
I will discuss who I am as an artist, and what it means to paint with an Impressionistic style. Also how we will focus on light effects when painting.
I also discuss the four main painting concepts: Drawing, Values, Color, and Edges. Please read the supplemental material I have provided here, where I go into a bit more depth into these foundational concepts of painting. I also provide examples of my work to demonstrate these concepts.
Look under the "Downloadable Materials" lecture for the following resources:
Materials list showing all the art supplies necessary to do this painting project.
The reference photo that we will use for the painting.
The image of my finished painting to use as a guide or for inspiration.
My discussion of the Four Main Painting Concepts.
Here you will find the downloadable resources needed for this painting course:
I will explain the necessity of doing this preliminary drawing study before the painting begins. I will explain how this process directly relates to the underpainting process.
I will explain the concepts of drawing and values.
I will explain why I use charcoal for this exercise.
Here I perform the preliminary drawing study in charcoal on paper. I use the following stages in this process:
1: Middle value
2: Simple line drawing
3: Dark values
4: Light values
Download this PDF to review the key points to focus on when doing your preliminary drawing study. There is also the finished drawing for your reference.
I will review the charcoal sketch we just made, and explain how it relates to the underpainting. I explain what an underpainting is, and why it is crucial to building a painting.
Here I perform the underpainting. I discuss the simplified color palette we use during this stage. I break the underpainting down into the following steps:
1: Middle value (now with the addition of color temperature)
2: Simple line drawing
3: Dark values
4: Light values
Bonus video! Here I actually show you how to clean up your palette when your mixing area becomes too crowded. I discuss the importance of this step, and why it needs to be done a few times during your painting. I also show you how to clean your brushes.
I discuss the materials I'm using that help facilitate this step.
Download this PDF to review the key points to focus on when doing your underpainting. Also provide is an image of the underpainting for your reference.
In the first stage of opaque painting, I will outline the additional colors on the palette that we'll be using. In this painting I begin with the source of light (the sun), and work my way outwards, gradually getting darker in value and cooler in color.
Here I work my way across the tree, gradually changing the colors and values to make a nice gradated effect. I also do the sky and trees in the distance.
Here we finish the painting by working back to front: going from the distant grass to the foreground shade under the tree.
Download this PDF to read some helpful tips for doing your opaque painting.
I will summarize the painting process in the context of the painting we just finished.
Also included is a PDF flipbook showing each stage of the painting (look in the "Downloadable Resources" tab)
Impressionist painting with a focus on light. Bring a luminous quality to your paintings you’ve never thought possible. Learn how to build a painting in one sitting, “alla prima”, and how to savor interesting brushwork. You will also learn the invaluable concepts of drawing, value, color, and edges. Use these methods and knowledge to start your painting off right if you're a total beginner, or to take your painting style to the next level if you're more experienced. You’ve never painted like this before.
You can paint along with me during this entire course. I even have a camera angle that shows my palette as I'm mixing colors. You will learn crucial painting techniques in the process of creating a beautiful painting. Or feel free to just sit back and enjoy the show as I create a painting from scratch.
The reference photo I'm using is provided, as well as a materials list. You're free to use your own style of materials of course, but I'll list every single thing I use. I also provide a PDF flipbook showing each stage of the painting, so you can flip through quickly and see how the painting builds with each stage.
This course is partial toward using oil paint, and I highly recommend it, however you can use acrylics also. Many of the concepts I discuss in this course apply to all mediums of art.
So take this course if you're ready to improve your painting with methods you've probably never seen before, and will have you thinking about painting in a new way. For all levels of painters.