Home Painting Demonstrations & Art Tips

Painting Demonstrations & Art Tips

From color to composition, to dealing with the elements, learn from the community of plein air painters with these tips for painting outdoors!

Painting of an adobe

Painting Architectural Subjects in the Landscape

Tempted to cover up an awkward part of your painting with a random landscape element? Find out why you shouldn't, and more great advice, in this guest blog post from outdoor painter Peggy Immel.
John Hughes painting en plein air at Big Sur

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.
Learn how to master light in this free lesson from Art School Live, featuring Richie Vios.

Creating the Perfect Watercolor Blend – Watch Free

In this demo, Richie Vios shares the essential but underrated skills of creating the perfect consistency of water and pigments. If you love watercolor or want to learn about it, watch this free lesson!
From Marc Anderson's Plein Air Live session

We Can’t Imagine Life Without It

On Day 1 (Wednesday) of Plein Air Live this year, we had front-row seats for painting demonstrations from Shanna Kunz, Tom Hughes, Nicholas O'Leary, Marc Anderson, Rich Gallego, and Mary Garrish.
Joseph Zbukvic at the Plein Air Convention and Expo

Words of Wisdom From Watercolor Master Joseph Zbukvic

Master watercolor artist Joseph Zbukvic offers this painting wisdom ...
Brenda Swenson, "Autumnleaf Farm," 2018, watercolor, 9 x 8 in., Private collection, Plein air

Free Lesson: Negative Painting with Watercolor

Negative Painting means that you paint around the areas you want to preserve; Think of it like carving stone, chipping away until only the most precious elements remain.
Pochade box for pastels

Packing with Pastels: Pochade Box Tips

We asked prolific artist Jude Tolar, “Do you know of a great, light pochade box for pastel painters?” Tolar’s response was worth quoting in full.
The finished demo painting

Blank Surface to Beautiful Blossoms: A Step-by-Step Pastel Painting Demo

Follow this step-by-step pastel painting demo to create vibrant landscapes with depth and harmony. Learn tips on sketching, color choices, and layering techniques!
Painting from a photo reference - Shelby Keefe, "Solista del Sol," oil

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. BONUS: Keep reading to find out how you can win a set of artist oil paints from Grackle Studio!
Tony Allain, "Passing Rain on Braco Road," pastel, 12 x 16 in.

Landscape Painting Demo: Designing for Balance

View four stages of a pastel landscape painting demo done en plein air, including the color Tony Allain chooses to indicate a brightly lit area in the background.

Facebook Live Series: Michele Byrne “Palette Knife Painting” **FREE VIEWING**

In this broadcast, watch and learn from Michele Byrne as she shows you how adding a palette knife to your tool kit will allow you to paint in a new way that will make people leap up and take notice!
how to make watercolor paint

Can You Really Make Your Own Watercolor Paint?

If you want more vibrant and rich color with deeper darks from your watercolor, watch this episode of Art School Live with Eric Rhoads, as he welcomes guest artist Stewart White.
how to paint landscapes en plein air

Free Lesson: How to Escalate Your Paintings

In this episode of Art School Live with special guest host Debra Huse, we welcome Bill Davidson as we explore the magic of shapes, design, and values.
Artist challenge

Painting With Random Tubes of Paint

Have you heard of the Random Tube Challenge? See how it works, and try it yourself. You just might discover that although it's dubbed a challenge, it’s actually quite liberating.
From Tim Horn's landscape painting demo

An Aha Moment, Every Time

Preview expert presentations from Natasha Isenhour, Roos Schuring, Tim Horn, John Budicin, Shuang Li, and even Don Demers at Plein Air Live, Day 2.
Painting composition how-to

Rules vs Principles: How to Improve Your Painting Composition

What makes a painting boring versus dynamic? John Hughes shares his list of things to help you understand the underlying principles behind the pesky rules.
unique gifts for artists - easel clip for paint brushes

Gifts for Artists: Your 2024 Holiday Shopping Guide

This list has it all: gorgeous frames, beautiful paints, and a special section of gifts under $50!
Lori McNee uses water-mixable oils

Q&A: How to Use Water-Mixable Oils

In this excerpt from Plein Air Magazine, Lori McNee ("Luminous Landscape Painting" on PaintTube.TV) answers four reader questions about how to use water-mixable oils.
Kathleen Hudson gives a demon on how to paint moving water

In Deep Water

Don't find yourself in deep water when it comes to painting elements like rivers and streams. In this Art School Live with Eric Rhoads, Kathleen Hudson takes us through a demo on how to paint moving water.
From Aaron Schuerr's landscape painting demonstration

5th Annual Pastel Live: Join Us Online Now

Join us for the Pastel Live Main Event, taking place today through Friday. Simply visit PastelLive.com and register now so you don’t miss another minute!