Do you ever feel like you're playing a losing game when it comes to sharing your art on social media? I do. All the time. If you want to find success as an artist, the unpleasant truth is that social media is a necessary evil. Is it doable without? It's possible, but infinitely harder. I presently have a love/hate relationship with social media. I love it because it has allowed me to build my community (and write to all of you!) and is an excellent medium for teaching. Whether I'm using shorts and reels to teach concise power lessons, or long form videos on YouTube to educate on process, social media has proven to be an outstanding conduit for connecting...
Before we start this blog post, here's my latest YouTube video that breaks down the whole process of painting in oil on paper: Regardless of your subject, painting into a multimedia sketchbook is an absolute blast. Here’s the steps I like to follow to create sketchbook entries that pop from the page. Insert the drawing. You can do this directly with ballpoint pen, or you can do a light contour with graphite pencil, before layering the ballpoint pen on top. When you do add the pen, make sure that it’s waterproof. Most ballpoint pens are, but some have a gel base that will bleed when wet. I usually do a test before using a new pen in my book on...
I get asked about the ethics of using a projector or tracing a drawing a lot on YouTube and Instagram. Can we really call ourselves artists if we don’t do the entire thing freehand or by using grids? Isn’t it cheating to use technology to bypass the difficulty of the drawing stage and head straight into the painting?
I can safely say that creating and releasing my first ever digital course, Painting Flowers in Acrylic, has been one of the proudest moments of my artistic career. Since the course’s launch on September 29th, 2023, I’ve had the sincere privilege of teaching, coaching and supporting artists in the program from all over the world, including England, France, Spain, Portugal, New Zealand, Australia, Germany, Canada, and the US. The work they’ve produced as a result of the course has been remarkable. It’s been a true joy to witness. This course will be available as a permanent offering on my website, but keep an eye on your email for discount codes that will be mailed out periodically. All new email newsletter subscribers...
We've all been there. You've happily started a new painting, things seem to be going well enough, and all of a sudden, WHAM. You're stuck. Maybe it's that you no longer have enough time, perhaps you're feeling trapped by perfectionism, or maybe you're worried that you could potentially ruin the painting if you were to continue. Or perhaps, in the worst of cases, you just don't feel like working on it anymore. Artists, I have been there. I have started paintings full of excitement, energy, and enthusiasm, only to run out of steam halfway through. Over the years, I've become better at identifying the why behind my sudden inertia, and I think all of it boils down to one simple word: friction. ...
