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Jeannette Harrison

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Posted
Do you listen to music whilst painting? If so what do you like? I find it very relaxing to paint whilst listening. I find classical the best but I can also listen to George Michael! :-D

Ken Gillam

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Posted
Not used any such courses, but I would have thought you would probably gain as much from watching a selection of instructional videos on YouTube, then post the results here for critique, and suggestions as to where to go next.

Doug Byfield

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You might want to have a look at Art Tutor: http://www.arttutor.com/ ONly $15 Cdn per month and they have video lessons and forums for oils, water colours, pastels, drawing, coloured pencil,etc. Cheers Doug

Sylvia Evans

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Great suggestion from Artyman.Keep your money in your pocket and look at all the freebie stuff around. Also next time you are near a Library  I am sure you can find some good books. 
With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, Napa

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Are you painting in watercolour, acrylic, oil, or all of them?  I've yet to find a really poor watercolour demo on YouTube; a good demonstrator is our own Alan Owen; and for a different approach, try Steve Cronin.  Acrylics - try Brandon Shaeffer, of Shaeffer Art: a very young man, but (why do I say but..?) worth a good look, as it were...  by which I mean that he's an interesting painter. <div> </div><div>The trouble comes in when you start looking for oil painting demos - there are some really rancid stinkers out there, the majority, but by no means all, from the USA.  Quite why that should be, I really don't know: there are some fabulous oil painters in the States; it's just that few of them seem to make YouTube videos.</div><div> </div><div>If you can find a good art course within reach - and I share both your non-driving and no-bus problems, so I know that's not easy - give it a try.  Otherwise - the free YouTube demos are good for watercolour and usually acrylic; be careful of the oil ones; and buy a few books - or go to the library - and a DVD or two.  </div>

Patricia Barsby

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Thank you all for the replies once again. In answer to some questions raised I'm specifically trying out watercolour and do have lots of books and dvd's already including a starter course by Geoff Kersey, covering landscapes. Others include seascapes, crystal & glass and flowers. I also watch the 'Splash of Paint' series each week with Matthew Palmer and guest artists and find their tips and instruction helpful, which is why I wondered if I would be wasting my time and money with an online course as it may offer me nothing more than I am already getting at little or no cost! I suppose I am looking for some kind of honest criticism to know if I am any good at it and how I can improve and move forward. At the moment I feel like my painting is quite naïve and flat, but I also recognise that I haven't been doing it for more than a few months, so perhaps my embarrassment over my efforts will ease with time. :$ Thank you all again.

Syd Edward

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Mrs Bee, just a little more advice before you go. Keep looking in at the forum and watch the videos on Utube as already stated and you don't need any more than a few good painting instruction books. practice and more practice will give you confidence and I can assure you that you will see a great improvement in your painting.keep all your efforts and you can see,by comparing te old with the latest, that you are getting along fine. A few months is not a long time to be painting and it depends on how often you do it Mrs Bee, so be patient with yourself,you will be your own critique and you will know when to feel pleased with your work.It takes time but you are getting there.. happy painting.........Syd :-)

Angela Kingham

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Posted
Option 1...you make a pencil outline on say paper.... Option two...you don't... But you do pick up a brush...dip in paint...apply to the paper. Repeat this until your dying day...you will get there. Spend that money on art materials not classes.

Ken Gillam

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Posted
There are some tutorials on my website that I created when I was running a beginners art course at my local church, you may find them useful although you may have already progressed beyond this stage.

pamela bennett

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Posted
I can thoroughly recommend Jenny Trotrman, Cats Wiskers Art and Design Correspondence Courses,find her on Google. She gives really personal feedback and is most helpful.
gdsgfdss

Lucian Hodoboc

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Posted
Not really, no. I find it very distracting, for some reason. I like to have complete silence when I paint.