Paint with heart — turn everyday objects into mood, light, and intimacy inside an artist’s studio. The Art of painting STUFF !! Here we will paint an artist’s studio (no, this is not my studio, my studio is FAR messier !!). In this course will be all about how to create HEART in your paintings. This subject no doubt resonates with us all. It means something to us ; the time, emotions and growth we experience in our studio is transformative to our lives and the person we are. Our studio is intimate, reflects who we are and how we develop, HOW can you create such strong FEELINGS in your paintings ? This course touches on the essence of painting : WHY do you paint ? To achieve feeling in your paintings we will focus on light and shadows to create mood, the Art of painting abstract shape to create a strong design and intrigue but also intimacy to create HEART !!

Paint the poetry of backlighting — create mood and movement with light, shape and subtle colour. Learn the Art of the contre jour (backlighting), café scenes are amazing subjects, there is so much going on, often too much. Backlighting allows to you to create silhouettes and focus on bringing the spectator’s eye where you want them to go, whilst simultaneously BOOSTING maximum mood. This sort of scene seems like it is all about tonal values and shape, but colour is actually a powerful tool for the overall mood. With this subject I want to focus on how to effectively paint backlighting and sihouettes without them looking stiff and flat. This is actually a vital aspect of painting for suggesting shapes in any subject!

Turn a simple photo into a great painting — learn to redesign your subject with artistic intent Turn an unlikely photo into a painting using creative thinking !! Some photos look great, but would make bad paintings UNLESS you know how to work the subject. This little red boat scene has a lot of appeal…as a photo. BUT, if painted like the photo would not create a good painting. Let’s first look at WHY some subjects need work and how to go about redesigning a subject for a better painting result. The goal with any painting is to create unity and bring people into YOUR world of ideas. This is where your creativity is born !!

From complex to compelling — simplify and structure Honfleur into a strong, design-led painting. Knowing where to start, how to simplify your subject and how to finish your painting is EVERYTHING !! In this course we will work through what APPEARS to be an extraordinarily complex subject of Honfleur, Normandy, France. We will focus on WHY and HOW it is essential to strip your subject down and re-build it. Every subject has a core, how do we find it ? We then want to create a strong design using shape and tonal values. We will focus on CREATING a strong design with this subject to show you how you can apply this to any subject to create a great painting, rather than just copying the subject !!

Design with purpose — paint clarity and unity with the soft beauty of Fort La Latte, Brittany. Use the space on your sheet with PURPOSE !! Most people paint their paintings focusing on the objects of their subjects : trees, houses, pots… This is not going to get you a painting with a strong message or purpose, it will however get you a painting full of objects. One mistake we make when we are learning is that we feel more is better. You may relate to this ; you want a great sky, or show the volume of a pot, or the texture of a door… The area of your sheet needs to be broken up between design, visibility and impact…NOT objects !! In this course we will paint a beautifully soft scene of the La Latte Fort in Cap Frehel, in Brittany France to unblock this issue and learn how to paint a united painting that has a strong effective purpose !!

Master light and mood — paint the glow, not the objects, in a magical Venetian canal scene. When it comes to a strong painting you don’t want to paint objects : trees, boats, eyes, buildings… you want to create shapes that work together with the colours and tonal values you choose and ensure they work together. Most beginners make the mistake of focusing on the objects. Don’t make this mistake. In this course, we will be painting a Venice canal, focusing on the light and the patterns the light and shadows create in the subject, rather than the objects (windows, bridge, boats…). We will be painting these things…or should I say rather we will be suggesting them. The light will impose colour choice and the rythme. From there we will learn how to create a gorgeous glow that dominates the entire painting. This is massive mood making !!

Learn how to paint details without overworking — inspired by Venice’s Santa Maria della Salute. in this course I want to focus on the Art of painting details !! So join me here as we paint my favourite building in the world ; the Santa Maria della Salute in Venice. WHY ? My goal with this stunning subject is to focus on how to paint details effectively to FINISH your paintings well, without overworking, without looking niave and clumsey and getting your details to enhance your finished painting. Knowing how to finish a painting is possibly more important than how you start it !

