Essentials of Painting
Master the Universal Language of Painting
If you are new painter or a seasoned professional wanting to discover new perspectives on painting, this course is for you. Whether you prefer a stylus or a paintbrush, the fundamentals of a great painting remain exactly the same and Essentials of Painting is meant to bridge the gap between worlds, offering a flexible curriculum designed specifically for both digital and gouache artists to learn side-by-side. We know that learning the "whys" behind art is often more valuable than just the "hows," so this course focuses on universal principles that allow you to build a visual toolbox adaptable to any medium. You will find specific demos for both tracks, giving you the complete freedom to watch what applies to your workflow and skip the rest without the fear of missing out.
Stop Guessing and Start Painting with Confidence
Many artists struggle with images that feel flat or muddy, but this course solves that by teaching you how to construct paintings with intention. You will move through the essential hierarchy of visual tools, mastering the structural power of composition and value before diving into the complex nuances of color relationships and light temperature. Instead of memorizing boring charts, you will learn how to use grays and saturation to create harmony and how to manipulate edges to guide the viewer’s eye. By understanding how light actually works like from direct sun to overcast days, you will gain the ability to capture form and atmosphere believably in every piece you create.
Apply Your Skills to the Real World
The ultimate goal of this program is to take these lessons out of the classroom and apply them to observational painting in the real world. Whether you want to tackle digital plein air or set up an easel outside, you will learn to observe the truth of nature to create work with depth and emotion. This is a self-paced journey, so if you find yourself struggling with a specific concept, you are encouraged to repeat exercises until they click before moving on. We believe in prioritizing mileage and practice over speed, ensuring you develop a sustainable artistic practice that lasts a lifetime.
What's included in the course
- Over 20 hours of instruction
- Digital AND gouache demos included to show I think apply concepts in both mediums
- Homework briefs with digital and gouache versions with different tiers to choose your level of difficulty with each lesson module
- Student homework examples and extra resources from books
- PSD files of demos
- Download of my brush and tool presets and gouache supply list
- and more!
About Me
I’m a visual development artist, gouache landscape painter, and art mentor straddling the world of animation and fine art. I currently work as a visual development artist at Sony Pictures Animation. Some of my past clients include Warner Bros, Premise Entertainment, Titmouse, Marvel Studios, and Cartoon Saloon. On top of working in professional settings I've also been teaching since 2019 and I have mentored over 200 students from all around the world, including Europe, Asia, Australia, and South America. I'm hoping you can join me as well!
In this course, you need to know how to use the brush tool to paint, how to use and organize layers, and how to use the lasso tool, gradient tool, and U tool. You should also know how to use clipping masks and layer masks as well as a basic understanding of adjustment layers. Beyond that, this course focuses on painting rather than Photoshop tricks, so the concepts learned can translate to other apps (such as Infinite Painter, Heavy Paint, Procreate, etc).
Yes, while I use Photoshop in this course, you can follow along with other apps such as Infinite Painter and Heavy Paint Classic, which is much cheaper. Check those out, as those are two of my favorite apps for plein air painting.
This course is on-demand, so you will be doing homework on your own time and self critiquing, which is an important skill to build up. However, there is a discord channel where students can post their work at any time. I'll hop in at least once a week to give written feedback to any students who post progress.
If you don’t understand the homework, fear not! Join the Discord server (you will receive access upon purchase of course) and ask any questions you have. I will be on there, as well as other students to answer your questions.
I can’t guarantee you’ll paint exactly like me, as everyone develops their own style at their own pace. However, with consistent practice and repetition of the lessons will be key to strengthening your painting fundamentals. My goal is to help you see and think like a painter, so you can understand my design and color choices and apply them to your own work.
No, I do not use any AI whatsoever. This course is designed for you to be able to paint using YOUR skills, so you can be better then AI!
