Abstract Painter.Art Educator.
David M. Kessler Fine Art
Painting from photographs is a very bad habit that many amateur painters and students consistently utilize to make paintings. Photographs can be used effectively as reference material for paintings, however what I see and hear from most of my painting students is that they replicate the photograph completely without first organizing a separate painting composition or value study.
Read MoreI like to be fearless in the studio. I think we can all benefit from being fearless when we approach a blank canvas. After all, what is there really to fear? In a previous post I talked about painting fears and how to overcome them. When you realize what they are, it is easy to recognize and then remove them.
Read MoreWhen I teach workshops across the country I often see students paralyzed by fear - so fearful they find it difficult to paint. I am not talking about all workshop students, just a small percentage. I believe all have some degree of fear when beginning a workshop, there are only a small group that let the fear overtake them. I also hear it from other artists (not workshop students), particularly in online forums or discussions about painting.
Read MoreAbstract Painting Academy is an online version of David's wildly popular Bigger, Faster, Fresher, Looser Abstract Painting Workshops. This online workshop is specifically designed for those who, for whatever reason, cannot attend one of David's live workshop events. The in-depth content is the same that he teaches to hundreds of students in live workshop events all across the country each year.
Read MoreThe most common question asked of any artist is: What is your inspiration? I believe that lots of people use this as an icebreaker to begin a conversation about the art. My typical answer to this question is that I am inspired by many things around me: the landscape, nature, the seasons, the ocean, the energy of a big city and color. Although I am inspired many by things, I DO NOT RELY ON INSPIRATION to paint. I believe that the myth of artist's requiring inspiration has come from the media and those that don't paint.
Read MoreI never intended to become a professional artist; I never intended to travel the country teaching others how to create abstract paintings in a loose, free manner; I never intended to be an abstract painter; I never intended to write a book or a blog; I never intended to be an expert in my field contacted by people all over the world for advice on painting. I am always amazed at what has happened in my life, regardless of what my intentions may have been. For those that may not know, just a few years ago I was an architect and a watercolor painter painting mostly landscapes.
Read MoreIf you have an item to ship that is not a standard size, you can make your own shipping container easily. Here is what you will need: corrugated cardboard sheet (large enough for your container), packing tape, metal ruler/straight edge, razor knife, cutting board, marker, tape measure, paper, pencil.
Read MoreThe second most popular question I receive from students is, "What type of brushes do you use?" So, this post is all about the brushes. For those new to acrylic painting, there are three major bristle materials that brushes are constructed with: nylon, natural and a blend of natural and nylon. I use mostly brushes with natural bristles, but I do use a few nylon bristle brushes.
Read MoreThe question I get asked the most by students and other painters is, "What type of paint do you use?" I only use professional quality acrylic paint because it is 100% pigment with no filler added. Also available are student grade paints, and nearly every paint manufacturer produces a line of student grade paint.
Read MoreI'm fortunate to have a dedicated studio space in my home. It is used for making paintings, hosting workshops and filming videos; that;'s it, nothing else. There are no technological distractions because my laptop and all my office equipment is located in another area of my home. I know all artists don't have a dedicated space to paint.
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