How to layer a subject to create feeling of space and depth. What will you learn in this course ? Let’s paint the magnificent Melbourne, Australia. Welcome to my home, as we paint the most beautiful city in the world !! In this session you will learn : - How to create the illusion of depth. - How to locate the perfect focal point ! - How to paint street scenes easily.

How to paint a subject when the background, middleground and foreground are all important ? Let’s paint the fabulous Lake Garda in Italy !! In this session you will learn to : - How to paint subjects when the background, middle ground and foreground are all important. - How to guide the eye of the viewer successfully around your painting. - How to to paint reflections.

Learn how to create the feel of light, shadows, texture and impact all in the one painting ! Let’s work through painting peeling paint, crumbling stone and bright light ! In this session you will learn to : - How to create lots of texture that adds credibility to your subjects. - Use transparent, opaque and granulating colours to boost the illusion of texture. - How to use composition to avoid creating an overly symetrical subject.

How to use colour and tonal values to create volume and depth, whilst also creating texture. What will you learn this week ? Dig out your old nic-nacs as we paint old boxes and the illusion of wood, metal and texture !! In this weeks LIVE session you will learn : - How to create the effect of different materials in watercolour. - Master the illusion of volume and depth in objects. - Why colour will make ALL the difference to making texture feel real !!

Mesmerizing colour unity, soft edges, MAXIMUM mood and transparency ! Transparency, transulent shapes and shadows to create the ultimate hypnotic feel. In this weeks LIVE session you will learn : - Use colour unity and proximity to create hypnotic mood. - How exactly you can master atmosphere in every painting. - Focus your shapes around tonal values and edges to enhance the effects in all of your paintings !

How to master colour repetition !! We often speak about colour harmony, colour contrasts, colour balance…but colour repetition is one of the strongest ways of using colour, so how does it work? Colour repetition is one of the simplest ways to create powerful, unified paintings. - Learn how to use colour to builds rhythm, balance, and strong visual design without overwhelming the viewer. - Learn how colour repetition draws the viewer into your painting, guided by the invisible thread of repeated hues. - Learn how to make colour repetition, with bold or loose techniques to create unparellelled interest, control and elegance. This course will show you how small colour choices make a massive impact. Master repetition, and your watercolours will speak with unforgettable power.

Learn how to paint ALL complex subjects EASILY with COLOUR UNITY!! In watercolour, colour unity is the hidden force that holds a painting together and gives it undeniable presence. It builds a strong, clear structure that immediately captures the viewer’s eye and keeps them engaged. With colour unity, your subject is no longer just a series of disconnected shapes — it becomes a powerful, cohesive design that demands attention. Here’s what you’ll discover during this LIVE session: - How using a limited palette creates instant cohesion and bold visual strength. - How strong colour relationships make your compositions feel deliberate, magnetic, and unforgettable. - How colour unity simplifies complexity, giving your paintings a more striking, memorable impact. Use colour unity when you want to create a hypnotic effect — the kind that leaves viewers rooted to the spot, unable to walk away. When colour speaks with one voice, your paintings won't just stand out — they’ll dominate. This is a must-learn skill for artists who want to succeed in competitions or boost their art sales!

Master the power of colour juxtaposition ! In this course, you’ll discover how colour juxtaposition can instantly elevate your paintings. By the end of this course, you won’t just paint better — you’ll see the world differently !! Welcome to the World of COLOUR !! - You will learn what colour juxtaposition is, and how to use it in your paintings. - You'll learn how placing warm colours next to cool colours, light next to dark, Bright next to dull enhances the impact of even simple subjects. - Ordinary objects — like boats, will suddenly feel alive and powerful. - You’ll gain confidence in using bold and unexpected colour combinations.

