Learn to Paint With Impact

An overview of the course and what you will be covering.

Module 2 gives you more details about useful art materials that you can use on this course. Watch the video for details of the core materials required. Please also read the supplementary material for more information on your materials.

Canvas lined panels are easy to make and provide an excellent surface to paint on. These panels have the benefits of canvas, but are stronger and convenient to take with you on plein air painting trips. This brief demo shows you how to make your panels and prime them.

How to prepare your painting surface is very important. You painting experience as well as the future of the painting itself depend on good priming.This video explains how to prime the painting surface before you begin painting on it. This procedure applies to canvas lined panels or panels without canvas. Prime and tone both.

Stretched canvasses are a good option for larger paintings. Panels can be too heavy, for instance, so a canvas gives a lighter option with a good surface to paint on. Here are a few options when purchasing canvasses. As always you get what you pay for so try for good quality canvas.

Want to learn how to stretch your own canvas? It is not too difficult and is a rewarding exercise if you enjoy a bit of DIY.

Setting up your studio where you can work in peace is a priority. This lecture is about finding that haven of creativity. I also show you my painting space.

Please download the supplementary notes for more about creating a working studio.

Why is this section on shapes so important? I give a brief introduction to this section.

An outline to the section plus materials required.

This lecture explains how you can measure values using the Munsell value scale. By comparing color spots on your subject to the value scale you can identify the correct value of the color. This makes mixing accurate color simpler. Values are one of the keys to painting with impact.

Download the value scale below, print it out and stick it onto card. You will then have your own value scale to use during this course.

How to assess shapes in the confusion of a scene? This video shows ways to simplify the process.

Assignment 1

Assignment 2 is all about three value notan painting. This is the most common notan study used by artists so make it part of your process.

The Next step in learning to simplify a scene into shapes and values is the outline study. More shapes and a fourth middle value come into play.

We go beyond the notan study to select more shapes and values. From outline to painting a four value monochrome study.

Do an outline study to practice identifying more shapes and values.

Another step up! This time you are going to paint a four value study. First in monochrome then in color. A few more shapes and values in the color study too. Now you can see values and shapes AND mix the color to match.

Try your monochrome color value painting based on your outline study.

Now try mixing paint in color to match the values. Paint a color outline study to gain confidence in matching color and value. You can add more shapes and value in this study, but not too many. Simplicity adds impact.

Try your own color value painting based on your outline drawing.

An overview of the upcoming lectures on color.

What is color? This lecture starts this discussion by looking at the three qualities that make up color. Then we look at relationships between colors using these qualities to help us. A technical topic that will become clearer when you get into your assignments.

Color relationships are important for adding immediate impact to your painting. We look at various color relationships, with examples, and how they can be applied.

Color mixing from the primary colors can seem daunting to say the least. But it can be simple if you practice it regularly. Color mixing will save you money and make you a better painter more quickly. The ability to mix your colors instinctively plus adjust for value and saturation is an essential skill. This video shows how you can mix your landscape colors easily. Practice mixing these colors over several days until you are comfortable with the basic steps.

This lesson is about mixing neutral colors, also called grays, using the swatch method. It is an exercise I like my workshop students to use. It is a fun way to test your color mixing skills. Use this method from time to time to keep your skills sharp.

I never use tube black in my paintings. So how to mix excellent darks that harmonize with my painting? By using existing colors from your palette you can mix fantastic darks. Here are a few trusted methods.

In this lecture I take a brief look at the sources of light, reflections and the nature of shade.

This lecture looks at the difference between local color and observed color. How to use a color finder and are shadows always cool in temperature?

This demo video shows how to start your painting with the shadow and light shapes. This is part of making a good start to your painting to simplify the major shapes into light and shadow color ranges.

PRO TIP: Practice making a start. Do this over and over with different references on small painting panels or even primed water color paper. Getting a confident start does a lot for your confidence and the painting's success.

Color Notes placed correctly bring the "music" to your painting. You can prepare color notes accurately using a color map to get correct mixes for tricky colors.

The assignments continue in the Assignments Section below. For now lets go onto other important topics before completing the remaining assignments. Alternatively if you are a roll and want to press on with assignments then go for it.

Why are edges so important? How can we manipulate edges for impact?

We look at edges used in a painting and discuss why those edges were used.

A brief demonstration of typical edges that you can use in your paintings.

A summary of the four key elements that will give your painting immediate impact. Also download the 4 Keys Poster to keep handy in your studio.

Feeling overwhelmed? Focus on this one skill as it is the most important pillar to learn right now.

Now lets us see how we can carry over that notan to a painting so that we make a great start.

What are the key elements of composition? Keep distracting elements out of the painting and keep the viewer's eye within the painting as long as possible.

Classic composition do's and don'ts

Composition is important, but by following a few basic rules and using structure your composition will have impact.

When faced with a landscape scene you may find yourself wondering what to do with all that information. Maybe you freeze up and revert to painting everything. 

Let us have a look at a landscape scene with lots going on. Plenty of potential, but you must see what to include and what to leave out. Decide what it is you want to focus on. It is usually the strongest elements that instinctively draw your attention. Stay with those. exclude the rest.

Still struggling to simplify the scene? Time to force yourself to paint the big abstract shapes! Use this method until you have developed the new habit. Get a LARGE brush and small panel. Size 16 brush and a small 10 x 12 panel. Then paint the painting using the same brush and see how far you can go. Repeat this exercise many times. It is a critical skill so please do not laugh it off.

