Articles Index
What You Need to Know About Color Theory for Painting
All the basic information you need to know about color theory and color mixing when learning to paint, arranged in easy-to-understand lessons.
Famous Painters: LS Lowry
A look at the painting style of the famous English painter LS Lowry, the "matchstick man" artist.
Exhibition Review: Lucian Freud Portraits
My thoughts on seeing the exhibition of portraits by the famous painter Lucian Freud, which opened at the National Portrait Gallery in London in February 2012.
Art Demo: Forest Landscape
In this step-by-step demo I explain how I used a pine forest to inspire an abstract painting.
Abstracting Nature Painting Project
The challenge of this painting project is to paint a landscape with a prominent sun, using an Impressionist style.
Painting Demo: Fantasy Orange Trees
Follow the creation of a fantasy or surreal woodland painting with creatures among the trees.
Painting a Realistic Apple
A step-by-step demonstration of how to paint a realistic apple.
Wildlife Painting Step-by-Step Demo: Orangutan
See how wildlife artist Leigh Rust creates a pastel painting of an orangutan from start to finish.
Pastel Painting Step-by-Step Seascape Demonstration
Follow the development of a pastel painting of a seascape from start to finish in this step-by-step demonstration.
How to Paint a Realistic Tree
Learn how to how to paint a realistic tree with green foliage, such as an oak tree, in this step-by-step painting demo.
Sea Painting Demonstration: Breaking Wave
Follow the creation of a sea painting featuring a close-up of a breaking wave, in this step-by-step painting demonstration.
Tree Painting Step-by-Step Demo: Forest in the Style of Klimt
This step-by-step tree painting demonstration shows the creation of a painting of a forest done in the style of Klimt, from start to finish.
Painting Demo: Abstracted Seascape Using Limited Color Palette
A step-by-step painting demonstration showing a seascape being created with a limited color palette (four colors only).
Step-by-Step Demo: Sea Painting
Watch a sea painting unfold from start to finish in this step-by-step painting demonstration.
Wildlife Painting Step-by-Step Demo: Chameleon
Follow the development of a painting of a chameleon step by step in this wildlife painting demonstration.
Self Portrait: A Step-by-Step Demo
If you can't paint a decent portrait of yourself, how can you hope to paint a portrait of someone else? Follow a self portrait's development in this step by step demo.
Portrait Painting Demonstration Using a Painting Knife
A step-by-step demonstration of a portrait painting created using a painting knife.
Horizontal or Vertical Composition?
Learn how to judge whether your composition wants to be a horizontal (long) or vertical (tall) format.
Painting Skin Tones
An in-depth look at how to paint skin tones (both realistic and expressionist), what pigment colors to use, and how to mix suitable skin tones.
Figure Painting: Proportions of the Body & Face
While no-one's built exactly the same, there are certain standard proportions that help when painting figures and portraits.
Sketchbook Safari with Wildlife Artist Katie Lee
Following wildlife artist Katie Lee on a Sketchbook Safari in Botswana, learning to observe and building visual memories.
Best Art Materials and Books 2011 Readers' Choice Awards on About.com
Find out what readers think are the best art materials and books in the 2011 About.com Readers' Choice Awards.
How to Decide What Paint to Use
Want to start painting but not sure what paint to use? Here's help on deciding how to choose between the most popular types of paint used.
Chromatic Brown
An easy-to-understand explanation of what chromatic black is, how to mix it, and why you'd use it instead of tube black paint.
A Painting is Complete in Any Stage
Working in a style so a painting is complete whatever you are in its development, don't focus on finishing it at the end.