In this post, I’m going to walk you step-by-step through my entire painting process: drawing the underpainting using broad straight lines, establishing major shadow shapes, organising value, controlling edges, and then refining the portrait with highlights. For this demonstration, I painted it digitally (Procreate) so you can clearly see each stage - but the workflow applies perfectly to oil painting too. Want to start your own underpainting today? Grab my free Raw Umber Unde

Discover the easiest underpainting method for beginners: the Raw Umber Wash. Learn how to build values, control paint, and create structure using just one colour - perfect for easing the transition from drawing to oil painting.

If you’ve ever heard the phrase “fat over lean” in oil painting but weren’t quite sure what it meant, you’re not alone. This classic rule is essential for keeping your paintings stable and crack-free over time - yet it’s often misunderstood. In this post, I break down exactly what “fat over lean” means, why it matters, and how to apply it step by step in your own work. Plus, a glimpse of how I’ll cover layering, mediums, and drying control in my upcoming oil painting course.

Discover the difference between copying what you see and constructing what you imagine. In this post, I explore sight-size, comparative, and constructive drawing -three essential approaches that build both accuracy and creative freedom. Learn why mastering both is the key to drawing with confidence and imagination.

Wondering how to prepare your canvas for oil painting? In this post, I explain exactly what gesso is, why you need it, and how it protects your artwork from damage. You’ll also learn how traditional and modern methods differ - and how to prepare your own painting surfaces, step by step.

A step-by-step recreation of Veronese’s Dream of Saint Helena using Renaissance Venetian painting methods - from underpainting to glazing - exploring how Veronese achieved his luminous colour and depth.

Learn how to paint like the Venetian Renaissance masters. This guide covers the traditional Venetian oil painting method - composition sketches, underpainting, and glazing - to help you achieve that luminous, old-master glow in your own work.

Struggling with observational drawing? Learn two simple techniques - breaking curves into straight lines and using vertical alignment - to improve accuracy and capture proportions with confidence.

In this post, I share my process step by step - what materials I used, what I learned, and why this centuries old exercise still feels so alive in the studio today.

Another question that came up was how to handle models sitting, lying down, or seen from extreme angles — in other words, figures in perspective . Many students can draw a standing figure straight on, but things fall apart when the body tilts or recedes. I've always found that treating the figure as a set of simple volumes in space can help. That coupled with some observational drawing techniques like plumb lining to see which points line up. Resource to Study: Marcos Mateu-

Over the last few weekends, I taught anatomy workshops on Drawing Anatomy: The Head & Hands  and Drawing Anatomy: Full Body  at The Art Academy, London. Many students asked what to study next, so I’ve written this two-part series to help anyone continuing their figure-drawing journey. Each post tackles a common question from class - from simplifying the body into planes to drawing figures in perspective and designing your own characters. Part 1 - Understanding Planes of the B

Learn how the Munsell colour system helps artists understand hue, value, and chroma — and why our perception of colour is always relative. Discover simple tricks to see and mix colours more accurately when painting from life.

During the Head and Hands Drawing  workshop I taught this past weekend, quite a few students asked if I could recommend any good resources on perspective. It’s a question that comes up a lot, so I thought I’d share my favourite perspective books (and one excellent YouTube channel) that have helped me most over the years. Some of the books are available in the public domain and some aren't so I've linked them either to where you can read the pdf or where you can buy them if yo

If you’re thinking about starting oil painting, you’ve probably already had a look in an art shop or online supply list - and felt overwhelmed. The truth is you just need a few carefully chosen materials to get going confidently - and that’s what this post is here to help you with. SHOPPING LIST: TOOLS (these things you will only buy once) Easel Palette Brushes - here you'll find a pack that will give you most of the hog hair brushes covered in the video - perfect to get st

One of the most important—and challenging—skills in representational art is figure drawing. In this post, I’m sharing a recent drawing I made of a standing female model, drawn from the front view with Wolff carbon pencils. The video is a short, slightly sped-up time-lapse, but I’ve also put to one side some skeletal and muscle diagrams to show how I think about form beneath the surface. What I Focused On in This Study In this particular drawing, I kept my focus on a few core

This week, I posted a new charcoal figure drawing timelapse  on my YouTube channel . It’s a study of the male back , drawn entirely from scratch using a constructive approach to anatomy—and compressed into just 4 minutes and 30 seconds . About the Drawing What makes this piece different from a typical drawing is the construction process  I used. I began by mapping out average male proportions , then built the figure from the inside out: First laying in the spine , ribcage , a

Plaster casts have long been a cornerstone of classical art education - and for good reason. Their simplified white surfaces, strong form, and timeless elegance make them ideal for studying light, shadow, and structure. In my latest YouTube video, I take you through my charcoal drawing of a particularly challenging plaster cast head, from start to finish. This was a complex sculpture - a Roman or Ancient Greek-style mask, full of deep-set features, sharp planes, and flowing l

Understanding the structure of the human skull is essential for any artist looking to improve their portrait and figure drawing skills. In my latest YouTube video, I break down the process of drawing a skull using a simplified planar model alongside a real skull reference. This exercise helps train your eye to see the underlying forms and volumes, making it easier to draw realistic heads with confidence. Why Use a Simplified Skull Model? When learning to draw the head, it's e

Want to improve your drawing accuracy? In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to draw from a 2D reference that is the same size as your paper.

Charcoal: Time-Lapse Drawing of a Male Torso and Legs In my latest YouTube video, I’ve created a time-lapse of a charcoal drawing focusing on the male torso and legs, breaking down the process of rendering anatomy, light, and form. The Power of Charcoal in Figure Drawing I love charcoal for it's versatility. It can render deep shadows having a large tonal value range, soft transitions if desired, and is relatively inexpensive. When working on this study, I focused on: Structu