How to create the illusion of grandure, cliffs and massive space, without overworking your subject. What will you learn in this course ? How to organise the space of your subject to create the illusion of a BIG subject ? How to use brushstokes to create the illusion of detail to enhace the feeling of space and grandure ? What is the difference between painting plein-air and studio work? Can you create the « plein-air » feel in the studio? Use light and reflections to create a focal point and mood. The Impressionist painters captured the cliffs of Étretat and Honfleur, France, with vibrant, dynamic brushstrokes, emphasizing the ever-changing light and atmosphere. The towering white cliffs and dramatic arches of Étretat, framed by the sea, became symbols of natural grandeur and movement. These landscapes, often painted en plein air, express both the raw beauty and the fleeting qualities of nature, with an emphasis on color and light over fine detail.

How to make your paintings hypnotic!!

Master design with our LIVE of Mont Saint Michel, Normandy, France. How to create the enormity and timeless presence of a known landmark ? Learn how to paint a subject EVERYONE has painted, but still be unique. Creating mood without loosing your subject. How to use colour to create a stronger composition. Mont Saint-Michel, with its medieval abbey perched atop a rocky island, is a breathtaking fusion of nature and architecture. Surrounded by vast tidal flats, its silhouette dramatically rises against the horizon, especially at high tide. The mystical atmosphere of the island, with its winding streets and ancient stone structures, evokes a timeless beauty that enchants visitors from all over the world.

From Perfect Subject to Perfect Atmosphere – Mastering Watercolour Edges. We have the perfect subject, now how do we create the perfect atmosphere in a watercolour with this stunning scene of the Basilica di San Marc in Venice, Italy ? « Creating atmosphere involves working your colour and tonal value choices to ensure they align with the feel you are wanting to put across in your paintings. But there is another, perhaps more important tool when it comes to creating atmosphere in a painting, and that is how you use your edges. Edges refers to the outline of each shape in your painting, including the edges of your details ! Let’s look at when to use soft edges, when to use precise or fused edges so you can increase the atmosphere in your paintings, regardless of the subject you choose to paint. In this course, we will deep dive into how to use edges to create atmosphere, hierarchy of shape and a dream-like feel to a breath-taking subject !! »

Master atmosphere better than anyone you know. Falling in love with a painting is all about how the painting makes you FEEL !! So HOW can you make someone FEEL in front of your paintings ? « In this weeks LIVE session we will delve into the technique of English artist and master of atmosphere ; Richard Parkes Bonington. There are not many artists that understand how to create such a strong atmosphere whilst also mastering composition at the level Bonington did. By looking at HOW Richard Bonington created atmosphere ; the tools he used and the choices he made, we will learn this week how we can apply his knowledge in our own watercolour paintings to ensure our paintings touch the hearts of the public, judges, buyers and gallery owners. Join me for an absolutely magic session !! »

From Painter to Artist: Master Effective Changes for Stunning Australian Landscapes! « Sometimes we find a subject that seems like it will make a great painting, but we still want to change things around in order to create a unique painting. Composition is the tool used to do this. In this Australian landscape colour and shape are working well to create the impact we see in this photo, however the tonal value range could be better. What makes me say that ? A feeling of lack of depth ; a lack of arial perspective and a lack of volume in the trees. So with this subject I don’t want to change everything, I would like to teach you how to know what needs to be changed to enhance the subject to make a better painting. Change is not what we are looking for, effective change is more important. Every subject requires some modification ; it is a portrait, landscape, marine or even abstracts. Understanding what changes bring which effects is really what makes the difference between the painter and the artist. Trust me you will not want to miss this session !! »

Push Your Limits: Master Space and Mood with a Stunning Snow Scene! « This is a simple, yet complex subject. Painting snow doesn’t come naturally to most Australians, but hey I will give this a try. WHY ?? Because it is so important to go out of your comfort zone and push yourself to improve areas of your painting that can use improvement…and we all have areas we can improve on !! 😊 In this session I want to create a stunningly magnificent atmosphere with this snow scene and one way I see I can do this is by better using the space in this subject. Space is so important to create mood. We often think of colour as the best tool to create atmosphere, but space is a really big one, as that is pretty much the first thing we see in a subject. Let’s use this subject to create mood, attractiveness and BIG impact. With this subject I want to take this demonstration painting all the way to an impressive finished painting, so if you a ready to push your boundaries, this is a perfect session for you !! Let’s paint a bit bigger and see how we can do this together ! »

