The problem with other art courses. . . 

Teaching yourself how to paint is a difficult task.

There's an ocean of painting videos and courses out there.

Often times these courses:

Lack quality instruction:  Some courses may be incomplete, confusing, or lack important information that a student may need. It can be difficult to know what instruction is reliable and what is not. 

Lack real connection: Many courses don't provide an avenue for sharing your work or getting feedback from others. 

Full of distractions: There are countless places to learn how to paint online! Many of these websites make it easy to get lost going down a rabbit hole of unrelated content 

Lack structure: Learning to paint online often lacks structure. You learn a little bit from one course and a little bit from another but the concepts never build on each other in a logical way. 

These factors can make it incredibly easy to lose motivation to paint. . . 

Lesson 2: Backlit Grapefruit

In the second lesson, Dianna shifts to painting a grapefruit, with an emphasis on capturing the fruit through a half-circle shape. Dianna continues to emphasize using simple shapes to build the image. This lesson builds on the skills developed in the first lesson, advancing with slightly more complex shapes and a richer color palette to depict the grapefruit accurately.

Lesson 4: Red Onion

Dianna begins by explaining what made the red onion an appealing choice. She highlights the appealing dark, rich purple-red violets of the subject and the choice of a yellow-green background to complement the onion due to their opposing positions on the color wheel. Dianna emphasizes the simplicity of the onion's shape, essentially a big round circle, and discusses the process of mixing magenta and white with a little red to capture the onion's essence. The lesson also touches on the use of a black surface for painting to make it easier to distinguish values.

Lesson 5: Cherries in Cup

This focuses on capturing the vibrant color and form of a green cup containing cherries. Dianna emphasizes and explains some basic techniques for creating volume and depth. Dianna also teaches methods for painting the reflective surface of the cup, the texture and color of the cherries, and how to effectively use light and shadow to create a three-dimensional effect. Dianna demonstrates how to use large, painterly brushstrokes for the cup, combined with detailed attention to the light on the cherries and their stems, to realistically portray the scene.

Lesson 6: Silver Pot

In the sixth lesson, Dianna addresses the challenges of depicting metallic surfaces and reflections. This includes understanding how to render the luster and reflective qualities of silver, creating the illusion of three-dimensionality, and accurately representing the pot's form and function. Techniques for capturing the nuances of light and shadow on the metallic surface, as well as the pot's interaction with its environment are key topics.

Lesson 8: Green Grass Bottle

Dianna ends the course with a painting of a green glass bottle. This scene poses unique challenges. She'll teach you how to capture the translucency and reflectivity of the glass - while still focusing on using simple shapes to build the scene.

Don't miss this chance to FUEL your passion!

Questions?

What supplies will I need?

Please note: Inside the course, we will provide you with a full list that will include links if you'd like to order online.

You will need just a few supplies really.

1. Paint: A limited palette of paints (a yellow, a red, a blue) plus black and white will suffice. There may be a few more colors used periodically, but if you have the basics, you'll be fine.

2. Canvases/panels: All the demonstration paintings will be done on an 8x8 canvas. If there are exceptions, it will be noted. You can, of course, change the size if you want.

3. Brushes: You will need 3 or 4 brushes of various sizes. I generally use 2 or 3 "flat" brushes and one "round" brush for smaller details.

That's pretty much it! Again, you will find a more detailed list in the course.

Do I have to use acrylic paints?

The short answer is no. The vast majority of what's taught is foundational to all painting mediums. So, if you wanted to use oils, for instance, you would find all the main principles are totally applicable to you, but there would just be some differences in technique as the mediums have different properties.
The longer answer is that while you COULD use a different medium, there are SO many reasons to paint with acrylics!

1. Water Cleanup: Acrylic paints clean up easily with water. You will never need to expose yourself or others to special solvents or thinners when you are using acrylic paints.

2. Fast Drying: I love the fact that I can touch my paintings after a short time and not worry about getting wet paint on myself or what's around me. This makes it much easier to store and transport paintings without all the headache you'd have if they were still wet. Also, when I want to make a change to a painting I can do it quickly.

3. Super Versatile: Acrylic paints can be applied to almost any surface because they adhere so well. They can also be applied very thin and transparent or very thick and impasto-like without having to worry about rules like "thick over thin" because of their quick drying properties. Acrylic paintings are easy to frame because they don't need to be protected with glass.

4. Cost Effective: Acrylic paints are fairly inexpensive when compared to other mediums. This means that you can paint and practice with freedom without being too concerned about cost.

5. Travel Easily: Because they are non-toxic and don't require fancy thinners, you can travel the world with your acrylic paints and never worry about boarding a plane with hazardous materials.

Are the lessons good for beginners?

Yes, Dianna created this challenge with beginners in mind. Some knowledge of your tools and materials and how to use them will aid in your enjoyment of this instruction.
These mini-painting lessons are one of the easiest entry points for a beginning artist. They are short and don't take too long, so they aren't scary. Plus, you don't have to figure anything out on your own. You'll be able to see each step of the painting process and more - starting with what supplies you want to have and why. The bonus is that by starting and finishing several smaller paintings you will grow so much more than if you had worked an equal amount of time but had only completed a couple larger paintings. Your growth will be exponential as you will be able to see paintings come together from start to finish and never miss anything because you can pause, stop & rewind as much as you need!

Are the lessons good for experienced artists?

Absolutely, yes!
One of the things that can hinder artists of any level is feeling "uninspired". These short, mini paintings will help you get out and stay out of any rut that tries to slow you down. And they will be a springboard for your own creativity to soar.

What do I gain access to when I join?

You will gain access to one high-quality, professional painting lesson every week for 8 weeks, and you will keep access to those lessons for life, so you can come back and revisit your favorite lessons for years to come :-)

How will I access the lessons?

Your lessons will be accessible 24/7 through any computer or mobile device.

We built our site on a very user-friendly platform that anyone can navigate. And if you ever have questions or issues, you can contact us at [email protected]. We are here to help.

What's the 30-Day Guarantee?

If, for whatever reason, you decide you aren't satisfied within 30 days, we will refund all of your money - no questions asked. We believe strongly in what we do and we want you to be thoroughly satisfied.