Join me tomorrow (Saturday) for a fun and interactive lesson on mixing tints, shades and tones with acrylic paint.  Bring along some white, black and at least one color of your choice such as magenta, blue, green, etc. As always you'll want a variety of paint brushes, a palette knife if you have one, a cup of water, a paper towel and a surface to paint on - I'll be using Canson coldpress watercolor paper. If you can't make the live event, you can watch this class anytime on demand.

On Sunday at 2PM MST I will be teaching a live class on the power of complimentary colors in art, specifically acrylic painting but many of the concepts apply to other areas of painting and drawing as well. Bring along your primary color paints to follow along with me, or you can watch and try on your own later. If you can't make this event, it will also be available on demand for you to watch anytime! 

Starting on July 11 I will begin teaching weekly live "Paint With Me" classes on Saturdays at 10AM MST. You can register for this class now under "Upcoming Events." For each class I will provide a reference photo and a materials list so you can gather your supplies and paint along with me on Saturdays! These classes are beginner friendly, although artists of all levels and abilities will enjoy these classes. I will provide step-by-step instruction and guidance, while offering lots of options and choices for you to exercise your own creative voice. If you are unable to make a live class, you'll be able to watch them on your own by visiting the "On-Demand Classes" page. Please email me or leave a comment below suggesting a "theme" for a future Paint With Me class, I would love your recommendations. Our first class will be on painting these lovely red tulips in acrylic. 

Join me for a fun and relaxing acrylic painting techniques class on Sunday 6/21 at 10AM MST. Whether these techniques are familiar or not, you're sure to learn some new information along the way as we explore texture and blending methods with acrylic paint. There will be time for Q&A as well. Feel free to grab your paint brushes and acrylic paint and join me, or just watch and try on your own later. I will also have some sponges, palette knives, scrapers, a cup of water, paper towel and a paint palette on hand. I hope to see you there but as always you can find this class on demand after the event.

For the second part of our acrylic painting project we are going to learn about the importance of applying a wash and why artists do it. Below are two instructional videos to guide you through the process of taping the edges of your paper (if you choose to do so) and applying a wash to your paper.

A wash is simply a small amount of acrylic paint with about 25% water added to it, and it looks very similar and has the same consistency as watercolor paint. The goal of your wash is to be transparent, so that you can still see your pencil lines through it. A wash is designed to give a middle ground value to a painting, which provides a surface for you to begin building the acrylic paint on. I apply washes to canvas, watercolor paper and even wood panels when I paint with acrylics.

How do you decide what color wash to apply? Well, to be honest it really doesn't matter but here are some things that I consider. Do I want a warm wash or a cool wash? Or perhaps, like my apple painting I chose a complimentary color and washed my paper green to make the reds of the apple pop more. You could even do a grey wash (black with water) so it's neutral. Brown washes are great too. One important thing to note is never add white to your wash color, it will make it too light. Only lighten and make it translucent with water. 

View part one here.

Welcome to our first group acrylic painting project! Our goal for this project is to paint just one object (a form) with a simple background. I am selecting an apple to use as my object. This is a project that I am going to chunk into steps and post the content here, on our club homepage so that you can start this project at any time. I will also be available to answer any questions you have or help you with the process of acrylic painting along the way. You can get support by leaving comments on posts or through email, which is underneath my profile on this page. By the end of our lessons you will understand and feel comfortable with the acrylic painting process. Below are some guides to help you get started! I am including the reference image of an apple that I will be using for this project from Unsplash, which is a royalty-free photo website. If I don't take my own reference photos, I always make sure I am using a royalty-free source to avoid any copyright issues. You may select the same image (download here), or choose a single object (form) of your choice. Stay tuned for the next part of this project lesson! 

View part 2 here.

Aside from drawing and doodling as a kid, acrylic painting was really what hooked me and made me the artist that I am today. Over the years I have learned a lot and I'm still discovering new things every time I paint. This is a concise video I put together for my YouTube channel that highlights my top 10 acrylic painting tips for beginners.  On June 5 at 2pm (MST) I will be teaching a live class on getting started with acrylic paint, as well as discussing some of these tips (and more) in depth. I will also be able to answer any questions you may have! You can register for this class under "upcoming events."

Most of our intermediate to advanced artists in this club probably know what basic acrylic painting supplies are needed, but for anyone that may be a beginner or even new to acrylic painting, I found this article that highlights both essential supplies and some of the extra supplies that make the acrylic painting experience even better. In the future I will be teaching a live class on getting starting with acrylic painting and covering many of these supplies and materials in more detail. I will be including a list of supplies that I typically buy for my drawing and painting students as well as some of my favorite brands that are quality, but don't break the bank. If you are already an acrylic painter, what are some of your favorite or "must have" supplies? Do you see anything you'd add to this list?