So you think you can't paint? Let me explain how you can and how you can lay the foundations for a rewarding pass time with one step at a time.

If you aren't sure if this course is for you, read what someone else said about this course.

You only need a basic box of watercolor paints, a brush and some paper. 

Where to get your supplies depends where you live. If you don't have an art supplies store near by, there are plenty of alternatives via the internet. See contents of Lecture 52.

OTHER MATERIALS

You will also find it helpful to have a wax candle, which we will use later on, some watercolor pencils and some masking fluid all of which can be obtained by your art supplier.

RESOURCES:

See the PDFs to give you more information about paper and paints.

A student said they were having a problem with getting enough water and colour from the dry paints. I have therefore added this short film just in case anyone else is problems.

I have made this short video in answer to a student's question.

This is the first of nine videos which take you from making your very first marks through to the colorful finish. Anyone can do it. Put aside any preconceived ideas about what 'art and painting' is supposed to be and enjoy yourself.

Now this becomes more fun as you start colouring in.

Just go with the flow and do what ever YOU want.

This is just playing, no expectations, just make marks with your brushes and let the colours and the water do what ever THEY want to do. Don't try to control them too much.

You decide what marks and shapes you want to make. 

There are NO RULES, yes you read right NO RULES

Keep on playing, you'll know when it reaches the 'finished' stage. It only matters that you like it and enjoyed doing it.

RESOURCES

Different pictures

Here are a few ideas for the marks you can make.

RESOURCE

The article.

By playing with your paints on your postcards, you have already been layering and mixing colours  without  thinking about. Now we are going to take it a step further and look at mixing different shades of greens, using what ever yellows, blues and greens you have in your paint box.

Make a little colour chart on a spare bit of paper and keep it as a handy reference.

Colours.

Yellow Cadmium light and deep.

Ultrmarine and cobalt blue.

RESOURCES

Colour chart plan

This short video will show you how to get started on creating your first painting, of an apple. Starting as we did with the postcard, making the outlines.

RESOURCES

Photo of the apple

Breakdown of tines in a line drawing

Apple with tone.

This is all you have to do, take your time and follow me.

Here we will add more color to the apple by adjusting the colour of the green and we will also cross hatch for the shadow.

I hope you are impressed with what you have achieved. From simply making marks, filling shapes with colors you have now completed your first painting of an object. Congratulations, and may it spur you on to do more.

I created this lecture in response to a comment from a student about using watercolour pencils instead of paint for this exercise. Watch the video and see the difference between the two different medium.

   I have added this lecture in response to a comment that it would be nice to see me do a painting without the heavy pen outline as in the painting of the apricot in Lecture 15.

   So,I have done the apple again, like the other one, but also with a painted shadow rather than a cross hatched pen shadow. The painting is in three videos, here and also lectures 17 and 18.

The process of painting this again will help you enormously in understanding how your paints work.

  I will post another lecture shortly, with more fruit idea using different techniques, eventually enabling you to follow me painting a still life.

RESOURCES

Picture of the second apple

'A' is for apple and you may think this is too simple, but you will learn a lot and it will give you a good grounding as you learn more.

First draw the simple shape of an apple then:

* Learn how to mix the correct green.

* See how easy it is to create highlights.

* Paint realistic shadows.

* Make your painting look three dimensional.

Finally add the touches to make you want to pick it up and bite into it.

From drawing a simple shape of the apple, then go on to paint it and make it look real enough to puck up an bite into,

I couldn't find the little painting of the apricot, sorry.

If anything on this list isn't clear to you, just get in touch.

I have added these videos for those who posted that they were having trouble getting the effect they wanted.

I have specifically commented on certain things such as blending and paper problems.

REMEMBER : Different makes of paints and different paper will all give you different results, just keep practising and you'll be fine

Adding more colour.

NEW IMPROVED VIDEO uploaded August 18 2015

One of my favourite fruits to paint. Why? Because they come in lots of different colours and are fun and super EASY to paint. Such fun you will not be able to stop !

Here I demonstrate and create a composition as a stand alone painting.

I've uploaded lots of my cherry paintings, most of which I have sold. Take look at them to get ideas for adding cherries to your fruit still life or just making a painting of them on their own. What ever, have fun and keep learning

RESOURCES

Different painting of cherries.

