Unapologetically Acrylic Fundamentals

Learn the tools and techniques of a modernized approach to painting with acrylics. With a focus on still life, you will see how I understand color, light and composition as I take you through my process from start to finish.

Beginner 101

In this course, you will learn how to handle your brush, identify and mix colors, properly apply paint to a surface and much more. My purpose for creating this Beginner section is to remove the intimidation that comes with starting a new art practice. I’ll cover many roadblocks that a novice painter may encounter so that you can jump into the Fundamentals course with ease.

By Candlelight:

Halloween Demo

Nocturne paintings provide an excellent opportunity for understanding light and value and I focus in-depth on those in this Halloween-inspired still life demo. Build upon what you’ve learned in the Fundamentals course with an emphasis on brush economy and how it can help you describe a lot of information in just a few strokes. 

I’ll also show how using multiple different light sources with candles can create ambiance in a way that is different than direct light. You will walk away feeling more confident with your brush strokes and using creative lighting in your still life paintings.

Greenhouse Demo

I started making greenhouse paintings a few years into my art practice for two reasons: I have a deep-rooted love of plants, and also recognized that painting botanicals was initially difficult for me, so the confined setting of a greenhouse was a welcome first step.

This greenhouse demo will help you understand the technical approach to creating representational plants as well as providing valuable lessons on linear perspective and painting the color green. Students will gain a more informed grasp of painting the color green, both in its value and its undertones.