Morning class!
What a creative couple of months it has been for students following the courses and lessons!
Some had never held a paintbrush before, while others were returning to art after years away.
Each painting tells not just a story of subject matter, but of personal growth. The tentative lines have given way to confident brushstrokes.
Amazing work.
Morning class,
This week, I’ve been painting a small postcard study of a street scene in Mousehole on the Cornish Coast. It was a really grey day, full of a mizzle sky and lots of rain reflected on the road.
I liked how this view had dashes of yellow from the double yellow lines that had faded out. These matched the same colours as the hedge on the right-hand side.
There is some warmer orange yellow in the roof, and in the very far distance, just above the chimney, you can see the little cottages that go around the harbour. (You can see a sketch of the harbour towards the end of this article)
If you click here is a 20 x 20cm larger scale version
This was the palette I used on for the painting, I wanted some low chroma colours. (You can learn about Chroma here)
True freedom lies in consciously choosing what matters most and letting go of the rest. For overthinkers, this can feel impossible.
Eight days into the new year, my paints and sketchpad are still on the shelf.
Things have been “busy.”
You know how it goes: catching up on YouTube videos, checking my macros, meeting friends. But in the back of my mind, I’ve been thinking about what I want to make next… a lot.
Some would call it overthinking.
The list of things I want to do grows endless: Sargent-inspired portraits, still life studies with just a biro, square landscape paintings of Cornwall, epic wide-angle views of Scotland, and a new watercolour course.
I procrastinate, and before I’ve even begun, I have lost some momentum in executing these ‘amazing’ ideas.
In Steven Pressfield’s “The War of Art,” he talks about ‘resistance’ – that mysterious force that stops us from doing what we should be doing. Every creative experiences it. As Pressfield writes:
“Fear tells us what we have to do. Remember our rule of thumb: The more scared we are of a work or calling, the more sure we can be that we have to do it. Resistance is experienced as fear; the degree of fear equates to the strength of Resistance.” – Steven Pressfield, the War of Art
Understanding that happiness, contentment, and calm come from overcoming resistance helps you take steps to work through it.
I tend to get stuck in the weeds – I analyse framing options before drawing the first line, think about international shipping fees before getting my first order, and research every camera and printer option on the market before deciding which painting to turn into a print.
These tendencies can be fantastic for idea generation or interdisciplinary thinking, but what they’re not so good at is a focus.
The (self-inflicted) pressure to ‘specialize’ can mean it’s easier not to paint anything for fear of painting the wrong thing.
Here’s my proposal for a personal New Year creative experiment, and I invite you to try it yourself:
Pick one.
Just one format, one medium, one subject.
The key is knowing that you’re not abandoning all other ideas – they’re just waiting their turn. This might feel a little uncomfortable as your ego jumps in to say, ‘You could do more’.
When you’re painting, the goal is an appreciation for those fleeting moments of pure creation.
Sometimes, the bravest thing we can do is to simply begin.
If you’re looking for a course that has one image, one path, you might enjoy the following single project courses:
Modern Still Life
Cornish Seascape
How to Paint a Monet Landscape
Morning class, I just wanted to let you know that the new How to Paint a Monet Landscape Course is now live!
It’s a one-time payment with lifetime access to the lessons.
The course is a self-study video course for beginners exploring Monet’s palette, methods and techniques.
You can download the Materials list for the Course.
Really hope you enjoy it!
One of the most common messages I receive, is from beginners, asking if they ‘need to loosen up.’
Sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t.
Painting in a loose, impressionistic style has the allure of freedom and artistic and personal expression. But when you’re thinking about your drawing, composition, and colour mixing, achieving fluid and expressive brushwork feels elusive.
So, what can you do to practice? How can you keep a balance between realism and looseness?
The key to looser brushwork lies in mastering the subtleties of your tools and learning how to let go of unnecessary precision.
There is nothing more daunting to a beginner artist than the question, “How much do you charge?”
Putting a price on your artwork can make your stomach drop, trigger imposter syndrome, and cause you to get flustered.
The idea of selling your work can sometimes lead to giving your paintings away for free, convincing yourself that the ‘exposure’ will bring future commissions.
With this in mind, I wanted to share my experiences with the emotions that can hold you back, the factors that influence the value of your art, and how to develop a pricing strategy. Hopefully, this will give you the clarity and confidence you need so you’ll be prepared the next time someone asks about your prices!
Morning Class,
This week, I came across an interesting article on ‘Just Paint’ (Golden Paints Blog), which I thought I’d share with you.
