Something Bill learned early in his career is that the more perfect he painted things, the less the painting would sell. He encourages us on today’s Tips to have a little abstractness to our work. It makes it more artistic and less like a photograph.

Bill is creating this building from his head because he has painted so many before. You probably have noticed that if you paint the same thing over and over, it just becomes like “muscle memory.’ That is why it is so good to learn from great teachers because learning to do something the wrong way, can become muscle memory too! It is hard to break bad habits so if you have a chance to study with great teachers, we suggest you do it. We certainly have some of the best around!

Key Points To Consider:

• The Magic White® was applied to the canvas.
• Bill already painted in his sky which means he has already determined where the light source is coming from.
• Bill can design this painting from memory but it is ok for us to use rulers and T-squares, or anything else that would make painting easier.
• Bill is using thick paint. He is using it sparingly though as he scrapes it with his knife. He lays the color on and then stretches it by scraping.
• Notice that Bill is mixing Ivory Black and Titanium White in the area where there is blue from the sky color. To keep things harmonized remember the sky color is everywhere. So even though Bill doesn’t add the sky color to his mixture, it is already there. He works his colors hard into the palette to get the color he wants.
• Notice the angle of Bill’s knife blade. He is very careful to place it on the canvas exactly in the direction he wants it to go. It always seems that Bill paints fast but if you watch closely, he slows down and is quite careful when it comes to placing things.
• Bill is painting in the direction that the building would go. He follows the slant of the roof, he follows the direction of the walls straight down towards the ground.
• He keeps in mind where the light would fall on the building. He adds dark underneath the eves because he knows the sun would be blocked from hitting there.
• Bill LOVED red roofs on buildings. In fact, that, like his red signature, is his signature look.

Remember, Bill and the other artists painted a long time before they could so effortlessly do what they are showing us. Be gentle with yourself if you don’t get it right away. Pretend you are learning to ride a bike! Remember when we were young, we didn’t give up we just got back on. That is what we are suggesting you do today!

Happy Painting!

Laurie and Dawn

PLUS: So whenever you’re ready…here are a few ways we can help you become the artist you’ve always wanted to be.

1: Join Our Membership 

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2:  Let US guide you in our Alexander Master Class 

Quickly learn the Alexander proven way to paint starting from where you are… and we’ll lead you from there. The best thing is our Master Class is a unique series of courses with live feedback taught by Master Artist, Master Teacher, Tom Anderson. It isn’t for people who have already “Mastered” painting techniques… It is for people with the passion and desire to learn everything the Old Masters and Bill Alexander knew one baby step at a time.

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3: Let us help you decide your next step on your art journey

Not sure how to move forward on your path to become a great artist?  Just hit reply to this message and put “Art Journey” in the subject line… tell me a little bit about your painting experience (even if you have none) and we will set up a private meeting to see if Alexander Art is a good fit for you.