Free Art Tutorial Videos by Jenny Buchanan
The fan brush is so versatile but a lot of my students struggle with how to use it effectively. So I decided to challenge myself by completing an entire painting using only the fan brush so you can get a good look at the technique. This waterfall in the rainforest demonstration can be completed in either acrylics or oils.
This acrylic painting tutorial will show you how to create a blurry background with free-flowing acrylic paint and then add a beautiful, in-focus, rainbow lorikeet onto that background so that it really pops. My reference photo for this painting was not my own but one I found online with a creative commons licence. That means anyone is free to use it. I’ll put a link to the photo below this video in case you want to use the same one. If you are not confident with drawing you can print out the photo, cut the bird out and trace around it.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rainbow_lorikeet.jpg#/media/File:Rainbow_lorikeet.jpg
When trying to paint really dark blacks I find I get a better result if I mix my own, rather than using black paint from a tube. It's really easy. Here are my favourite colour combos for making black.
This video will show you how I tackle the problem of painting rocks in acrylics. Like everything else in nature, rocks are rather random in shape and texture and no two are alike. In some ways this makes painting them easier and in some ways it makes it more difficult. The colour and shape of rocks will depend on their geological makeup which is usually determined by where they are located. Some rocks are round and smooth, some jagged and some are even cube-like. For the purposes of this video drawn reference from my local rocks that are fairly simple in shape but still have lots of nice variations in texture and colour to experiment with.
I have created this more detailed video of shore wash as an extra resource for Lesson 4 in my Paint Stunning Seascapes in Acrylics course. It is designed to help you get an idea of the shapes, highlights and shadows that I use to make water on shoreline look more believable. Unlike my previous video, How to Paint Sea Foam on the Shore, the detailed version has been enlarged so you can get a better look at what is going on and I also describe all my reasoning behind the techniques. I believe that when you understand the "why" as well as the "how" the information is much more likely to stick in your mind. You will then be able use my methodology to add realistic shore wash to any of your seascape paintings.
Find out more about exactly what is in the course here:
Paint Stunning Seascapes in Acrylics, The Formula For Success
Many of my students have told me they struggle with blending colours. This quick tip video will show you how to create a smooth colour transition when painting in acrylics by blending wet-in-wet, using only paint and water.
This video will show you how I paint those high level, wispy looking cirrus clouds that usually appear just before a change in the weather. They take on the shape of a horse’s tail because the strong winds in the upper atmosphere have blown the clouds apart. Previously one of the lessons in my Paint Sensational Skies course, I have now made this video public so you can get a little insight as to how my course lessons differ from paint along tutorials. This lesson includes information on how to: Use complementary colours to make an object stand out Paint thin, wispy lines using a dry brush technique Use tone to give the appearance of distance The colour wheel chart featured in this lesson can be downloaded for free here
Learn the core elements of painting ocean waves in a step-by-step, logical process. I give clear and detailed instructions in a quick and easy-to-follow format.
This video is for you if you are the type of person who wants to know both the how and the why of acrylic painting. My tri-colour method of painting is ideally suited to those who are left brain thinkers like me.
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Beginner Level Tutorial on Blending Colours in Acrylics
This video is a great place to start if you are new to acrylic painting.
It gives detailed instructions on how to blend colours seamlessly on canvas using acrylic paints and water. No painting medium is needed.
Follow along while I show you how to paint a rocky beach headland viewed from a distance. I will show you, among other things, how to use atmospheric perspective to give a feeling of distance and that not all shadows are equal. I'll also share my tips on how to paint vibrant-looking greys rather than muddy ones.
The paints I have used in this demonstration are Atelier interactive acrylics in the following colours:
- Ultramarine blue
- Cadmium yellow light
- Napthol Crimson
- Titanium white
I have used only two round brushes, one large and one small. These are both cheap acrylic ones I picked up from Bunnings (Australia's version of Home Depot)
Here I show you how paint floating bits of sea foam you see in the shore wash of a broken wave.
You will learn how to:
- Use a fan brush
- Use complementary colours to make a subject stand out
- Paint shadows
In this video I show you an easy way to paint a realistic-looking palm tree that looks like it is swaying gently in the breeze