We get stuck for a lot of different reasons. I know that for myself, sometimes I need new tools. New skills. That’s why I’ve sought teachers so many times – in college (twice!), at worksh...
https://www.paintandpartylafayette.com/2018/04/stuck-try-this-color-exercise/
Children come up with wonderful imagery! I’ve had the pleasure of teaching kids several times, and it’s always delightful to see what they create! Here’s a big self-portrait mural that Ms...
https://www.paintandpartylafayette.com/2017/12/celebrating-childrens-art/
Everyone loves Impressionism! The colors, the movement, the beautiful light and sense of calm. What should you do if you want to paint more like an Impressionist? Impressionism was a big change...
https://www.paintandpartylafayette.com/2017/11/painting-like-impressionist/
Here are some suggestions you might not have heard of: “Artists on Art” by Robert Goldwater (amazon link) Thoughtful essays from great artists. “The Art Spirit” by Robert Henri (amazon li...
https://www.paintandpartylafayette.com/2017/11/gifts-artists-books/
Looking for good quality materials that are appropriate for school-aged children? Here’s what I suggest. Kids usually use tempera rather than acrylic paint because tempera is much easier to c...
https://www.paintandpartylafayette.com/2017/11/gifts-young-painter/
When I hit a plateau or am stuck, or just need some inspiration — looking at great artists helps me a lot. This painting is by Richard Diebenkorn. and it’s called “Cityscape 1″. It’s ...
https://www.paintandpartylafayette.com/2017/11/inspiration-diebenkorn/
A client asked about making an object in his painting stand out – he wanted it to be more dominant. The rest of his painting was full of bright, fun colors that were overwhelming the purple sha...
https://www.paintandpartylafayette.com/2017/11/art-school-shortcut-contrast-using-color/
I often take photos of my work as I’m going along, and I noticed that my cell phone’s “auto-correct” feature makes good suggestions now and then! It’s that little magic wand icon, and i...
https://www.paintandpartylafayette.com/2017/10/art-school-shortcut-using-smartphone/
You know that saying “It’s a poor craftsman that blames his tools” Well it’s not necessarily true. Especially with paint. The ingredients make a big difference in how paint behaves, w...
This landscape painting is HUGE! It’s a 4′ x 8′ panel that I painted for the VA on Soldier’s Home Road, West Lafayette. We talked about painting directly onto their wall, but their wall...
https://www.paintandpartylafayette.com/2017/03/giant-paintings/