Tutorials

Full Palette Exercise
Color Chart Exercise to Master Your Palette Fast

Michael Lynn Adams shares how Richard Schmid's color chart exercise saved his art career. [...]

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Zorn Limited Palette

Andres Leonard Zorn (1860-1920) is known for using a limited palette. It is believed that Zorn reduced his palette to as few as three rather earthy colors - Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Red Medium, Ivory Black plus White. There seems to [...]

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Composing Art Using Harmonic Symmetry

I often use a harmonic symmetry armature to check and refine my compositions and as a guide for drawing my composition onto a canvas. Here, I explain with text and video, what it is; and why and how I use [...]

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Step-by-Step oil painting of White Rose

Step-by-step oil painting tutorial. I walk you through my process of painting White Roses. [...]

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White Mums – Part 2

The mums are coming along just fine. After the initial block in and color lift I contoured the vase a bit and worked on the flower pedals. And bottom row the blossoms have become quite yellow. That is all part [...]

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White Mums – Part 1

  White Mums features a blue and white vase with white chrysanthemums (of course). Unlike most of the flowers I use, these were not from our garden but store bought from a charming little flower store inside a local super [...]

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Plums: Step-by-Step Painting Tutorial

I painted Plums after harvesting them at a friend's farm. This tutorial takes you step-by-step through my process of painting, Plums. [...]

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Crystal Gazing and a Limited Palette

Recently old photographs of my family have fascinated and inspired me to reinterpret them in paint. Its a special way to connect to some really wonderful people. Here, for example, is my aunt Lolo, and my father, Richard in 1927. [...]

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Step-by-step oil painting process for Meyer Lemons

We picked the lemons, put them on a wooden tray lit by the sun from our kitchen window. The plan was to make margaritas, but as often happens in my life, this fleeting moment inspired me to make art. [...]

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Step-by-step oil painting of a Peony

From concept to finished painting, in this oil painting demo, Michael Lynn Adams explains why and how he captures a peony's soft, luminous texture by placing it on hundred-year-old art books. [...]

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Step-by-step oil painting process for Gardenia

From concept to finished painting, in this oil painting demo, Michael Lynn Adams explains why and how he captures its soft, luminous texture and intoxicating aroma by placing it on hundred-year-old art books. [...]

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short Video Demos

Lithia Park Roots
Watercolor Painting How To

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White Mums
A Short Video Demo

White Mums was an early experiment in floral painting for me. I was fascinated by [...]

Leather Box
Short Video Demo

This leather box originally belonged to my grandfather, Lewis G. Adams. He has been my [...]

Meyer Lemons
Annotated Video Demo

Meyer lemons are wonderful. They have a magic balance of tart and sweet. Perfect for [...]

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Fresh Bread Provence
Annotated Video Demo

Fresh bread glistening and warm, the centerpiece of an perfect breakfast in Saint Remy de [...]

Santa Rita Hills
Annotated Video Demo

This is the view from the Lafond Winery's picnic area in Santa Barbara wine country's [...]

Peeled Lemon
Short Video Demo

The theme of this little painting, Peeled Lemons, is a favorite of mine - peeled [...]

Sunshine Bowl Short Video Demo

The copper bowl used in Sunshine Bowl is usually on our mantle. We filled it [...]

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