Transform Landscapes: Gain Confidence and Creativity with Artistic Freedom! « In this course we will be transferring what we have learned from composition in still-life subejcts to landscapes. Landscapes are no doubt the most painted subjec in art, and to be honest there are some amazing landscapes out there, however there are also a lot of landscapes that just don’t trigger any feel in the spectator. This week I chose this painting of a barn that I found on the internet as our starting point. As an exercise, I find painting a subject that another artist painted to be a fun challenge that forces us to learn how we can use our own ideas to transform a subject and create an entirely new painting. If you have never tried this, I encourage you to play with idea. This is not for exhibiting, it is a learning process to force us to be more creative and confident with our own ideas and choices. With this subject, we will move all the shapes in this painting around, change the tonal value range and the colours, to see how we can transform this subject. This allows us to really see how changing shape, tonal values and colour choices and arrangements can not just transform a subject, but more importantly it teaches us to make our own choices, rather than just copy AND also to have confidence in our ideas. Being able to transform any subject when and how you like means artistic freedom ! THIS IS GOLD for every artist !! »

From Complexity to Simplicity: Learn to Create Original and Impactful Paintings! « I LOVE this subjects !!! With this subject we will move into more complex shapes and subjects. The goal here is to know what to keep, what to change and what to eliminate in a subject. This subject is actually a request from a person who participates every week in my LIVEs. There is so much going on here, and everything is interesting that it is so tempting to paint everything, but this will only weaken the painting. The goal is to learn how you can preserve the subject, but still create an original painting. This is a big problem for many people as they copy the subject, rather than creating a painting. Learn how you can improve on this in your paintings. »

Master Composition: Turn Repetitive Shapes into Stunning Paintings! "Composition is the tool artists use to create strength, impact, subtlety, interest and feeling in a painting. It is the tool that we use to build tension, to create harmony, to inject surprise… In this course I chose a repetitive subject, because repetitive shapes occur in many common subjects such as forest scenes, florals, still-lifes and in subjects like a line of boats. The trap is always the same : painting the subject the way we see it, and then because of the repetition it just becomes too much. So how can we use the same repetitive shapes to create a painting that is interesting, doesn’t feel boring or too much ?"

This session is everything you need to know about COMPOSITION!! A MASTER class not to miss! Transform Everyday Subjects into Art: Master Shape, Tone, and Color to Create Mood and Message. "Here is a subject that pretty much every artist has painted at least once. Let's learn how we can take a subject we see everyday and turn it into a painting. Paint brushes are great subjects, BUT composition is the tool that will allow you to take any household or simple subject and turn it into a painting. WHY ? Because you can use shape, tonal value and colour choice and placement to create the mood you want. My goal with this subject is to help you to move from copying to creating. Every subject, even paint brushes can exude feeling and a message. We will focus on how to your shape, tonal value and colour choices and arrangement can create whatever mood and message you desire in your paintings."

Unlock the Secrets of Shape, Tone, and Color. «In this course we will take composition one step further. Composition is all about arranging the shapes, tonal values and colour on your sheet. The way you do this, creates the effect you get in a painting. We will focus on the amazing relationship shape, colour and tonal values play between them. THIS IS GOLD !!! You need this information if you want to know to chose the best way of arranging your shapes, what tonal value range to use and the best colour choice for a painting. A painting is all about choices, learning how to make good choices automatically improves your paintings !!»

Master Shapes & Space: Floral Composition Workshop. "Composition is all about the space on your paper, so this this is where we need to begin ! How do we use the space we have? Should we simplify the subject? Add or delete things? Move shapes around? How to deal with big empty shapes ? We will paint this gorgeous floral arrangement, but focusing on shapes in particular. There are many shapes in this subject ; big shapes, small shapes, busy shapes, empty shapes, discrete shapes and dominant shapes, soi t is a brillant subject to start understanding this essential aspect of composition. We’ll talk about how to know what shapes are needed, which are essential and how to know which shapes we can eliminate. This week we will also focus on transparency and freedom of brushwork to get feeling into our paintings."

