Sometimes the melody whispers while the words steal the show. In Doug Swinton’s latest article, “Design Before Execution,” he dives into the balance between structure and spontaneity — how design lays the foundation, but composition decides who takes the spotlight. Whether it’s a street scene or a still life, it all starts with a solid plan…

Strategy before execution. Get the design right first, then add the magic juice on top. Just like in music. Just like in painting.

Is using AI to help you paint cheating? From paintbrushes to photoshop read on Doug's point of view when using technology to help you paint.

Get your creative juices flowing when you're stuck in painter's block with these 10 tips and exercises.

Explore the "what if" factor. Embrace your unique inspirations and push boundaries to craft your art.

A quick excerpt about how less is more when it comes to painting is perfectly summarized with a classic country/western song.

I just revisited Austin Kleon’s wonderful book Steal Like An Artist. At about the same time I received an email asking questions that I...

Critiquing your own work can be hard. Understanding how to critique yourself can make things easier and end in a better result.

This article teaches you a few ways to re-energize your creativity by seeing someone else perform their talents.

Shhhhh……Don’t tell anyone. This is just between us. Here are 5 top secret colour mixes that you may not have tried, but if you do they...

7 Steps to creative flow. Follow these steps and be free from overthinking placing you dead center in the creative zone.

See the video about these techniques here --> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2HbNsqfUk8 Sometimes it is hard to get motivated after the...

It's usually is a better idea to start from scratch. But if you are to rework a painting after a while, read this guide first.

See, the full meal deal is; You want to have a funky painting with lots of eye-popping creativity, and yet you want harmony in there too.

At great risk of sounding like the fan-boy I am, I would like to acknowledge a very special artist, whose name is Harley Brown.

Knowing when to quit a painting can be like diffusing a bomb. One wrong move and the whole thing blows up before your eyes!

Bad reference = bad painting. With some timing and luck, here is another way to get some great shots for your next painting.

If you want to take your art up a flight of stairs to the next level here are some ideas that will help get you there.

Swinton's Holiday Newsletter As most of you who follow this newsletter know I have a thing for Santa paintings. As a kid, the night would...

The sky is key to painting a believable landscape. It determines everything that is about to happen in your painting.