This is the first in a series of videos about ways to create unity in a painting. In this video I discuss two concepts that, while on the surface are quite opposite, work together to create unity: Harmony and Contrast. Harmony is the effect that is ...
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There is a direct link between language, ideas, and painting. Sometimes we want to convey a specific idea or feeling in a painting and we need to plan in advance the various elements to achieve our outcome. One easy way to do that is to use words as ...
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Now that autumn has arrived, let’s paint some trees! This video explores how to paint trees using watercolor techniques such as wet on dry and wet on wet, dry brush strokes, and dappling. You’ll learn how to create different effects with a variety of ...
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In this continuation of Terrific Trees!, I demonstrate how to create different effects when painting trees. In particular I focus on dappling in and staccato strokes with a beautiful autumn palette to create inviting fall foliage.
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Watch as Steve paints a mountain landscape, using hard edges to emphasize subject shapes and soft edges to de-emphasize supporting shapes, The combination of near and far shapes work together to create drama and atmospheric effect. Paint along with ...
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In this video we will explore how to create passages in a painting. Passages are patterns of light, dark, or color that lead the eye through a painting and give us a visual journey, which most often leads to the center of interest.
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In the previous video we will explored how to create passages in a painting through a series of sketches. Passages are patterns of light, dark, or color that lead the eye through a painting and give us a visual journey, which most often leads to the ...
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For an artist to create an artistic painting, rather than simply replicating a photograph, they must first identify the shape they want to emphasize and then determine how to make it the focal point. This sketch exercise shows you how to isolate the ...
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For an artist to create an artistic painting, rather than simply replicating a photograph, they must first identify the shape they want to emphasize and then determine how to make it the focal point. This sketch exercise shows you how to isolate the ...
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This is a demonstration of how I use continuous line drawing as source material for a sketch painting. While photographs make good source material, they are often so dominate that it is hard to break away from trying to re-create them. If you have ...
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An existing painting can serve as inspiration for other, similar paintings with an entirely different feel or story. In this video I show how to use an existing painting as a reference and then ask the question, “What can I do differently?” Trying ...
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A sketchbook is a great way to capture a scene when you don’t have a camera with you or you just want to sketch instead. Iterative sketching uses sketchbook images as source material in order to harvest ideas and create a painting. This is a process ...
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Join us for a free one-hour loose watercolor painting with Steve Griggs. With fun and humor, Steve demonstrates his unique style of loose, moving, and evocative watercolor painting. Taking ‘loose’ to a new level, Steve uses bold lines, shapes, and ...
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Balancing positive and negatives shapes allows for greater balance, depth, and movement in paintings. In these paint-along videos I demonstrate how to transform a static photographic reference into a lively and interesting painting by integrating ...
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Balancing positive and negatives shapes allows for greater balance, depth, and movement in paintings. In these paint-along videos I demonstrate how to transform a static photographic reference into a lively and interesting painting by integrating ...
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Balancing positive and negatives shapes allows for greater balance, depth, and movement in paintings. In these paint-along videos I demonstrate how to transform a static photographic reference into a lively and interesting painting by integrating ...
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Paint along with me as we complete a waterscape from start to finish!
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Paint along with me as we complete a landscape from start to finish!
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Paint along with me as we complete a cityscape from start to finish!
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Composition fits into how we use or organize the page. Much like the artist uses different types of prose or poetry to tell a story, the painter uses composition to determine how best to tell their story.
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Fundamental to every painting is the idea of shape. In this video we will look at strategies for understanding simple shapes, breaking them down, and integrating them to create a painting.
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By viewing source material through the lens of shape, you can simplify a scene before painting. Use this video to learn my method for seeing shape and then apply it to your sketches while planning a painting.
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Let’s practice looking for shapes by applying the ‘Method for Seeing Shapes’ to photographs.
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Looking at source material, it is time to practice seeing simple shapes and developing them in your sketchbooks.
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In keeping with the idea that all painting can be broken down into shapes, let’s look at the human form as a shape! In this video I will show you how to paint human figures to proportion and scale. I will also show you techniques for adding movement ...
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Now that we’ve looked at how to paint people, add movement, and personality, it is time to practice putting them in situations such as city streets or landscapes. Adding people to paintings is a great way to draw the viewer into the scene to connect ...
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Let’s start by discussing the materials I recommend for loose watercolor painting, including sketchbooks, paper, brushes, paint, and palettes.
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Loose watercolor painting techniques are a little different from traditional watercolor painting techniques. In this video I demonstrate and explain five loose watercolor painting techniques I call ‘Paint Delivery Systems.’
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How does a writer add drama and action to their storytelling? One way is by using verbs. Similarly, I use specific watercolor techniques to add action and drama to my paintings. I call these techniques the ‘verbs’ of loose watercolor painting. In ...
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In this video I show you how to paint a simple landscape, using the paint delivery systems and watercolor techniques discussed in the previous videos. I invite you to either watch and paint along or watch first and then paint your version. Or both!
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This is an exercise I created to ‘warm up’ before starting to paint. It is a fun and creative way to explore shapes that emerge when I paint freely and without intention. There is no end to the number of times you can do this exercise. I often use it ...
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Part of the magic of loose watercolor painting is that energy and emotion are created organically. Nothing on the page is static. The way to achieve that energy and emotion is to plan out all the painting details in advance of putting any paint on ...
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Motif development allows for a richer inventory of ideas in order to develop a painting. In this video I expand on the use of sketchbooks and detail, through an actual case study, how I use my sketchbooks to explore motifs.
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There are a variety of sketching techniques that will help as you develop your sketchbook ideas. This video explores some of those techniques.
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Using non-traditional watercolor techniques and application tools, you can create interesting and energetic paintings. In this video I explore how palette knives create controlled, sharp edges, and mixing color on the paper, rather than on the ...
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Transitions are important dynamics that give breadth and life to paintings. In this video we look at different types of transitions and how they can be employed to create a visually stimulating experience for the viewer
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In this video I demonstrate how to use the dynamic transitions I discussed in Part One
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Using the methods of reducing a scene into simple shapes and assigning comparative values to those shapes (discussed in previous lessons) we have the foundation for creating a painting from source material. By rearranging values, we can step away ...
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Using the methods of reducing a scene into simple shapes and assigning comparative values to those shapes (discussed in previous lessons) we have the foundation for creating a painting from source material. By rearranging values, we can step away ...
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