Master Fog, Light & Reflections: Achieve Stunning Effects with Ease - Stay Creative, Avoid Overworking. How can we paint fog, direct light and reflections in the same painting ? What is the difference and is there an easy way to get a good effect whilst also mainting creativity and not overworking the subject ?

Transform Your Marine Painting: Go Beyond Postcard Art with Creative, Unexpected Shapes and Feeling. This is a subject we want to paint, but how can we avoid making a painting that looks like a postcard ? To create feel in a painting we need to use creativity, lost and found shapes and focus on creating unexpected shapes. Let’s paint this marine together and see how we can inject more feel into this subject.

Capture the Golden Glow: Use Creative Strokes to Evoke the Magic of Evening Light in Your Paintings. One of the best times to paint is in the evening when the sun goes down, creating a golden glow from the day’s last light. This sort of lighting creates harmony and needs transparencey and fluidity to be credible. How can we use creative strokes and details to enhance this « last light » feel in a painting without overworking the details. Our aim here is to make the viewer feel as opposed to think, but how ?

"Enhance Atmosphere: Big Loose Washes & Creative Brushwork for a Stunning, Detail-Free Painting!" This is a beautiful subject that could be painted in so many different ways, but how can we boost the atmosphere and avoid painting so much detail ? In this course we will focus on painting big loose transparent washes, and learn how creative brushwork can enhance the subject’s atmosphere !

Master White Spaces: Create Light, Transparent Paintings with Fine Details. A Must for Watercolorists. Many people find leaving white areas in their paintings difficult. Painting backgrounds with complex lighter valued subjects is magic, as it creates much light and an almost abstract feel. But how can we paint so many light values without overworking our paintings and still maintain transparency ? This week we will focus on how to paint and leave fine white lines and details in your paintings. This is worth discovering as it will open the door for you to paint many other subjects such as hair in portrait paintings, masts and ropes in marine subjects, varying details in still lifes. Learning how to leave so many white shapes is a must for any watercolour painter !

Explore Water's Magic: Master Wet Brushwork & Transparent Washes in Ponds, Marshes, and Oceans. Ponds, marshes and oceans are filled with different colours, textures and effects making us sense objects under water, others on or above the water, whilst also creating reflections. This is a multi-surface subject which calls for a lot of wet, free painting and creativity. This is a LIVE to loosen up your brushwork and improve your large transparent washes.

PART 2 (Backlighting). Master Color for Backlighting: Create Convincing Shadows & Reflections in Your Paintings. Here we will focus on the magic of back lighting, silhouettes and reflections. We will focus on choosing colours that will help you create convincing light, shadows and reflections. Colour choice is essential to create credible shadows and reflections, and shadows are essential to create good atmosphere in any subject, so getting them « right » is really important. The LIVES (26th Aug and 2nd September) are important to improve your shadow work for any subject.

PART 1. Master Backlighting: Creative Washes & Reflections for all - Join Both Essential LIVE Sessions! PART 1 (Backlighting). Learn the magic of back lighting, silhouettes and reflections. How can you be more creative with your paintings without loosing control ? This week we will focus on how to paint creative washes that will help you to create convincing light, shadows and reflections even if you are a beginner. We will also look into why certain brands of paper create better effects for water subjects than others. Next week we will focus on how to choose and use colour for back lighting & silhouette subjects. These two LIVES (26th Aug and 2nd September) are important to paint subjects with back lighting, I urge you to come to both.

