Knowing Your Painting Style
My Painting Game
When life gets in the way of our art, it’s easy to lose our Mojo, find ourselves procrastinating and doubting our ability. Here’s a simple way to get back into your work as an artist and find the joy and love again. Watch as I explain why this happens and how to overcome negative feelings by playing a simple game with paint.
Playing with Collage
Painting Botanicals
Step by Step Introduction to Creating an Abstract Painting
Underpinning my process of abstract painting is playing with OPPOSITES. In this demonstration I show you how every step I take is in contrast - or opposite - to the previous step. This is a great rule of thumb as it means you are never stuck with what to do next. Ask yourself: What have I just done? What is opposite or different to that? Watch the video to the end to see how the painting finished up following this process.
Abstract Painting: a Desert, a Kasbah and a Camel
Intuitive painting is always an adventure. You start with no idea where you will end up. But in this video my painting took me to a desert, a kasbah and a camel - how wonderful!! By keeping within a colour palette and using shapes that evoke memories of places you’ve been to, you can recreate your feelings of a location in paint.
Paint Play: Adding & Subtracting
Adding.... adding..... adding.... more... more.... more.... until something gives me an idea or there's something that I like the look of that gives me a feeling of certainty that I'm onto something. I'm sure you know the feeling. Then once I've found the 'thing' or group of things then it's time to apply LESS IS MORE. So I'll start to edit and take away what I don't need. This is basically the process I use in all my work: Add, add, add... then subtract.
How To Paint with Courage
How to Use REPEATED SHAPES in Your Abstract Painting
In this video I lead you through a process of creating simple shapes that can be repeated in your abstract composition. When you repeat shapes you create a structure and cohesion in your painting which helps to eliminate that “chaotic, too-busy” feeling that can happen in abstract work. Follow the simple steps shown in this video using shapes that resonate with you and I’m sure you’ll be pleased with the outcome.
Starting A Painting
Playing with Colour, Value, and Collage In An Abstract Art
Finding Your Next Best Painting in 3 Easy Steps
How to prevent getting lost when creating abstract art
When creating abstract artwork the most common problem people encounter is getting stuck - losing direction - not knowing how to finish. Having a simple roadmap and understanding what to focus on at the various stages of a painting means you never get lost, because you always know which Stage you’re at and what your intention is. In this video I demonstrate how I navigated my way through the painting process to finally finish my painting.
How To Improve Your Painting by Using Contrast
When we're painting, we often struggle to make certain parts of it work. And while struggling with that part, we begin to forget other things around it. But by doing this, we're avoiding making good parts of the picture even better by putting something opposite next to them. In this video I'll explain how you can use this 'opposite' element in your painting to help the good parts of your work shine.
Draw like Picasso to Solve your Design Issues
What can we learn from Picasso’s Sketchbook Drawings?
In this video I talk about using Drawing to find the structure in your composition. By reducing your painting down to basic lines and shapes you can start to see how you can improve the design. I also show examples of different styles and techniques that Picasso used when drawing and planning his work.
Following these techniques and methods we can discover new directions to take our work and get clarity around improving the design. We can also just have fun creating simple compositions with line, shape and basic tonal value.
Demonstrating How to Include Imagery in Abstract Art
Who needs Still Life, a Nude or a Landscape when you can create a painting from your thoughts and dreams? In this demonstration I build a painting by using colours, imagery, words and shapes that come straight from my subconscious. It results in a strange world, yet is somehow familiar to me and includes my pets, favourite colours and patterns. It also includes a lot which makes no sense but is somehow pleasing to me.
Watch the video and then create your strange and beautiful world.
No Skill Needed: How to build Beautiful Layers with Acrylic Paint
Finding the Heroes in Your Painting
Great Art has clarity. The viewer is instantly drawn to it because it doesn’t confuse or overwhelm. It’s strong in message, even if the message is only “look at this gorgeous colour” or “look at this lovely combination of shapes”. In this video I demonstrate by using one of my own paintings, showing how I improved it by getting very clear on what are the HEROES. Once I could identify these I could eliminate the distractions and make them stronger. Watch the video and then take a look at your own work with fresh eyes and a new perspective.
How to Progress when Painting is STUCK
What to do when you love parts of your painting, but not all of it. In this video I talk about how I solved this problem with a painting of mine. I didn’t want to lose what I loved, but I had to make some changes. This can be daunting and involves taking a big risk - but if you’re game, the rewards are worth it. Let me show you how…