In this video, I demonstrate in my sketchbook how I combine my favorite shapes with my favorite mixed-media painting techniques. I like to contrast different shapes with lines and also contrast a range of surface effects by using mixed media with a variety of techniques. This creates a painting that offers so much more on close inspection but also demands attention with emphasis on strong design and shape.
I’ve recently experimented with Masking Fluid which is traditionally used in Watercolour Painting. But as a mixed media artist, I’m always looking for new and interesting ways to create new marks and surface effects in my acrylic paintings. Watch this demonstration as I explore using Masking Fluid as a drawing tool and then have a go in your own work.
Recognizing good design in your painting is imperative to being able to create successful artwork. So exercising your ‘design muscle’ so that you can recognize and create good design and correct bad design is part of an artists creative fitness routine! In this video I show you a quick exercise you can do in your sketchbook using pages from an old Calendar. Ripping these up to create new and interesting shape and linear combinations, and then improve the design by layering more collage over the top. All you need is some bold graphic collage material and some glue. Within a fun half hour you will have created a bold design that could be the inspiration for new work. Have fun!
In this video I demonstrate how to use your first colour choice to guide your second colour choice…. until you have a beautiful harmonious colour palette to create an abstract painting. This is simply knowing the right question to ask about the colour you have already mixed when faced with the conundrum about what colour to mix next! Watch the video and then get colour-mixing!!
Starting a painting can be daunting - that blank canvas is like an empty stage waiting for brilliance to arrive! This can be a huge hurdle to overcome when expectations are high. So in this video I’ll share with you how to adopt the right mindset to allow yourself to freely create your best work, and what are some of the first steps you could take on that blank canvas to lead to success. Watch and then let yourself loose on your next painting journey!
In this demonstration I start with collage and build an abstract painting in layers. Watch as I play loosely with paint, ink and pencil to create a beautiful surface and then find structure within it by creating edges with value contrasts. Butting up light with dark, looseness with structure you can create a beautiful painting by following this experimental process.
Artists often feel like they have to find `The Idea' for a painting before they paint. This video shows how studying design (the fundamental principles of design that apply across all mediums) can help you generate many ideas, starting with an old calendar. I’ll show you how to find great design, what to look for and then how to look for more design ideas within the work you’ve created.
In this video, I'll be sharing my top tips for creating beautiful, subtle texture in your paintings using white paint and glazes. By using a light touch with these tips and techniques you can achieve subtle and nuanced effects that elevate your work. I'll also be sharing my go-to technique for harmonizing colors. These techniques create a visually striking effect that pulls your painting together and makes it feel cohesive. I hope this video inspires you to experiment with these techniques in your own artwork!
Blind contour drawings are when you draw without looking at the paper directly, instead you only look at the paper for short moments. I love this style of drawing to gain freedom from realism and to build more character in the work. In this video I show you how to combine Blind Contour drawing with abstract use of media.
In this video, I will take you through the process of creating a painting based on a memory. We will use the technique of building up layers of paint and line to create depth and meaning. This is a very personal project which helps us draw upon our emotions and experiences, this creates something unique and special.
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.
