One of the things I love about teaching painting is the variety of subjects I get to work on. It's even better when a scene really means something to me, like this one. My wife and I visited Venice some years ago before we were married. It's reminded me of great memories of a carefree time, wande...

I like painting winter scenes, I always have. I don't know whether it's because of the contrasting detail of the delicate twigs and branches and the smooth pillow like snow on the ground or the contrast between the white shades of snow and the dark trees. Either way, I think they make striking pa...

'Tree Study' is the most comprehensive lesson on painting realistic tree foliage you will find anywhere! Take what you learn here and apply it to any of your own artworks. Working on it even improved my own technique!

Difficulty: Advanced
Panel Size: 12 x 16 inches
Brushes used in this lesson: M...

Although there are enough details for it to be a challenge to most, the soft, subdued lighting limits the contrast making this, on the whole, a simpler scene to paint. Colour mixing is probably the most testing aspect but you're in good hands! I'll guide you through every second ;)

Enjoy,
Michae...

I've been on the lookout for a scene such as this for some time. Moving water fascinates me. There's something so meditative about the movement and pattern the water makes as it cascades over the rocks. The same is true of the sound it makes as it continues it's journey down stream. I could almos...

This tutorial was designed with the intermediate to beginner artist in mind. It has a very simple colour palette and although the techniques for the fine tree details will take practice, mastering them will set you up for a whole host of successful future landscape paintings. The techniques I use...

This area, the river Wye in Wales, holds a special place in my heart. Not only have I been there on photography trips, searching for painting inspiration and subject matter, it’s been a regular feature of my studio too. To me, it feels like a place where every turn and meander of the river reward...

This scene was captured during a family holiday to the Lake District National Park in 2020. It often takes some cajoling to motivate our three children to undertake a long hike like this but the views across the valley made the three hour outing more than worthwhile! The landscape is spectacular!...

I visited China in 2018 and since then I've been fascinated with the landscape and culture. It's so different to what I'm used to and it reminded me that there is a huge, diverse world out there waiting to be discovered. Even though, at the time of painting, the prospect of experiencing these pla...

This mountain landscape caught my eye the moment I saw it. It's not like anything I've painted before, I love testing myself and painting this scene was a lot of fun. There's a mixture of sharp and soft elements and I wanted to emphasise them by making the mountain as sharp as I could and the clo...

There's something about autumn that makes me want to slip on my boots, warm coat, scarf and just walk. Especially on days like this where the setting sun creates a warm glow on everything it touches. I've painted my fair share of autumnal landscapes and it can be difficult to find something new t...

I can't tell you how many hours I've spent walking along this river. As the child of a professional landscape artist, and with this picturesque river within a short distance, it became the venue of regular family outings during my younger years. I now live within walking distance and I know every...

This is the stunning view of Ladybower reservoir as seen from Bamford Edge in the High Peak in Derbyshire, England. The colours change throughout the seasons (as does the weather!) which adds to the vibrancy of the place. If your timing is good and you reach the top when the weather is fine and c...

I think my scene preference for painting has changed a little over the last four or five years, possibly as a result of demand but I like to stretch myself too. I've been asked to paint quite a few scenes like this and I can see why. There's something very peaceful about the stillness of the wate...

As with many of my tutorials, the decision to paint a subject has been a request from either one of our art school students or YouTube subscribers. The subject of this lesson is the result of so many requests, from direct emails to social media comments, across the board. I looked at many referen...

I went through a phase of painting scenes from villages in the Cotswolds UK a few years ago. If you've been there you will know how attractive the area is. I love the pretty villages and stone buildings and this scene is quite typical of that area. Needless to say these paintings are always popul...

I’ve been asked to do a tutorial on pine trees and mountains a lot over the last year but until now I’d not found any scenes that I felt inspired by. Thankfully this scene has both of those elements which work well together giving the viewer a great composition and feeling of depth. The snow adds...

I took this photograph last summer while holidaying in Wharfedale, Derbyshire. Thirteen years earlier I proposed to my wife at the Inn not more than two hundred yards from this spot.

I’m always on the lookout for a simple subject that will be more appropriate for the beginner, mainly because muc...

One of the most difficult elements in a landscape to paint is water. For this tutorial, I spent a lot of time looking for just the right spot at my local river where there was an appropriate amount of surface movement, reflection and interest to test artists of all levels. It lends itself to a sm...

Looking for attractive but simple scenes that make good lessons is more difficult than you'd think! This beautiful, lush green woodland carpet with a delicate splattering of bluebells is perfect for an intermediate or beginner artist. I'm not saying that this scene is particularly easy but there ...

In this lesson I'll show you how to achieve the subtly in light and colour needed to accurately recreate this delicate landscape scene. I love the light in this painting with the contrast of the cool greens in the grass and the warm light in the morning sky. This scene may seem a little daunting ...

This is a scene that reminds me of my early years as a professional artist and it’s very typical of the type of subject matter that I was looking for at that time. It’s an uncomplicated scene in both colour and technique, but there’s enough in it to be an attractive smaller painting.

Although th...

This sky lesson has been designed with the beginner in mind. It’s quite a busy sky, with smooth transitions between the different colours. It takes a little practice to achieve the softness but it’s such an important skill to master for photorealistic artworks. This lesson will give you the confi...

I love days like this, fresh and bright. Wrapped up nice and warm with only your face showing and the crunch of frosty earth under foot as you walk. I imagine a roaring fire and a hot mug of tea waiting for you when you return home.

This frosty landscape is an interesting one! The colours make i...