I would like to apologise for the tripod leg you can see in the video.

Trying mixing different shades of red with whatever you have in you paintbox, using different reds and blues.

Just keep playing with different colors and maybe with more or less water in the mix. Play around with the shadows too.

I have added the final picture in the resource section and I hope you will let me see your finished painting.

RESOURCES

The painting.

Have another go, and you'll get better and better.

  So you have already painted an apple and some cherries, now you are going to add a lemon to your fruit salad. You will learn a useful technique called 'using a resist'.

When painting these sort of fruits use the texture of the paper and also dab off with some paper towel in places which will also add texture.

RESOURCES

Painting of orange and lemon.

With this lecture you are really starting to move on with your learning. Not only will you endorse the learning you have had about painting something to look three dimensional, you will also learn ANOTHER technique, spattering with a toothbrush through a stencil.

EXTRA TECHNIQUE - pattering through a stencil

This is where you can add a pattern to your bowl by using a special effect with a stencil and an old toothbrush.

You will find this very useful in many circumstances. Make sure you mix a lot of paint and don't make it to thin or watery.

This video shows you exactly how I go about doing this. It illustrates a thinking process and way of working which will make it easier to draw any object and make it look believable in relationship to other objects. For example as in a still life.

RESOURCES

A tracing to help you.

If you are not sure about doing this, just get a bowl and put some fruit in it and look carefully at how the pieces sit in the bowl and the shadows they create.

As always, start off painting with very thin, pale colors.

RESOURCES

Picture of the painting.

Gradually adding more colour and shadows.

If you regard this as just a 'practice' piece, or a watercolor sketch, you immediately take away any pressure or expectations, so the task is without stress and more fun. And when you are having fun, you are more likely to learn.

RESOURCES

The watercolour sketch

This can be very helpful when you are dealing with a complicated subject or you need to repeat something.

I know not all of my students will have the need for Christmas cards, but with the December 25 not being far away it seems a good starting point.

Don't forget there are plenty of other times when you might want to send a greeting card. This lecture will also give you ideas about producing them.

RESOURCES

Picture of the painting

For those of you who celebrate this festival, here is an idea for a greeting card to send. With a few changes you could turn it into a Halloween card as well. I'll leave that to your imagination.

RESOURCE

Painting of the finished card

Let the paint dry and then come back to do a bit more. If you wanted to paint more than one at a time, place tham in a line and work each stage on one after the other. A simple production line.

RESOURCES

A photo of the painting.

Paint this simple little snowman, sitting in the snow set against a winter sky and falling snow.

You will need some masking fluid to do this one.

RESOURCE

The finished painting

Well of course you know about this !

But it's always good to remind ourselves of the basics from time to time.

So do this next little postcard and play around with as many blues and reds as you have in your paint box and write the names beside each one to remind you and add the page you you reference collection. Or shall we start calling it a portfolio.

You know this really, but here it is to make sure.

Work your way through your paint box or tubes by making this chart to see how intense a pigment can be and how light you can make it.

Remember the more water you add the paler the color, and this is where you can bring more impact to your work. We call these differences 'colour values', see Lecture 33.

I explain it to my students by relating to the weather. 'You would not appreciate the sunny days if you didn't have the damp and dark days.' You need to have intense or dark colors on your painting so they we show up the light areas. Such as the way we would want to paint shadows to show there is sunshine.

This is something that will come in useful later on as you become more accomplished with your painting. But if you are an absolute beginner, it's good to be aware of it now.

You may already have discovered this to an extent when you were painting your postcards.

Enjoy seeing what happens and post your findings if you wish

Resource: A photo of my chart

As I continue to help you build your knowledge about painting here I am adding a short film to show you some of the scenery where I live and to ask you to consider, if you were going to do a painting of the view, how would you go about it.

We have been using still life so far as your learning subject matter, now consider something different. Take a look at this and see what ideas occur to you.

What would be your composition?

What colours would you select?

How would you plan the painting process?

What special painting effects and techniques might you choose?

These are all question you can ask yourself when ever you look at any subject.

Enjoy the view and if you decide to paint a picture don't forget to share it.

In response to a student's question I have uploaded this document to tell you something about the marvellous paper.

Learn about my own painting school , join the community and show your work in my gallery.

Enjoy your painting, thanks Nicola

Some background.