It looks at the common problem of acrylic paints becoming over-diluted when stored in a stay-wet palette and tests the Masterson’s Sta-wet Palette, it’s absorbent sponge, with Golden Wetting Agent.
(The Wetting Agent was previously called ‘Acrylic Flow Release’)
I find using a stay-wet palette really helpful when my acrylics dry too quickly in the studio.
I’ll often premix colours on a tear-off palette and transfer the paint piles into a stay-wet palette. It acts as a loading bay where I can keep my acrylic mixes workable for a few days.
Morning Class,
I’ve just finished making my NEW acrylic still life painting course, whoo hoo!
This time, the subject is a single-stem peony inspired by its layers of ruffled petals and delicate colour palette. I’m running a launch-week offer!
You might feel intimidated by the complexity of painting peonies, struggle with basic drawing techniques, lack confidence in your colour-mixing skills, or are unsure of how to start.
Don’t worry; I’ve got you covered!
This is a self-paced, downloadable video course. I’m excited to guide you through creating the delicate details of a peony in an impressionist style.
I demonstrate this with acrylics, but you can easily follow along with water-mixable oils or traditional oils.
Click here for details on How to Paint a Peony
Have a fantastic week,
Cheers,
Will
Morning Class,
Last week, we explored Carlson’s theory on angles, and I received an interesting comment from a reader asking how complicated it would be to apply the principles to colour.
“I especially love black and white painting. I’m looking forward to trying this. How does it work then with colour? Seems it could get quite complicated.” – Laura
Well, it’s simpler than you might think!
I thought it would be handy to demonstrate painting trees using just four colour mixes. I’m using water-mixable oils, but you can follow along with acrylics or traditional oils too.
As a beginner landscape painter, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the vastness of nature and the complexity of capturing it on canvas. But when you break down the scene into shapes, values and planes, you can instantly improve the sense of depth and realism.
In last week’s post, we looked at the theory of angles and how they relate to a landscape.
This week, we’re going to put the theory into practice.
By stripping away the colour, it will be easier to see how the value relationships work in our subject.
Oil on Board, 10 x 8 Inch, Will Kemp
I love cake.
I love paint.
Lets’s paint some cake!
This epic coffee and walnut cake is from Tate Britain café I sampled after the Singer Sargent Exhibition. Painted with the equally buttery cobra oil paint water-mixable oil paint, but the techniques would equally apply to painting with acrylics or traditional oils.
I hope it brings as much warmth to your day as the cake brought to mine!
Thursday was a day of art & indulgence.
Walking through Chelsea, I kicked off the adventure at Birley Bakery with a delectable almond croissant, crispy golden-brown pastry, toasty warm out the oven and the sweet almond paste within.
Baked goods in hand, I was on the search for John Singer Sargent’s former home and studio.
Outside Birley Bakery in Chelsea.
Sargent (1856–1925) is known for his fabulous brushwork.
He painted portraits of society families, powerful art collectors or theatrical performers draped in satin, lace and rich velvets. He contrasted bolder, impressionist brushstrokes on the fabrics with a lightness of touch on the features.
Born in Florence in 1856 to American parents, he lived in several European countries as a child before shaping his artistic reputation in Paris. (You can see a portrait of his tutor in the article: Singer Sargent & Friends)
In 1886, Sargent settled in London at the centre of society with an accomplished circle of friends that included Henry James, Claude Monet and James Abbott McNeil Whistler.
“Making art is dangerous and revealing. Making art precipitates self-doubt, stirring deep waters that lay between what you know you should be, and what you fear you might be.”- Art & Fear
Yesterday afternoon, I found myself lost in a maze of handwritten notes about books I’d enjoyed and was excited to recommend.
Twenty minutes in, an article about Da Vinci piqued my interest, so I moved to the comfy sofa to fully concentrate. An endeavour that culminated in me falling asleep.
Ironically, I’d sat down to share the secrets of avoiding procrastination, mastering time management, boosting art sales, and living a more creative life – but I had gotten distracted.
That said, reading about Leonardo was not only fascinating but enlightening.
Architect, engineer, scientist, sculptor and painter. His first job was as a theatrical producer and set designer, teaching him tricks with perspective that he carried on through into his paintings.
The Last Supper, Leonardo Da Vinci, Tempera on Gesso, c.1495-1498
Notice the viewpoint and how the angle or perspective of the table top has been shifted very slighlty towards us to reveal more of the surface but still sits comfortably within the composition, I’d never really noticed this before.
If you wanted ideas, he was your man.
Leonardo’s interests were broad, and new subjects compelled him so intensely that he usually left projects unfinished, which meant working with him was a nightmare. Clients would avoid relying on him because he couldn’t be trusted to finish.
