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This Week's Interesting, Strange, and Beautiful Paintings I Found

8/24/2026

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Creative Process Diagram

8/18/2026

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The diagram I created below illustrates the creative process as a whole. Take a moment to study it and you're welcome to ask any questions about it in class.

I would invite you to notice two peculiar things...

First, notice on the far left, beginners start at the bottom learning about Technique and Color. As they become more proficient, they start creating their own Compositions to express their own Inspirations. In my experience, this represents about 90% of students.

On the far right the opposite is true. Some beginners arrived with great ideas, and perhaps have studied photography so come with a solid understanding of Composition. For them, learning about Color and Technique is their challenge.

(About photography: 10,000 photos of your cat is enough!—Now get out there and take some photos that look like art!)

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Basic Color Palette

8/11/2026

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Here are the beginning primary and secondary colors. It is amazing how many beautiful paintings can be painted with these colors alone.

Secondary colors fall between Primary Colors:

Colors most frequently added:

Expanded color palette
There are endless variety of wonderful colors and the below may seem like a lot, but it's only scratching the surface of what is available. However, these are basic colors that if you paint long enough you will accumulate.

Comparing Color Vibrancy
They below illustration demonstrates why you would not want to highlight a subject with white and shade it with black. Noticed the column on the left is shaded with black-and-white. Notice how dull the colors appear. Then notice that the column on the right is vibrant with color.

Are there cases where you would want your colors to appear dull. Absolutely. But as the painter, you need to know the distinction so you could choose when to use either.

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