« We don’t always have the « perfect » subject at hand, and do we really want it ? Let’s use our creativity to see how even the most boring looking street scene become a stunning painting !! »

if you want to sell your art « Painting monuments or postcards subjects sell like crazy, but how can you make sure YOUR paintings offer more than just « postcard-like paintings » ? « Painting monuments and street scenes sell. We all know it. But the problem is many look the same and they are often overworked. How can we make sure the sellable postcard subject stills stays super interesting and unique, ensuring sales AND artistic integrity ? »

How can you make your paintings special and stand out amongst others ? This subject is beautiful…but empty !! It needs some life in it to make it sing !! How can we alter a photo to make it more interesting and give it more life ? That is what we will be doing this week. All paintings NEED life ! If you want your paintings to stand out amongst others, or just look good on your wall, you need to add a special « something » into each painting. On Monday we will talk about how to do this.

How to turn the « perfect subject » into a painting without copying and without being boring. My goal with this subject is to ensure we create the best foundation we can for our paintings. We will simplify and focus on what we what ; the mood, the light the feel and see HOW we can achieve all this in this gorgeous Street scene subject.

STOP overworking your brushstrokes, maintain transparency & spontaneity in your paintings. Paintings can feel too controlled when our brushwork is too tight. How can we move from over worked paintings to loose and sponatneous brushwork ? The goal this week is to maintain transparency and spontaneity in your brushwork, but also stop over working and painting stiff shapes. This week we will paint a loose version of this Indian market place. We will focus on creating an impression as opposed to a photo-image. To do this we will greatly simplify the subject !!

Theme: Learn how you can create different atmospheres so you can do so with any subject. This week we will continue to focus on adding small figures into paintings to create more life. We will also focus on the power of colour to amplify the energy in our subject. We will be working something I call « Subject Treatment » meaning we will look at what choices need to be made to made a relaxed atmosphere in a painting and what choices are needed to make your painting full of life, allowing you to create the atmosphere you like with any subject.

Theme: How to simplify complex subjects and include small figures that create life in your paintings! Buildings are a tough subject for many people, yet there is an easy way to paint them which allows everyone to expand into the fascinating world of streets, markets and monuments. However buildings alone can appear abandoned without some figures. To illustrate how fun this can be, and also learn how to simplify complex subjects and include small figures that appear real, we will paint this beautiful image of Morocco. This will be a magnificent subject and LIVE !!

Theme: How to paint "postcard" subjects with your own style with your own ideas. There are some magical subjects that are very effective to include in paintings to boost the atmosphere and the emotional charge of the painting, such as reflections, puddles, smoke, fog… This week we will paint a postcard scene where the reflection plays a huge rôle, not just to create atmosphere but also to create a feeling of depth and invite the viewer into the painting. This LIVE is key for anyone who wants to exhibit their paintings and create paintings that are NOT like everyone elses ! Creating your own style not just copying a photo.

How to use the space on your sheet in a convincing way. In this course we will look closely at what composition and structure are and how these 2 powerful éléments can transform your painting imediately. We will also complete a painting of this beautiful English landscape, focusing on tonal values, composition and structure to enhance light and atmosphere.

Theme – How to identify what is important in a subject. To create strong paintings it is important to know how to identify what is important in a subject and what needs to be eliminated or simplified. In this lesson we will speak about how to identify weaknesses in your paintings and exercices to improve them. We will also complete a painting of this beautiful beach scene in Catalonia, Spain, focusing on how to simplify a subject to make it stronger.

Theme : Blanche Odin was a french watercolourist born in 1865 in Troyes, France. Blanche painted beautiful florals with an impressively soft and romantic feel whilst being technically skillful, atmospherique and powerful. In this LIVE I will focus of fused, suggested shapes and how you can create this sort of dreamy atmosphere in your own paintings.

Turner’s paintings are all about atmosphere and an impression, rather than representation. How can we use a subject, keep the bare minimum and enhance atmosphere all at the same time ? Let’s see how Turner did this.

Andrew Wyeth’s paintings are often grey-scale paintings that focus mostly on varying tonal values than colour. This creates a dream-like atmosphere which is often off-set by « something » a little out-of-sorts in the painting that gives it a surrealistic effect. This will be lots of fun !!

How did great artists paint great paintings ? This week we will look into the world of John Singer Sargent to learn from his art, and see how this many influence your own ideas.