ROBINSON

PAINTING ACADEMY

Learn to Paint - Invest in Your Life

	Learn how to paint
	Oil, Acrylic, Watercolor & Pastel
	Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced

Online Academy

Building Blocks

Student Comments

"There’s no
way your
paintings can’t
improve after
this course"

"I’ve been painting on my own for a while and thought I was doing okay. Now that I’m taking this course I see so many things I can learn from that will make my work so much better. This is the stuff you can’t get in art school anymore, sadly. There’s no way your paintings can’t improve after this course. That’s how strongly I feel about it." ... Bob Akers., Crystal Lake, IL, United States

"...really superb"

"I find your courses really superb in two ways: first they are very complete and comprehensive, and second they go straight to the point, to the essentials. Both my wife and I paint and we both agree that these art instruction courses are one of the best sources of education for people who want to learn to paint in a direct or alla prima style" Bernado Martin, Alicante, Spain.

Erika is
following
her dream

"This course is truly well run, professionally handled -- and I can only echo the great comments of other students: I am glad, I enrolled in this course!! I got so much out of it already -- lots of explanations, areas to study up on, other artists to learn from. AND I am not at the end of the course, yet. I am getting more and more confident and bold enough to follow my dream -- to become a proficient and sensitive artist. Erika, USA, 2009

"...already noticed
improvement
in my work"

"In my opinion, your material is the best I have found. It builds the basics, from the ground up, recognizing that there are no short cuts.....Your course puts all the right info into one package, and even more important, it gives me an organized, building block way to get these things into my head, and I have already noticed an improvement in my work," George, USA

Building Block: Process

Process

Successful organization for painting.

How do successful painters organize?

Inefficient processes and working habits take up unnecessary time and get in the way of your art. All successful professionals have well organized equipment, both in their studio and outdoors. As a beginner, you should get organized since it will make your painting time much more enjoyable and less frustrating.

Some of the things you will learn:

	How to create your personal learning program.

	Equipment setup: What equipment to buy and how to get setup to work outdoors and in the studio.

	Colors: Which colors to use and why.

	Outdoor painting and travel: How to lighten your load for outdoor painting, and what to consider when painting and traveling by air.

	How to paint from photographic reference.

Plein Air Painting

To capture the essence of a landscape or outdoor (plein air) still life where the light is constantly changing, you need to work quickly. In a short time you have to capture the important essence of the mood and feeling of light in your painting. This is the essence of plein air painting. The process for oils and acrylics is called the "plein air alla prima painting process". There is also a similar step-by-step process for watercolor artists.

Here I describe in detail the 9 step plein air painting process I use for my plein air paintings. This plein air painting process is quick and efficient and will help you get the best results. Best of all, the same plein air painting technique is equally applicable to studio work where you want to get a nice loose feeling and want to complete a painting in one or more sessions and to figure work when the figures are likely to move. Plein air painters usually work light, often using a pochade box . A pochade box is a small lightweight box used for painting outdoors.

How does it work?

Buy Membership

Academy membership costs $39 USD per month and gives you a private account on our system where you can access our lessons, assignments & online community. Access to the online campus means you can upload your assignments and share them with other students from across the world, as well as access to supplemental learning materials such as videos and examples. You can cancel your membership at any time.

No Risk Trial

There are no commitments to Virtual Art Academy. You can cancel at any time, there are no contracts. You're free to go, free to stay.

Jacqueline
Spain

"The material is very well presented and easy to understand - no lengthy explanations but short and condensed paragraphs with a load of very valuable information. Along with plenty of illustrations, this makes it a fun and easy study."

Erika
USA
2009

What is included in each course unit?

Unit 1 - Alla Prima painting

This course unit describes in detail the nine-step plein air alla prima painting process for oil and acrylics. This plein air alla prima painting process is quick and efficient and will help you get the best results. Best of all, the same plein air alla prima painting technique is equally applicable to studio work where you want to a nice loose feeling and want to complete a painting in one or more sessions and to figure work when the figures are likely to move.
Each of the plein air alla prima painting steps are illustrated with examples of two different paintings, and include about 30 important tips that will be extremely helpful to you when painting outdoors (plein air).It also describes 18 common problems that you are likely to run into when you are plein air painting and what to do about them. The course unit finishes with a detailed discussion of two award-winning plein air alla prima paintings, and what made them work.This course unit also describes eight key ideas that will make the most difference to helping you improve your plein air alla prima paintings and help make them stand out.

Unit 2 - Watercolor Step-by-Step


This course unit describes the nine-step plein air painting process as above, but adjusted for the different steps need when you are using watercolors.

