Six lessons in the landscape

In the August 2025 issue, I spoke about the subject of using photos as reference material for paintings. I talked about the advantages and some of the challenges that they may present to the artist. I

In the previous edition I shared six general principles to consider when composing a landscape. In part two we look at some example photos, which I hope will help you to assess your own, and improve t

When I go for a walk on a hot summer’s day, I search for a route that has lots of cover from trees and tall hedges that line a path or lane. In that way, strong rays of sunlight are broken by shade fr

You will learn What composition means. How to site a focal point and provide balance in your artwork. Observations to make and questions to ask. This is the first of three articles in a series about c

Placing key elements in the centre is not always the best option and can create a lack of visual interest. A common way to organize pictorial elements is to geometrically divide the picture plane into

I AM A COLOURIST PAINTER. With brushes and oil paints, I depict a world that’s more beautiful than it is in reality. My favourite painting subjects, where I can truly let loose with colour, are still