“to urge Leonardo the Florentine to finish the work on the Refectory of the Grazie, which he has begun, in order to attend afterwards to the other wall of the Refectory of the Grazie; and that agreements to which he has subscribed by his hand be fulfilled, which shall oblige him to finish the work within the time that shall be agreed upon with him.” From Leonardo by Martin Kemp
He spent most of his time observing nature or pondering on scientific theories. In his defence, he was just getting interested in other more captivating subjects, like how to fly or understanding human anatomy.
Really, he was just being curious, which is making me feel a lot more soothed about my limited attention span.
“In addition to his instinct for discerning patterns across disciplines, Leonardo honed two other traits that aided his scientific pursuits: an omnivorous curiosity, which bordered on the fanatical, and an acute power of observation, which was eerily intense.” – Walter Isaacson, Leonardo Da Vinci
So, after reading (or revisiting) over 20 books in 2023, here is a list of 5 books that have sparked my curiosity and given me some ideas and principles I’ve tried to adopt in my daily routines.
“But do you know how old I will be by the time I learn to really play the piano / act / paint / write a decent play?” Yes . . . the same age you will be if you don’t.”
― The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity
The Artist’s Way is laid out as a 12-week program to get back in touch with your creative self, with exercises, activities, and insights that help you overcome creative blocks and discover your true potential as an artist. Ever heard of ‘morning pages’? This book will show you how this simple practice can revolutionize your creativity and bring clarity to your life.
I read this book as an art student and can’t remember finishing the whole 12-week course, but I adopted two key practices that I use to this day.
Morning pages are so handy to stop your mind whirring over issues. The practice is to write freehand using a pen and paper, three pages of a train of thought. No editing, no re-reading, no punctuation. Just pure free-flowing words. If you’ve been tied to your keyboard, writing longhand for three pages can seem to take ages.
Your handwriting might not be able to keep up with the speed of your thoughts, but it can be very beneficial. Just getting any ideas, worries, or frustrations down on a page has a really therapeutic effect.
You’re not looking for solutions; you don’t re-read to try and discover your problems; you just write. The process is the cure.
I also love the concept of ‘Artist Dates’.
If you want to feel inspired, you need to book a date with yourself to go to an event, a museum, or a show. Preferably on your own (although I often bend the rules a bit and go with Vanessa)
So check your calendar for the next month. Where are you going to get inspired?
Making a date, actually going to a museum, going to a bookshop, going to these things on your own rather than with friends is the key; otherwise, you tend to end up just going for a coffee….( erm…I can confirm that is mostly true but we still had fun)
2. Art & Fear: Observations on the Perils (And Rewards of Artmaking) By David Bayles and Ted Orland
“What separates artists from ex-artists is that those who challenge their fears, continue; those who don’t, quit. In large measure becoming an artist consists of learning to accept yourself, which makes your work personal, and in following your own voice, which makes your work distinctive.” – David Bayles & Ted Orland, Art & Fear
This book is particularly helpful if you went to art college but haven’t quite fulfilled that potential that you dreamed about whilst quaffing ale in the student union. It looks into the fears we all face – fear of failure, not being good enough, or not being understood. The authors, both artists themselves, share personal stories and advice on their own art journeys.
One key thing that beginners often get hung up on is their own style. If you’re searching for your style and have trouble thinking you’ll never find a unique voice. The exciting thing is that your unique voice is just by being you! Yay.
It’s a short read with motivational insights. The Artist Way is a slower-burn 12-week program; this feels like a little motivational boost when you need it.
“To all viewers but yourself, what matters is the product: the finished artwork. To you, and you alone, what matters is the process.” – David Bayles & Ted Orland, Art & Fear
How do you control your attention to focus on what matters in a world that’s trying to distract you from living the creative life you dream about?
These next books help you to make time, appreciate the dedication needed for deep artistic work and prevent yourself from becoming distracted from the task at hand.
3. Make Time: How to Focus on What Matters Every Day By Jake Knapp & John Zeratsky
“What Will Be the Highlight of Your Day?
We want you to begin each day by thinking about what you hope will be the bright spot. If, at the end of the day, someone asks you, “What was the highlight of your day?” what do you want your answer to be? When you look back on your day, what activity or accomplishment or moment do you want to savor? That’s your Highlight.Your Highlight is not the only thing you’ll do each day. After all, most of us can’t ignore our inboxes or say no to our bosses. But choosing a Highlight gives you a chance to be proactive about how you spend your time, instead of letting technology, office defaults, and other people set your agenda.” – Make Time by Jake Knapp & John Zeratsky
‘Make Time’ is helpful if you’re struggling with finding time for your art. Juggling your schedule with your passions and everything else can roll into one. The authors both used to work at Google, and they have some great frameworks on how to prioritize your day. They also talk about social media and ‘infinity pools’. Apps that can continue to show you an exorbitant amount of things to distract you from what you want to get done.
