Today Marks the Beginning
On Day 1 (Thursday) of Plein Air Live this year, we had front-row seats for painting demonstrations from Kevin Macpherson, Kami Mendlik, Cindy Baron, Tom Christopher, Yong Hong Zhong, and Kyle Buckland.
8 Painters Share Essential Plein Air Techniques
The sixth annual Plein Air Live kicked off this week with our “Essential Techniques Day” on Wednesday, November 5. An annual favorite for painters ...
Happening Now: 6th Annual Plein Air Live
Now through Saturday, we’re seeing up-close-and-personal presentations during Plein Air Live, an online art conference unlike any other.
Free Watercolor Lesson: How to Capture Light in a Street Scene
Learn how to capture the brilliance of strong summer light in watercolor with artist Hema Gupta. In this watercolor demonstration, Hema reveals her process for ...
Marc Hanson: Why I Love Acrylic for Plein Air Painting
I jokingly tell my workshop students that the main reason I like using acrylic en plein air is that I can drink the solvent — water! My second favorite reason is ...
Watercolor Demo: Men at Work
Hema Gupta shares a step-by-step watercolor painting demonstration, featuring figures in a narrative landscape scene:
How I Paint Trees with Character
Artist Paul Kratter shares three examples of how to paint trees with character by taking artistic license, playing with color, and ...
Landscape Highlights from 5th Annual Pastel Live
The 5th Annual Pastel Live came to an end Friday, September 19, wrapping up with some of today’s best pastel artists sharing all of their secrets, explaining their materials, methods, and more.
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!
Chunking Labels to Simplify Value Choices
There is a lot to consider, and this knowledge is extremely valuable in understanding what’s going on with different objects in the light.
Albert Handell on Painting Trees From Life
When I first started painting trees, I looked at each branch and thought about where to place it in comparison to others. Now, I see an interesting ...
An Unexpected Way to Add Texture to Your Paintings
Discover artist Tom Christopher’s unique method of adding texture to paintings using house paint and pumice gel to create luminous, dynamic landscapes.
The Confidence to Know When to Stop
Watch plein air artist Scott Hamill paint ‘Winter Light, California Coast’ step-by-step — learn how he captures light, shadow, and coastal atmosphere in this free oil painting demo.
Clean Color: A POV on Painting With Acrylic
Artist Brooke Borcherding shares her insights on painting with acrylic, including a great tip for using acrylic en plein air.
The Roles Trees Play
Watercolor artist Keiko Tanabe shares insights on painting trees in this free article.
The Power of Underpainting in Pastel
Discover how underpainting can transform your pastel paintings with expert tips from Bethany Fields.
Free Video Demo: How to Make Gouache Glow
In this free Art School Live demo, Danny Folkman demonstrates how the careful preservation of transparent layers ...
Can You Use Gouache on Black Paper?
Can you use gouache on black paper? Yes! Jan Poynter is not afraid of the dark, and she’s not afraid of phthalos. Here’s what that means for her artwork.
Plein Air Pastel 101: Your Pastel Fix-It Guide
Shawn Dell Joyce, Lyn Diefenbach, Kathleen Kalinowski, and Heidi A. Marshall offer practical solutions to three common problems pastel artists face when painting on location.
Seeing Past the Random Arrangement of Nature
Discover how to turn nature’s chaos into compelling compositions—learn tips for finding and shaping strong designs in outdoor scenes.