure-painting techniques. Be sure to check back in the coming weeks for a more detailed video demonstration of Thompson's work. Step 1: Thompson set up the model in a sitting position
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Ned Mueller: Painting Spots of Color

Teaching students about color is essentially teaching them how to see—and then explaining how to paint beyond the literal. According to students, Montana painter Ned Mueller succeeds in doing this in his plein air workshops. by Bob Bahr Ned Mueller
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Art Business Success Story: Donna Dewberry

A career as an artist can be one of the most creative, personally fulfilling professions available, but sometimes making art is less about self-expression and more about paying the bills. For Donna Dewberry—an acrylic decorative painter from Clermont
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Watercolor: Florence Strauss: Building Layers of Drybrush Color

Californian Florence Strauss gradually builds layers of relatively dry watercolor paint on rough paper with a stiff bristle brush, starting with colors that define the background and moving to the objects in the foreground space. by M. Stephen Doherty
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Acrylic: Stephen Quiller: Color Choices That Improve Watermedia Painting

After Colorado artist Stephen Quiller finishes presenting exercises, demonstrations, lectures, and critiques during a workshop, students often comment that no other instructor has covered that vital information with such depth and clarity. Even experienced
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Watercolor: Stephen Quiller: Color Choices That Improve Watermedia Painting

After Colorado artist Stephen Quiller finishes presenting exercises, demonstrations, lectures, and critiques during a workshop, students often comment that no other instructor has covered that vital information with such depth and clarity. Even experienced
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Masters: 20 Great Watercolor Teachers Offer Their Best Recommendation

Despite the differences in their styles, materials, and techniques, the teachers we surveyed offered similar recommendations—up to a point. by M. Stephen Doherty Funchal by Frank Webb, 2005, watercolor, 22 x 30, Collection the artist. Over the past
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Watercolor: Teaching Watercolor Workshops to Beginners: Pitfalls to Avoid

Helen Klebesadel offers tips on how to introduce the sometimes daunting medium of watercolor to novice painters. by Leanne MacLennan Cedar Dance II 2004, watercolor, 30 x 22. All artwork this article collection the artist. Watercolor instructor Helen
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Oil Painting: Rose Frantzen's Figure Painting Tips

We explored Rose Frantzen's insightful approach to teaching figure painting in the spring 2007 issue of Workshop magazine. Here, we offer some tips from the article. View a demonstration of Frantzen's Emergence. Helpful Hint: Evaluate Your Process
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Pastel: Jean Ranstrom: Discovering Unexpected Subjects for Pastel Paintings

Jean Ranstrom’s artist-friends are often surprised that she can create stunning pastel paintings in locations they would ignore. “If a painting has a strong focal point, as well as varied edges, values, and color temperatures, it can be successful
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Watercolor: Into the Heart of The Southwest: 20 Painters Interpret the Forbes Trinchera Ranch

Forbes and American Artis t again invited a group of artists to spend a week together interpreting a vast Colorado ranch in their choice of medium, subject, and style. by M. Stephen Doherty View of Cat Mountain by Ephraim Rubenstein, 2006, oil, 9 x 17½
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Oil Painting: GALLERY: James M. Sulkowski's Oil Paintings

In the winter 2006 issue of Workshop magazine, we explored how James M. Sulkowski showed students how to paint people posing in lush garden scenes during his Pennsylvania workshop. In this online exclusive gallery, we offer more of his oil paintings.
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Masters: Sweden's Sargent

We went in search of Anders Zorn in his homeland and discovered a personality large enough to encompass numerous contradictions—and a natural ability to paint in both oils and watercolor. by Bob Bahr When Anders Zorn's name is mentioned in the
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Acrylic: Painting On-Site on a Large Scale

With adequate preparation and the right materials, it's possible to create large acrylic landscapes en plein air. by Andrew Paquette In early 2003, I left the high-stress feature-animation industry in Hollywood, California, and moved to Arizona, where
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Watercolor: Steve Rogers: Inspiration at Higher Levels

Steve Rogers can point to the specific time in his career when his watercolors changed from being average to exceptional. That occurred when he met his future wife, found a subject he was passionate about painting, and had a religious experience. by M
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Watercolor: Betty Carr's Basic Principles for Painting

In the fall 2006 issue of Workshop magazine, verteran artist Betty Carr taught the fundamentals of light and color in the cool spring of France's Loire Valley and in a Scottsdale, Arizona studio. We offer an excerpt from the article explaining her
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Oil Painting: Sean Cheetham: Common Weaknesses in Figure Paintings

In the fall 2006 issue of Workshop magazine, California artist Sean Cheetham explained how to achieve accuracy and harmony in his alla prima figure paintings. Here, the artist discusses common weaknesses in figure paintings in an excerpt from the article
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Oil Painting: Randall C. Sexton's Painting Tips

In the fall 2006 issue of Workshop magazine, Randall C. Sexton taught participants how to create oil paintings in response to subjects that they were anxious to paint. We present an excerpt from the article. by M. Stephen Doherty Keep your palette organized
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Oil Painting: Thomas Van Stein: A Nocturne Painter’s Palette

In the fall 2006 issue of Workshop magazine, California nocturne painter Thomas Van Stein taught seven students his process for capturing the light of night on canvas. Of the many challenges students faced, the most difficult ones seemed to involve value
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Watercolor: Sondra Freckelton: Planning for Expression

Sondra Freckelton is widely recognized for her well-planned, thoughtful, and expertly crafted watercolors she develops using principles that expand artistic expression; and she is appreciated for helping others learn those principles while gaining a concrete
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Watercolor: 10 Tools for Better Watercolors

Artists often limit their potential by not taking full advantage of watercolor paints and supplies. Here’s advice that has proven helpful to my students. by Catherine Hillis There is so much conflicting information and advice available to watercolorists
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Drawing Basics: Jon DeMartin's Drawing Workshops to Improve Paintings

“One of the biggest reasons painters get into trouble is because their pictures don’t have a solid foundation of accurate and expressive drawings,” says New York artist Jon DeMartin. That’s why his drawing workshops are so helpful
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