The two main methods I use from the book are:
Illustration from: Make Time by Jake Knapp & John Zeratsky
I’ve found the daily highlight is a great way to be able to set a focus for the day that you’re excited about, but you know you can achieve without getiing into the minutiae of the to-do list. It’s also a great way to remember what happens on a daily basis, especially if things are super busy. (Another good method for this is ‘homework for life‘ by Matthew Dicks from the book Storyworthy)
My brothers and sisters often laugh at the other method I use.
It’s a timer.
Meant for and used by kids.
And I love it!
You turn the dial, and the red wedge gets progressively smaller as the timer runs down.
I have it on my desk, and I can quickly glance at how long I’ve been working rather than checking an app on my phone and getting drawn down another path! If you want to draw for 10 minutes, set a timer. See if you can answer your emails in 20 minutes and still have time for painting in the hour; set a timer.
It’s not for everyone; Vanessa often tidied it away when it first arrived because, for her, there was no conceivable reason why anyone would need it. And apart from anything else, it was ruining the look of the new coffee table.
But if you find yourself jumping from task to task and not fully concentrating on what you set out to do, it might be worth a go!
4. Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life by Nir Eyal
You can start to see a theme with my procrastination!
‘Ten-minute rule’. If I find myself wanting to check my phone as a pacification device when I can’t think of anything better to do, I tell myself it’s fine to give in, but not right now, I have to wait just ten minutes.” – Nir Eyal, Indistractable
What I find interesting about Indistractable is the author, Nir Eyal, had previously written a book called ‘Hooked’. In Hooked, Eyal goes through the mechanics of what makes tech and social media apps so irresistible. Indistractable is like the antidote! Giving strategies on how to maintain our focus and achieve what we set out to do.
The biggest takeaway from the book was that it’s actually not usually the external triggers and influences that stop of from doing the things we want to do but internal emotional triggers.
“As is the case with all human behaviour, distraction is just another way our brains attempt to deal with pain. If we accept this fact, it makes sense that the only way to handle distraction is by learning to handle discomfort. If distraction costs us time, then time management is pain management.” – Nir Eyal, Indistractable
How to stay focused, not get distracted and do the hard (uncomfortable) work.
5. Good Art Does Not Sell Itself: The Artist’s Definitive Guide to Visibility and Opportunites by Shirley-Ann O’Neill & Laura O’Hare
“Emma explained how she traced the success of her art career back to taking a mentor’s advice in her early career; to actively seek opportunities to share her work no matter how small. An art prize led to an exhibition, which created more exhibitions, and collectors, art critics and media began to notice here work.“- Good Art Does Not Sell Itself – In relation to the work of sculptor Emma Rodgers
This was my most highlighted book of 2023.
It takes courage to show your art and make the decision to come out from your studio into the realm of criticism. This is an amazing book to have by your side.
It’s packed with practical strategies for marketing, building a brand, and finding the right opportunities to showcase your work.
It’s split into 4 sections and each page is like a mini-blog post that you can take advice from.
The different sections are good for different stages of your work. Some of the ideas on increasing the visibility of your works can help you to stay focused on the long game of creating.
One painting hung in a cafe or posted online can lead to a group show, which can lead to a solo exhibition. Every step is a stepping stone that’s hard to see at the start but builds over time.
Notes on the Quotes: Good Art Does Not Sell Itself
This book is relatable, informative and incredibly useful.
Their insights and recommendations are not only easy to understand but also applicable to real-life situations you find yourself in as an artist. You’ll find yourself nodding along and saying, I can do this! Highly recommended!
I really hope you find one of the ideas or books of interest, because even as a relentless pursuer of new shiny interests and ideas, some of the practices have really stayed with me and helped.
But as with everything, it’s unrealistic to say I’m a changed man, so at this moment, I’m sitting comfortably on the sofa nursing a hot brew, saying it’s ok to go down the odd rabbit hole and fully committing to a few creative ponderings.
I love the couple of days after Christmas. It’s like having surprise days off.
No pressure for Christmas Dinner, no expectations on what you could, should or must do. It’s like a deep chill. It can be a nice time to reflect on what’s worked on your paintings and what hasn’t over the year.