Drawing can be an emotional topic. Is your drawing good enough? I give my view on why painters should not fret about drawing.

Many artists are intimidated by drawing, but this video shows why painter's have nothing to fear.

Brushwork gives the painter opportunities for effects and expressive painting. Use brushwork to develop your unique style.

I often talk about using thick paint. Generous brushwork and "paint by the pound". Why is thick paint so attractive? Well it is more about variety of paint thickness than merely throwing paint at the canvas. This lesson discusses the use of thick paint for variety.

This video has examples of brushwork that I use often. Also watch the alla prima demo below for more examples of brushwork painting wet into wet.

The old adage about starting your painting with a broom and finishing with the small brushes is good advice. Too often artists start with small brushes and carry on making little brush marks. This inhibits painterly impressionistic brushwork. This demonstration will show you how using a large bristle brush can give you lively brushwork, large abstract shapes and lovely edges.

Part 1 of this painting demonstration titled "Backroad" shows the benefits of the larger brush in the blocking in stage. This vastly speeds up the blocking stage and keeps the shapes nice and big.

Okay the blocking in stage is over! Still using that size 8 bristle brush and resisting the temptation to reach for a smaller brush. In this video I move into the Second Pass where I start to develop the large shapes further. Moving from the sky shape into the trees and bushes. I develop those shapes by carving out smaller shapes and adjusting the color value and temperature of the color.

The final stages of the painting are completed. A few highlights require a smaller brush. For the most part the painting has been done with the number 8. Of course it is not necessary to use the large brush to this stage, but at least for the blocking in and second pass.

If you lose your way with a small brush it can be useful to go back to a larger brush and enlarge the shapes. This takes you back a bit to a point where you can resume the painting. Kind of like rebooting when you had a painting "crash"

I hope that this approach will help you make more confident starts to your paintings.

An introduction to my painting process and what you can look forward to in the upcoming lectures.

By now you are familiar with starting your painting process with notan studies. Then getting that notan structure onto the canvas. But what then? How do you keep that structure to the end of your painting? This lesson gives you the roadmap to follow.

A basic process is useful to avoid confusion when faced with a challenging subject. Please download the notes on process. There are also demo videos to watch with a detailed alla prima demo below.

Why use a limited palette? I explain what a limited palette is and why it is useful to use it for this course.

In the next few lecture I want to focus on mixing green. Please try to use your own mixed greens instead of tube greens. This is a valuable skill that will improve your painting and enjoyment. Then I will do a short demo on blocking in the main shapes of a painting where green dominates the scene. As always please practice the lesson to build that skill right away.

One of the most important landscape colors is green. It can be tricky to mix at first so many beginners use ready mixed tube greens. I want to show you why you should avoid this and how you can easily mix the perfect green for your environment.

I demonstrate the first layer of a painting using the limited palette and the greens mixed in the previous demonstration. This blocking-in stage is the foundation to be developed with smaller shapes. This early stage gives you the direction and confidence to build a painting in your own style.

Completing a painting in one session is called alla prima. Useful when painting outdoors or simply to go with the mood and opportunity. In Part 1 we look at making a good start to set a foundation for the rest of the process.

Part 2 of our alla prima painting demo is about developing the painting. That middle section where the painting is given body can be tricky. Keep the original concept in mind and proceed boldly!

In Part 3 the painting is completed. This process can be followed with almost any painting.

These days reference materials like photos is part of an artist's life. But we cannot simply copy photos. We need to references in a way that enhances our work process.

Photos are part of out lives today. But in fact optics have played a part in fine art for centuries as you will see in this lesson. How can we remain ethical users of photography to help us paint better? This remains a debate. I also show you how to easily use free apps to prepare for your studio painting.

This section is all about painting en plein air. It is a wonderful way to express yourself in the outdoors (legally) and it gives your painting skills a real workout too. This video is a fun preview of some of the demos you will receive in this course.

A full length demonstration of my favorite plein air painting approach. A relaxed experience that I can enjoy, but also with an objective of getting a painting completed that will provide reference material for future use.

Now to start putting the theory into practice! You are starting with shapes and two value notan studies. Refer to the Section on shapes again if necessary. Have fun!

Moving on from Assignment 1 you now try a series of three value notan paintings.

An Outline Study to select more shapes and match the values to those shapes.

Now it is time to practice mixing paint to match your values for your outline shapes. First in monochrome before you move onto color. Enjoy!

Now for your color value painting, if you have not already done this assignment above.

See color notes! This exercise will help you see color like Mozart heard music.

Learn to mix secondary and tertiary colors by hue and temperature.

Your palette technique can make you easier by giving you space and time to mix interesting color. It's all part of getting the basics in place.

Using the limited palette and the methods of mixing paint shown in the above lectures (including process) have a go at mixing hues that are relevant to your painting subjects. Do not worry about doing a painting - simply mix freely on your palette keeping an eye on color temperature as well.

Painting your own color charts is a challenge. It could take months to get to it all, but the learning experience will stay with you forever.

One secret of paintings with impact is using gray hues. These colors are warm or cool, but add the sense of mystery to your painting. Use grays, experiment with mixing as often as you can and study master paintings to see how many gray hue are used.

Using your viewfinder, pencils and sketch book you are on assignment to find your next painting subject. Make a sketch first though!

Sketch all done? Good. Now to assess why the composition works and then have a go at making a start with laying in the first shapes on your painting panel.

Popular frameworks are useful to give a composition strength. I look at some of these frameworks. Then your turn to look up master paintings to assess the frameworks used.