Jonathan McPhillips
Fine art painting is often held at arm’s length as something only for those with “talent”. I find that having an inate ability for any creative outlet certainly gives one a head start. However, painting can be an endeavor of joy and expression for anyone who can let the painting process be a learning experience for personal growth that lifts the spirit. That said, exponential improvement can be surprisingly fast and rewarding. That is where the work comes in! Keeping a check on frustration and letting mistakes be a necessary part of improvement is a mindset that can be nurtured. Repetition of technique and process leads to longer stretches of success and productive acceptance of setbacks.
Through my series of videos, I will touch on the big picture, and all the little pictures within. I will cover basic process and material selection, as well as discuss finding purpose in subject matter. We will review selecting the right materials and supplies, while simplifying the myriad of choices. I will describe my approach to the various elements of representational scenes and subjects, including painting those subjects to exemplify their differences and similarities. I will discuss what the rest of the world might see in our individual work, and how we as creators can paint with clear intent, as well as a bit of mystery and storytelling.
This are just a small slice of the topics I will address, and I am open to requests and suggestions as the series evolves.
Jonathan is an award-winning painter with over 30 years of study and experience. He has taught oil painting workshops from Hilton Head, South Carolina to Rockport, Massachusetts. Jonathan travels near and far to work “en plein air”, and also paints in his studio in Rhode Island.
If we haven’t yet covered a topic you’d like to see let us know and we’ll add it to the list Thanks! Send us an email
Sample Videos
Join Jonathan as he paints a scene of shellfishing skiffs en plein air in lovely Wickford Rhode Island. The full video is available in Jonathan's ever growing library of educational videos
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Jonathan is an accomplished, award winning plein air painter out of Rhode Island. He is a must see for aspiring plein air and seascape studio painters.
137 views
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Recently Added Videos
In this first watercolor demonstration video Jonathan will be discussing his recent return to a medium rooted in the very beginnings of his artistic journey. He will go over some of the basic watercolor techniques, as well as a few of his own ...
3 views
En Plein Air
In parts 1 and 2 of "Holiday Transit" Jonathan demonstrates another holiday themed painting. Along with technical advice and instruction, he will describe the story behind the painting, and what he looks for in a subject. He will discuss how a ...
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In parts 1 and 2 of "Holiday Transit" Jonathan demonstrates another holiday themed painting. Along with technical advice and instruction, he will describe the story behind the painting, and what he looks for in a subject. He will discuss how a ...
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The third and final installment of this series takes the outdoors to the indoors where Jonathan explains his analysis process of plein air paintings. He pinpoints the areas of improvement and where good aspects can be enhanced even more. It is a look ...
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In part two of this plein air series, Jonathan moves through the latter stages of a plein air scene. Color, atmosphere, and edges are part of the process layering on top of the established composition and shapes, exemplifying the colors and energy of ...
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In part one if this plein air series, Jonathan talks about choosing a subject and establishing a composition when in the field and on location. Part one carries through establishing dark and light shapes, and the beginning stages of color ...
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In the third and final installment of "Retirement Plans", Jonathan will carry through to completion this charming painting of an old watercraft next to a boat shed. The painting almost serves as a portrait of the property owner, without depicting the ...
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In this video Jonathan reworks a painting that had a foundation in Plein air, but needed some changes to bring it to a place of stronger impact and interest. Also, he casually discusses some of his experience and offers some helpful suggestions for ...
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Watch as Jonathan McPhillips paints in his en plein air style the beautiful back yard and shed he discovered while staying at a friend's home.
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Watch as Jonathan McPhillips paints in his en plein air style the beautiful back yard and shed he discovered while staying at a friend's home.
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Follow along with Jonathan as he paints a couple working fishing boats en plein air in Stage Harbor, Chatham Massachusetts on Cape Cod.
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Follow along with Jonathan as he paints a couple working fishing boats en plein air in Stage Harbor, Chatham Massachusetts on Cape Cod.
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Join Jonathan as he paints a lovely scene of shellfishing skiffs en plein air in lovely Wickford Rhode Island. Paint along with him as he describes what he's doing and why.
