Concept to Canvas

Painters are often tempted to over explain their subject by going into detail. But too many details muddies the character of the painting.

A vital part of creativity is allowing yourself time everyday to pause and reflect. Here I discuss my philosophy of alone time and how I carve out time every day to achieve it.

There is no right or wrong answer to this question, but you can improve how fast you paint, which is particularly important if you are a plain air painter, if you practice consistently.  

When you write a paper, the best place to begin is with an outline, an overview of what you would like to say. Similarly with painting, especially plein air painting, you ought to focus on the big ideas, the whole picture, instead of getting bogged down with one aspect of the painting.

I get asked by the students at our academy about brushwork and how much it matters, and that answer depends on your level. 

Depending on the type of landscape you are painting, shadows in the distance may not necessarily always be lighter...

As painters, we are all illusionists, but how ought we to go about creating the illusion of light? In this episode I offer you some ways to improve your understanding and application of light in paintings. 

After a long hiatus, we are back on the Concept to Canvas podcast with a rather unusual episode! In my recent webinar, "4 Key Mistakes to Avoid when Painting Rocks," I was asked a question regarding how to paint rocks underwater, and elaborate on my answer in this episode. 

In this episode I discuss best practices for dealing with our short comings when producing art. 

Make sure to visit my blog for free instructional videos and more!

In this episode I discuss my favorite cameras for shooting out in the field. 

One way to approach a painting is to consider what object (be it a color, person, animal, etc.) you want to be the star of your piece. 

Make sure to visit my blog for free instructional videos and more!

Quality should always trump quantity when it comes to painting. Perhaps working on a smaller canvas would help refine your painting skills.

While all art needs a solid foundation on which to begin, once you have the fundamentals mastered there is no limit to where your creative journey will take you.

After years of attending and teaching workshops, I often get asked the same questions and see artists struggling with the same common issues, five of which I discuss here.

Make sure to visit my blog for free instructional videos.

Are you immersed in what you paint? In this episode I emphasize the importance of spending time with your subject and absorbing your surroundings. 

Make sure to visit my blog for free instructional videos.

Gabor contemplates on how every teacher has a unique way of presenting a subject, but cautions students against jumping around from instructor, to instructor, to instructor, and so on. Find a few instructors that really speak to you, and dive deep with them.

Make sure to visit my blog for free instructional videos.

A good frame should highlight the beauty of your painting, but how much is too much when it comes to choosing the right frame? 

Make sure to visit my blog for free instructional videos.

Which easels are the best for outdoor painting? Learn what to look for when buying a rig in this episode of Concept to Canvas.

Make sure to visit my blog for free instructional videos.

Images from the internet and social media are constantly around us, but can spending too much time on the internet trying to imitate other people's art actually burden our own creative process?

Make sure to visit my blog for free instructional videos.

After a long break, Concept to Canvas is back!

Today's topic is fear: Fear often has negative connotations, but have you ever thought about channeling it to motivate your art?

Make sure to visit my blog for free instructional videos.

Shapes are something we all can recognize. We don't need anyone to tell us what we are looking at. In this episode, I will explain my thoughts on this simple yet important topic. 

Make sure to visit my blog for free instructional videos.

Moving things around on our reference or in life can be good or bad. Listen to Randy Sexton's points on this topic. 

Randy Sexton's instructional videos:

This topic is asked of me often. I will try to simplify my answer to you. It is really not hard at all to make rocks look like rocks underwater.  

Make sure to visit my blog for free instructional videos.

I moved into a newly built studio and needed time to figure out where to put my easel. I will share my thoughts on moving into a new studio. This could also just moving your studio from one part of the house to another. 

Painting is really connected to drawing. In this episode, I will tell you which type of paper I like to use for sketching and drawing (sketching is just a term for short quick form study).

Make sure to visit my blog for free instructional videos.

I do not premix color but I know some good artists that do. In this episode, I will share my thoughts on this topic which might encourage you to try something new. 

Make sure to visit my blog for free instructional videos.

I stopped using pre mixed raw umber many years ago. It really helped me to think more about color and use pre mixed versions. In this episode I will tell you why I think it's a good idea that you should stop using it also. 

Make sure to visit my blog for free instructional videos. 

I want to debunk that uses of the camera. There is lots of bad information floating out there about the use of the camera in art. In this episode, I will let you know my angel on this topic.  

Make sure to visit my blog for free instructional videos. 

I think there is a misconception about the wet medium as not drawing. In this episode I think I will clear up some this confusion. 

Make sure to visit my blog for free instructional videos. 

With oil paints we have the ability to create a third dimension. In this episode I will talk about my thinking on using texture in your art. 

Make sure to visit my blog for free instructional videos. 

This is often a hot topic amongst painters but I thought to put my two cents into to. I have been painting outdoors for over 20 years so I think I have some experience with this. 

Make sure to visit my blog for free instructional videos. 

Drawing is such a fundamental process in art that we need to pursue it for all of our lives. I want to share with you my favorite soft pencil that I use most of the time. 

The reason I titled this post as such is to perk your interest as to what it is that we need to pay attention when studying painting. I think you will really enjoy this episode. 

Make sure to visit my blog for free instructional videos. 

Just this one simple thing can make a huge difference in getting cleaner colors on your paintings. 

Make sure to visit my blog for free instructional videos. 

I have had many criticisms of my work over the years and learned a lot from most of them. I a good critique can be a very helpful thing in your growth. In this episode I will give my insights on this topic. 

Make sure to visit my blog for free instructional videos. 

This is a tough topic that I think has multiply answers. Listen in to hear my feelings on this.

Make sure to visit my blog for free instructional videos. 

Repeating the same scene is a very good practice to learn more about your previous painting. I will tell you why this is a good practice. 

Make sure to visit my blog for free instructional videos. 

If your paint cap is stuck you can use a neat little trick that I will tell you about in this episode. Oh..and that is also a sign that your are not painting enough :) 

Make sure to visit my blog for free instructional videos.