Learn to Paint Podcast

Artist Wayne Jiang works in three distinct styles including one pulled directly from the studios of the Old Dutch Masters. And the reason you might find this especially surprising is because the artist works in acrylics. He takes advantage of acrylics fast drying times and extreme flexibility of the medium to create modern paintings with historical underpinnings. 

In the conversation, you’ll explore how to control the absorbency of your surface—and why that actually matters. You’ll discover how to match your brush to the type of acrylics you’re using, and learn a way to make color choices that support the story you’re trying to tell in your work. Plus a whole lot more. 

Extended Cut Bonus [Art Club]
We talk finding your style, and Jiang gives great advice for how to keep subjects fresh, especially when you’ve been painting them a long time. 

Learn more about artist Wayne Jiang:

WEBSITE/ WORKSHOPS / INSTAGRAM

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When I say sketchbook, you might be thinking of a book with thin paper where you’d use a graphite pencil to draw.

And that absolutely IS a sketchbook. But when guest Steve Griggs talks about sketchbooks he means a book filled with watercolor paper, which he uses for everything, drawing, painting, thinking and maybe most importantly developing ideas.

In this mini episode, you’ll get practical tips for different ways to use a sketchbook. You’ll learn how to walk through the development of an idea to go deeper and you’ll explore how to push past that blank page with a NEW sketchbook.

Learn more about Steve Griggs here:

WEBSITE / WORKSHOPS / YOUTUBE / INSTAGRAM / FACEBOOK

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Welcome to the conversation with Remington Robinson. Inside, you’ll discover what to prioritize in the first 20 minutes of a plein air painting, how to think through your scene in terms of paint, and you’ll get  some great advice for how to make the most of the time when a brush isn't in your hand, plus  a whole lot more.

Special Bonus [Art Club]
When I was interviewing and then editing Robinson’s interview, I was really struck by those Style Development Years. 

We look at Robinson’s work, we scroll through his social media, and say "Oh, yeah, he’s always been painting this way."

But that's not true. His style- like all of ours, developed over time.

And so that’s what I want to talk about in today’s special Art Club Mini. Let’s look at and talk about how Robinson’s style developed over years and what we might learn from it. Listen here.

Learn more about Remington Robinson here:

WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | BOOK

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Have you ever finished a painting and something just feels… off?

You could have a color harmony problem. The good news: you’ve got straightforward ways to fix the issue.

In today’s episode we’re tackling color harmony. We’re going to explore what it is, why it matters, and most importantly, how to get it in your work including your very next painting including 4 strategies for creating color harmony in your work.

Episodes Mentioned in the Show:

Julia Katz, Ep.110

Jennifer Balkan, Ep.108

Joan Fullerton, Ep.7

Mark Mehaffey, Ep.5

Episodes to help improve your color confidence:

Atmospheric Perspective (How to Get Depth & Distance in Your Work)

Understanding Value with Sarah Sedwick (Part 1)

Color Mixing & the Color Wheel with Todd M. Casey

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Welcome to the conversation with watercolorist John Salminen.

You’ll learn how darks and lights work together to create luminosity, why it’s important to have those value 9s, and well value, value, value. Plus a whole lot more.

Podcast Art Club: 

Dive into dominance and how Salminen uses edges in your bonus episode here.

Learn more about John Salminen here:

WEBSITE / WORKSHOPS  / FACEBOOK 

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Perspective is a tool you can use to create depth and distance in your work. There are a few types of perspective tools but in today's mini episode we are focusing in on a super approachable one: Atmospheric (or Aerial) Perspective.

Podcast Art Club: 

 How 3 Different Artists Use Perspective in Their Work

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Welcome to the conversation with Julia Katz. 

Feature

In the feature conversation you’ll discover how to build an art practice that's about the practice, not the product. You’ll explore an approach to painting that allows for discovery and you’ll learn how to make work for YOU. Not the world but for you.  Plus a whole lot more. 

Early Ad Free Access here: Podcast Art Club

Extended Cut Bonus [Art Club]

In the bonus conversation available in the Podcast Art Club, we talk about knowing when a painting is ready to finish and we explore some of what’s exciting Katz right now in her work. Available April 29th.

Learn more about Julia Katz:

WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM| CHICAGO GALLERY

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There are many ways to approach your painting practice—and each one serves a different purpose. In this Mini, we’ll briefly explore three core approaches: one-off paintings, painting in a series, and developing a cohesive body of work.

We’ll break down how they differ, and then we’ll dive deeper into building a body of work—what it is, why it matters, and the steps you can take to start creating one with intention.

Mentioned in the Show:

Jennifer Balkan, Ep.108

Debbie Miller, Ep.15

Alice Sheridan, Ep.70

Carrie Waller, Ep.8

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Welcome to the conversation with Jennifer Balkan!

In the feature conversation, you’ll discover how to keep your eyes fresh while working on a painting, why leaving areas unfinished can be a strategic choice, and how to seamlessly integrate colors between your foreground and background.

If you’ve ever wanted to build a body of work, Balkan offers valuable insight into the evolving thought process of an artist—how ideas develop, shift, and take shape over time.

Ad free feature at Art Club here. 

Bonus [Art Club]

In the short bonus, we talk about the very real discomfort you might face when bringing your ideas to life and optical color mixing.

Learn more about Jennifer Balkan:

WEBSITE / WORKSHOPS / INSTAGRAM 

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So many guests on the show encourage their students to do studies. And yet… you still feel resistance. In today's Mini, let’s talk about what that resistance might look like and how to start pushing back. 

Mitchell Albala Interview [Ep.104]

Mitchell Albala Bonus Conversation [Patreon]

How to set up a grid for grid drawing [Instagram] 

5 Pieces of Prep That Can Help You Make Looser, Bolder and All Around Better Paintings [Blog]

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