Unit 3 - Working from Photographic Reference

If you like to work in the studio rather than outdoors, or a combination of both, it is important to get good images of your subject so that you can more accurately depict a scene. This means buying the right equipment for the job. In this course unit you will learn:
how to work from digital images and print images how to store digital images so you can find them again which digital and film equipment works best

Materials & Equipment Unit 1 - Paints and Pigments

This course unit outlines the basic properties of paint colors. It gives you all the information you need to get started painting with oil, acrylic and watercolor paints. You will learn: the relative advantages and disadvantages of oils, acrylics, and watercolors which pigments you need and the properties of each type of pigment

Materials & Equipment Unit 2 - Mediums & Varnishes

This course unit discusses the various mediums you can add to your paint when painting with oils or acrylics to change the properties of the paint. In addition you will learn about how to protect your paintings with varnishes You will learn: which mediums you can use with oils paints and why you use them which varnishes to use how to varnish a painting successfully

Materials & Equipment Unit 3 - Oil & Acrylic Painting Supports - Studio

In this unit you will learn:

the different types of
painting supports and the advantages and disadvantages of each.
how to make your own cheap painting supports.
how to stretch your own canvases

Materials & Equipment Unit 4 - Oil & Acrylic Painting Supports - Plein Air


Traveling to paint with oil or acrylics can present many challenges, particularly with regards to the weight and bulk of your painting supports. In this course unit are some great tips and techniques that I have learned over the years from various experienced artist travelers for how to deal with this problem.

what are the four main choices for lightweight
painting supports for oil and acrylics, and the advantages and disadvantages of each
which supports to use when you are travelling
how to make drying boxes storing your wet paintings
how to make panel carriers for longer painting trips

Materials & Equipment Unit 5 - Watercolor Painting Supports


This course unit covers information on painting supports for water-colour artists. You will learn: what are the three grades of watercolor papers and which to use the pros and cons of watercolor blocks versus loose paper. how to stretch watercolor paper before you use it

Materials & Equipment Unit 6 - Oil & Acrylic Brushes

This course unit describes the oil and acrylic brushes and palette knives you can use in the studio. You will learn:

which types of brushes to use for which applications and effects
the choices for brush cleaners, the pros and cons of each, and how to use them to clean your brushes
the three types of palette knives that are most useful for cleaning your palette while working and for scraping the paint off your painting support

Materials & Equipment Unit 7 - Watercolor Brushes

This course unit describes the typesof brushes you can use for watercolor painting. You will learn:

which types of brushes to use for which applications and effects
some options for holding water that will lighten your load when painting outdoors

Materials & Equipment - Unit 8 - Oil & Acrylic Easels & Palettes - Studio

This course unit describes your options for easels and palettes when you are working in the studio, You will learn:

the top choice for professionals working on large canvases
the different types of materials you can use to make a large studio palette and which is the easiest to clean
what to use for storing your oil painting palette under water to prevent the paintfrom drying out

Materials & Equipment Unit 9 - Oil & Acrylic Easels & Palettes - Plein Air

This course unit describes two systems for oil & acrylic painters when painting outdoors. It describes the various types of easels or pochades you can use, and the various palettes you can use with them:

Car painting travel system
Superlightweight travel system

Materials & Equipment Unit 10 - Watercolor Easels & Palettes

This course unit outlines the various options you have for easels and palettes when working with watercolors. You will learn:

what options you have for studio easels for watercolor
what lightweight portable easel systems you can use for traveling and paintingoutdoors or "plein air"
what is the smallest pocket sized system you can take anywhere for small watercolor sketches.

Materials & Equipment Unit 11 - Organizing Your Studio

This course unit describes how to set up and organize your studio. You will learn:

how to layout and light your studio
how to protect yourself from chemicals and polluted air
how to catalog your artwork and frame them for display in a gallery

Materials & Equipment Unit 12 - Organizing Plein Air Painting

This course unit describes the various pieces of equipment (apart from paintingsupports, easels, palettes, and brushes) that are useful when painting outdoors or "plein air". You will learn:

two checklists for what to pack when travelling by car or plane
how to shade your painting when you are working outdoors
the critical items of clothing you need to wear when painting outdoors
essential pieces of lightweight equipment.

Our comprehensive 4 year program of study
for all levels

Virtual Art Academy is designed to be both suitable for beginners and professionals alike. If you are serious about improving your painting skills, no matter your current level, and you want to become an excellent artist and you are looking for a comprehensive in-depth program of study that's expertly organized, then look no further. You will get immediate access to:

	192 Lessons

	340 Assignments

	Learn More >>

Get Our FREE Painting Lessons

Your first name	Your email address

Building Block: Process

What is included in each course unit?

Unit 1 - Alla Prima painting

Unit 2 - Watercolor Step-by-Step

Unit 3 - Working from Photographic Reference

Materials & Equipment Unit 1 - Paints and Pigments

Materials & Equipment Unit 2 - Mediums & Varnishes

Materials & Equipment Unit 3 - Oil & Acrylic Painting Supports - Studio