Mountain River by Tom Anderson, Part 1

There is a lot packed in this first 90 minutes of Tom’s instructional program called “Mountain River Part 1.”  Tom paints this in 90 minutes.  We suggest you don’t do it in 90 minutes.  Take your time.  Enjoy the process.  There are a lot of great lessons to learn from this  video.  Having the ability to go at your own pace by stopping the video anytime certainly is one of them.

Some find it helpful to print out the PDF with the photos before you start.  Others find it helpful to open it on your device.  Either way works.   It really just depends on what you prefer.

If you have any questions or need help along the way, please reach out to us.  My email address is: laurie@alexanderart.com.  I’d love to hear from you.

Some things to keep in mind.

• Tom did NOT coat the canvas with Magic White™.
• He uses Magic White™ and Magic Clear to loosen the paint as he goes along.
• If you don’t have Ultramarine Blue, don’t worry.  Just make your own by using Alexander Phthalo Blue (the size of a half dollar) and Violet (the size of a penny.). We can’t guarantee if this formula works with other brands but we do know it works with Alexander paint.  We suggest you make a dollop of it before you start.
• If you have to leave your painting for a while it is ok.  If the canvas is dry just use a thin film of Magic Clear to wet the canvas again.
• One of our favorite things about this class is that you get to learn to mix color.  We know you will be a more confident artist once you understand how easy it is to change an existing color at any time.
• Don’t forget to take breaks.  I don’t know if this happens to you but my watch tells me to stand when I’ve been sitting too long.  It is a good idea to set an alarm to make sure you are standing and stretching periodically.   You can leave your paints sitting out overnight.  If the paint sets up, it is a good thing.  Just be sure and wipe your brushes out at the end of the day.
• Baby wipes are your friend.  Use them freely to keep your area cleaned up and to keep wipe away unwanted paint on the canvas.
• Even though Tom paints the highlights right away, it may be best if you wait even overnight.  Highlights are always easier to go on once the canvas has had time to sit.
• Send a photo of your work in progress,  if you get stuck along the way.
• Just remember to have fun!  Anything can be changed.
• Feel free to paint it your way.

Happy “Mountain River” Painting!

Laurie & Dawn