When you place pencil to paper to start your drawing, do you ask yourself: “What do I need my drawing to be in order to help me paint this in the most effective way?” This is what I keep at the forefront of my mind when I start my process. 

The drawing phase of paintings can...

One of the more challenging parts of painting watercolor is that we have to paint in reverse - from lightest to darkest - and we really have to think through the stages of a painting before we set out to work. 

One skill that can elevate your work is negative painting. 

Negative...

In this week's video, I am talking about dry brush technique.

It is one of the greatest tools that we have as watercolor painters.

It can really add motion, life, and excitement to your paintings. You can suggest detail with a few marks. And since it gives you a way to create texture, it can...

I recently went on a trip to Puerto Rico with my family, and spent days on the beach. The ever-changing shores and the beautiful waves were inspiring. 

This week’s video is a demonstration of a water scene with special emphasis on how I achieved its reflections. 

I hope...

Have you ever wanted to paint a nocturne but felt intimidated by them? You are not alone. When I first started painting, I was intimidated too. But now they are some of my favorite scenes to paint. 

In this week’s blog, I offer you some tips on how to create a night time scene with...

Early on in my painting journey, I was intimidated by figures, so I avoided them.

But figures can transform a scene into a relatable, human experience. Simply put, they can give your painting a sense of life. They also can give your painting much needed scale and dimension.

In this week’s...

Light draws me to a subject more than anything. It is inspiring to me and has been a huge growth area as I learn how to depict light and shadow. 

A few things that are important when you are painting light are:

• Determine the brightest part of your painting from the start.
• Remember...

Let me show you the difference a little gouache, used strategically, can make to a nearly-finished painting.

When I am looking for some final touches and to add some little bits of light at the end of a painting, I sometimes turn to gouache. Gouache can be a helpful tool if you have small little...