How to Create a Great Painting From an Imperfect Photo Reference
Plein air painter Shelby Keefe shows us how she took a lackluster photo reference and turned it into a painting with great design and color.
Plein Air Practice: My Daily Painting Exercise
To ensure she regularly paints from direct observation, Lyn Asselta uses this simply painting exercise each morning. It is to ...
Practical Advice for Painting Clouds
Because the diversity of cloud paintings is so unexpected, we offer the following practical advice for painting clouds and skies.
7 Surprising Tricks for Painting en Plein Air
You might think you know all the tricks to the trade when it comes to painting en plein air, but these three artists have some witty ideas for making it an even better experience.
3 Painting Habits That Will Instantly Simplify Your Process
Kevin Macpherson approaches painting through a simple, structured system. Here, learn his three habits you should apply now to improve your process for painting the landscape, and more.
7 Tips for Painting Vibrant Color
Plein air painter and fourth-generation artist Jed Dorsey shares his tips for getting brilliant color into your next landscape painting.
6-Step Landscape Painting Demo: Painting Back to Front
Watch and learn as Sara Linda Poly shows how her landscape painting, "Mountains and Long Shadows," came to be.
6 Ways to Develop a Distinctive Style
Beth Bathe's reductive approach to plein air painting, combined with simplification, strong design, and a unique perspective, distinguishes her from other artists. Here are a few elements that contribute to her distinct artistic identity and how you can use them to set your own work apart.
Pastel Painting Demo: How to Create Crashing Waves
In Case You Missed It: Join art publisher Eric Rhoads in this classic episode of Art School Live as he gives you free art instruction in pastel painting with artist Lyn Diefenbach.
Tutorial: Don’t Underestimate the Underpainting
Richard McKinley takes us through a step-by-step tutorial of painting with pastel over a watercolor underpainting.
Art Snippet: Why I Love to Layer
I view the world in shapes and color notes — not objects, and this is how I approach my paintings as well. In general, I begin a painting by ...
How to Create Perspective and Depth in a Landscape
Learn how to add realistic perspective and depth to a landscape using Carla Bosch’s shape-first approach. Includes guidance on sketching, toned canvas, and leading the eye for an atmospheric Yosemite mountain scene.
Glow, Energy, Texture: How to Paint Landscapes Step by Step Demo
How to Paint Landscapes > Learn how to quickly accomplish a glowing, magical atmosphere in paintings with this free step-by-step demo from Bill Davidson ("How to Paint Glowing Landscapes" on PaintTube.TV).
Landscape Painting Demo: Building and Taking Away
The following landscape painting demonstration is by Trey Finney, whose work stresses high contrast and a high key.
Understanding Masses for a Strong Landscape Painting Composition
Discover a practical idea to improve your landscape painting composition and design skills. If you can do this, you stand a good chance of winding up with a strong painting that reads as a design from across the room.
Landscape Painting Tutorial: Plotting Points of Interest
Plein air painter Peggy Immel takes us through a step-by-step landscape painting tutorial on how she created "Spring Willows."
5 Ways Digital Tools Can Strengthen Your Plein Air Practice
Artists Mike Hernandez and Tiffanie Mang share tips on how digital painting tools can enhance your plein air practice — making you faster, bolder, and more inventive in the field.
What Is Color Temperature?
Learn how warming up or cooling down areas of your painting can provide unity and balance in your work. Bonus: Includes a step-by-step demo!
Creating Atmosphere: An 8-Step Landscape Painting Tutorial
"More than anything, I enjoy the sense of connectedness that painting on location brings,” says Kathleen Hudson. “My own sense of wonder in the landscape comes from my immersion in reading history. A place isn’t just scenery when you come to know its story, when you think of people from generations past who stood upon the same ground, taking in their surroundings just as you are.”
7 Tips for Greater Creative Expression
Landscape painter Richard McKinley shares his "7 Tips for Greater Creative Expression," especially for those painting en plein air with pastel.