Bill Alexander was more than a painter. He was more than an artist. When I first discovered Bill, I knew right away he was a remarkable painter. The more I watched his videos, the more I understood there was something more to Bill. Listen to what he says while he is painting. You will learn what makes him so unique. As a child, I loved watching cartoons. In fact, I still … [Read more...]
Don’t panic!
Today’s video clip comes from our upcoming Advanced Master Class. It seems, sometimes, when we are painting, that things can get out of hand pretty quickly. It usually starts innocently enough — an errant brush stroke. Oops! Got to fix that, you say. But the fix only makes it worse. Now you’ve got to wipe it off and try again. You can’t, though, wipe it all off. There … [Read more...]
Why Art Should Be Part of Your Life.
“The artist is not a person endowed with free will who seeks his own ends, but one who allows art to realize its purpose within him.” — Carl Jung Imagine a world that looks like the image below. In the very center of this world is an island representing all the things you know. Surrounding your island is an ocean that is everything you don't know. Encompassing that is … [Read more...]
Treasures
Forget past sorrows, This world is yours so bright and gay, Sing and dream about tomorrow, Treasures are waiting with every new day. Bill starts off the week and “Motivation Monday” with this inspirational poem. His message is one that goes back to the Old Masters. Bill goes to the heart of everything that art is and what makes it great. It’s what makes artists great. … [Read more...]
The power of light!
The student who is desirous of making great proficiency in the art of imitating the works of Nature, should not only learn the shape of figures or other objects, and be able to delineate them with truth and precision, but he must also accompany them with their proper lights and shadows, according to the situation in which those objects appear. -- Leonardo da Vinci Today's … [Read more...]
“A teacher is crazy if they do it.”
We get this question a lot from beginners. Well, I guess it’s more of a statement. How do I start? I’m terrified of making a mistake! The canvas is intimidating, no doubt. We all want to do the best job we can. Even in a workshop, though, -- with lots of folks around -- especially in a workshop -- you can almost cut the tension with a knife. Instead of being a fun place, … [Read more...]