Go back on your phone camera roll from 2023 and see where you went, what you sketched, or what you painted (Or what you wanted to paint but just didn’t get the time to start)
Also, take the pressure off and enjoy your inspirations no matter how quirky or obsessional they seem.
I’ve been enjoying photographing festive drinks! hic
Then December 28th dawned.
This period can start the stirrings of being a bit lost at sea. I call this the ‘nearly new year blues’
You start to put expectations on yourself for the year ahead.
What massive artistic brilliance are you going to have to ‘show’ this year? will you ever find your unique style? Or just even do the paintings you said you were going to do.
Everyone else seems to be super productive, it’s enough to crack open the Christmas chocolate again!
But having been here before, have faith. Every brushstroke you make, every line you draw and every new idea you jot down will carry your practice through.
Your journey as an artist is not defined by the destinations reached but by the courage to take action.
This year might not have brought you the goals you anticipated, but the worst thing you can do is get stuck in your own head, ruminating about what you could or should have done and, as a result, do nothing.
So, as you prepare for the coming year, embrace the unknown. Every artist’s journey is unique. Keep creating, keep exploring, and most importantly, try and remember this sense of calm and freedom you felt waking up on boxing day, it will serve you well in your paintings in the year ahead.
Now, all I’ve got to do is remember my own advice!
Have a fab New Year,
Cheers
Will
- Airtight Resealable Palette | £13 24 compartment palette
This palette is incredible in keeping acrylics workable, I’ve had paints for weeks and they can still be used. There is a handy spatula that slides in the front of the palette and a thumb grip on the back. There are a number of different brands that all create very similar palettes.
Something they want, something they need, something to eat and something to read is always a good starting point when you don’t know what to buy someone.
Below are a few last-minute stocking fillers for the budding artist in your life (or just a way to treat yourself!)
2. Epson Perfection V39 II | £119 Epson Scanner
For £100 (there is a £20 cashback offer at the moment), you will get fantastic copies of your images at a super high resolution. Just plug it into your computer and scan. You even get a stand so you can store it vertically if needed. Great for making prints of your sketches, scanning your acrylics and recording your watercolours.
3. Faber Castell Matt Pencil Kit | £25.99 (8 Pencils, Paper Stump, Sharpener & Eraser)
Sometimes, with traditional graphite pencils, the surface can reflect light, so your darkest darks aren’t quite as dark as you may like. Faber Castell’s new range of pencils offers a matt sheen to your drawings, allowing you to go super black!
4. The Creative Act: A Way of Being – Rick Rubin. Hardback | £20.99
One book I’ve enjoyed this year is The Creative Act by Record Producer Rick Rubin. He’s got some fascinating insights on how creativity works and how to get into the act of creating. We get to move forward in our art, a bit like a coach telling you the obvious thing, but you still need to hear it.
“We Tend to think of the artist’s work as an output. The real work of an artist is a way of being in the world.” Rick Rubin
5. Nimbot Label Maker: Bluetooth wireless Thermal label printer | £29
For just under £30, I thought this might be too good to be true. But it’s great! Thermal printing, so you never need to buy ink again (just new labels). You download the app on your phone, type in the label and print. You can also import icons and images to the app. Great for labelling paint mixes and shelves. I got a set of cable labels aswell, so handy when digging behind the computer for plugging in the printer.
6. Pentel Brush Pen | £18.60 Pentel Brush Pen
So nice. I use it in practically all of my urban sketches; it adds shapes and fine lines all within one tip that seems to stay wet and workable even if you haven’t used it for weeks. They now have a grey and a sanguine colour.
7. Tracer Pencil | £7.91 Tracer-tools.com
These pencils are designed to be used for woodworking and construction sites because the narrow metal shaft allows you to mark holes through woodwork. I find them super comfortable to use and really handy around the studio. They have a sharpener in the rear of the pen and come with refillable leads.
8. Hovel Pencil Plane | £68 MakersCabinet.com
You definitely don’t need this, but there is something therapeutic about having a plane as a pencil sharpener.
9. National Art Pass | £56.25 individual year artfund.com
This pass gives you discounts and free entry to hundreds of events and exhibitions across the UK, which is marvellous!
10. Paperlike screen protector | £34 for 2 Paperlike.com
If you find the surface of your iPad too glossy and slippy to sketch on, this might be the answer. Paperlike is a screen protector that also adds some resistance to the stylus. You lose some of the intensity and contrast of the screen image, but you gain more grab.
Have a creative Christmas, and if you’re running right up to the wire, all the art courses on the blog can be gifted as instant digital Gift Vouchers!
Have a fab time.