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Jonathan continues to travel Rhode Island painting en plein air. Today he's at lovely Galilee Docks in this two part series. Part 1
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Jonathan continues to travel Rhode Island painting en plein air. Today he's at lovely Galilee Docks in this two part series. Part 2
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Join Jonathan as he paints live en plein air at the Benson Preserve in lovely Rhode Island. Paint along with him as he describes what he's doing and why. Part 1
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Join Jonathan as he paints live en plein air at the Benson Preserve in lovely Rhode Island. Paint along with him as he describes what he's doing and why. Part 2
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In this video Jonathan travels to Lafayette Falls Rhode Island, where he continues his plein air trek across the state
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Join Jonathan McPhillips as he continues to plein air paint across Rhode Island. Today's session is a painting of a beautiful green sailboat with lovely reflections in Wickford, RI (part 1)
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Join Jonathan McPhillips as he continues to plein air paint across Rhode Island. Today's session is a painting of a beautiful green sailboat with lovely reflections in Wickford, RI (part 2)
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Join Jonathan McPhillips as he continues to plein air paint across Rhode Island. Today's session is a painting of the Schooner "Tree of Life".
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In this video Jonathan McPhillips paints the Gilbert Stuart museum "en plein air". Watch along and see how he sets up and blocks in his initial painting and then finishes a completed painting in 50 minutes!
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Jonathan continues plein air painting across Rhode Island with this lovely painting of the rocks at Fort Wetherill harbor.
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Please join Jonathan as he travels to beautiful Beavertail State Park in Rhode Island to paint today's plein air demo
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Studio Demonstrations
In this first watercolor demonstration video Jonathan will be discussing his recent return to a medium rooted in the very beginnings of his artistic journey. He will go over some of the basic watercolor techniques, as well as a few of his own ...
3 views
In part two of this two part series Jonathan will continue with his Christmas painting and the considerations that go into thematic work. He will discuss the latter stages of wrapping up a narrative painting, and demonstrates that twinkle of light in ...
5 views
In part one of this two part series Jonathan will demonstrate a Christmas themed painting and the considerations that go into thematic work. He will also discuss why paintings centered around the holidays have been a tradition for him, and how he ...
4 views
In this video Jonathan will explain one of many ways to mix luscious green colors in oil paint. Using basic primary colors in Blue and Yellow, however with "warm" and "cool" options, he will show a basic "green" palette that can be applied to many ...
4 views
Watch this first part of a three part series as Jonathan McPhillips demonstrates how he paints a schooner leaving harbor in lovely Camden Maine
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Watch the second part of this three part series as Jonathan McPhillips demonstrates how he paints a schooner leaving harbor in lovely Camden Maine
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Watch the third part of this a three part series as Jonathan McPhillips demonstrates how he paints a schooner leaving harbor in lovely Camden Maine
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Watch and paint along with Jonathan as he paints a take out shack in lovely Maine. This video is the first half of a two part studio demonstration, allowing Jonathan to delve deeper into the process of his direct style painting.
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Watch and paint along with Jonathan as he paints a take out shack in lovely Maine. This video is the second half of a two part studio demonstration, allowing Jonathan to complete his deep dive into the process of his direct style painting.
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In this first of two studio demonstration videos Jonathan demonstrates how to convincingly capture air, a foggy coastal New England boat scene.
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In the final segment of this two part studio video we see Jonathan complete his demonstration of how to convincingly capture a foggy coastal New England boat scene.
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Watch as Jonathan breaks down his painting process into three parts. In the first part Jonathan goes into detail how he sets up and starts a painting, blocks in the elements of the painting, follow his decision making process, and watch as the ...
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Watch as Jonathan breaks down his painting process into three parts. In the first part Jonathan goes into detail how he sets up and starts a painting, blocks in the elements of the painting, follow his decision making process, and watch as the ...
14 views
Watch as Jonathan breaks down his painting process into three parts. In the first part Jonathan goes into detail how he sets up and starts a painting, blocks in the elements of the painting, follow his decision making process, and watch as the ...
18 views
