Country Road - Ohio : Painting Tutorial

Hello Everyone
+This is a start-to-finish watercolor painting demonstration recorded in real-time. In this video, I cover intention, composition, value design, atmosphere, and color scheme - as well as interpretation, formatting, narrative, drawing, sketching, and perspective, etc.
+The scene is a composite view of a country road in Ohio near where I grew up. In the video, I discussed the possible advantage of adding an additional tree to the left of the composition for better balance. And in the thumbnail, you can see that I decided to do that after filming. This choice shows that you can waver from your initial compositional plan if it helps to improve the overall impact of the work.
Thanks for watching!
Tom
+This painting was done on Whatman Watercolor Paper - rough surface - 300gsm :
+14x20 inches
+Pigments by Daniel Smith
+Brushes by Escoda and Neef and Davinci
( "Thomas W Schaller" Signature Brushes by NEEF available online at Senior Art; Melbourne)
+Palette by House of Hoffman
+Sketch pencils by Blackwing and Faber-Castell
+Sketchbook by Stillman + Birn
Thomas W Schaller AWS NWS TWSA ASAI
www.thomaswschaller.com
thomaswschaller
thomaswschaller
Thomas W Schaller - Artist, Architect, Author
New York City - 2024

[@Diego_SanCA]

Thank goodness somebody can still demonstrate how beautiful watercolor painting is. No guache, no acrylic. Just beautiful watercolor like Thomas can do!

[@thomaswschaller]

thanks so. much

[@reillydesign]

I can't get enough of these.

[@thomaswschaller]

Thank you

[@luckyhiker3434]

Thomas, you are simply the best engaging artist. Your commentary is excellent and your paint application is second to none. I really liked the composition. Robt.

[@thomaswschaller]

Thanks so much Robert - I appreciate it

[@myrriahosborne]

I could watch you paint trees for hours💙

[@thomaswschaller]

Oh my!! :)

[@mysticriver9420]

Trop belle aquarelle. ❤❤❤❤

[@tomrohr3861]

Thomas. Once again thank you for being so kind as to share this painting. I recently did somewhat of a similar painting and after seeing yours, wish I had seen it first, as I would have made some changes which would have helped the painting. Again, thanks.

[@thomaswschaller]

Thanks Tom - I appreciate it

[@sophiemessenger5472]

This was magnificent! Thank you Rachel Parker Varner for sharing. I really love this!

[@thomaswschaller]

Thank you - and Rachel - for watching !

[@nainahegde9380]

Mind blowing. What beautiful techniques. It tears 😢 me up everytime i watch this video.

[@thomaswschaller]

Thank you

[@jeanpierredeldyck9873]

Quel bonheur de suivre votre démarche artistique pendant près de 2 heures sans ennui ni facilité Vous semblez douter malgré votre maîtrise parfaite de l’aquarelle c’est le propre de l’artiste de toujours chercher l’excellence Bravo et merci

[@thomaswschaller]

merci, merci

[@jacquarel]

Beautiful Demo. Thank you Thomas

[@EdoHannema-Watercolour-Art]

Thank you Thomas! Loved every brushstroke of it! Beautiful tutorial in techniques!

[@thomaswschaller]

thanks my friend

[@kamallochansharma6682]

This could be one of the best paintings of yours. Love and respect from India...!!!

[@LynnMaudlin]

I didn't realize you have a YT channel - thank you for sharing!

[@sanellen]

I enjoyed each and every step of your demo and explaining the process as you went along! Thank you so much!

[@thomaswschaller]

great ! thanks so much

[@jeanwillis7774]

What an absolute joy to meet you Thomas,and your masterful painting,You have opened my eyes on professional watercolour …Your work is exquisite and your teaching a fresh detailed approach. Thank you from my ♥️🇨🇦

[@thomaswschaller]

That's very kind Jean - Thank you so much

[@rachelsstudiodotcom]

Wow what a treat. I'm sharing this with my 1000+ Patreon members!

[@thomaswschaller]

Thank you so much Rachel! I appreciate it!

[@rachelsstudiodotcom]

@@thomaswschaller I just finished watching - I love that tree brush. I can't wait to try painting trees your way!

[@marlenemaki163]

I like your comment about the direction of the light in this painting. I have struggled with this and your comment just lightened the struggle for me. Thanks for all your work to teach the concept of painting the light. MM

[@thomaswschaller]

It's a thing we can struggle with mightily - (and I have) . But in the end, we have to remember we are creating an image - our own reality. If it works for the painting - it works

[@carollundstrom6519]

Thank you Thomas for this excellent painting demonstration. I really appreciate how you articulate your thought process while you paint, in such a calm and enjoyable way. I also appreciate the very up close filming of your painting process and how you show your whole process from start to finish. I find I always learn better when I can see clearly and up close the paint being laid down. I didn't realize that you have a You Tube channel until I saw your tutorial shared by Rachel Parker Varner. I live in Wisconsin so I especially enjoy rural scenes like these. Thank you for sharing your expertise with us.

[@thomaswschaller]

Thanks so much Carol I appreciate it. And thanks so Rachel!

[@erallen509]

Thank you so very much for this demo. I so very respect your abilities

[@thomaswschaller]

Thank you Eileen

[@judybreedlove5348]

So nice to watch you paint, again. Many years ago, I took a 4 or 5 day tutorial from you in New Mexico, thru the New Mexico Watercolor Society. I learned so much from you and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. My Patreon watercolor teacher, Rachel Parker Varner, notified me that you had a KZbin channel....I definitely will be tuning in every time you post....truly enjoyed this tutorial and the memory of your boyhood home....thank you.

[@thomaswschaller]

So good to hear from you - and I appreciate your watching . Thank you, Judy.

[@wittie28]

As always, it is beautiful. Thank you!

[@thomaswschaller]

Thanks!

[@suzannetaylor1556]

It’s hot here in Georgia as well. Thanks for sharing.

[@juliemccormack8389]

Thanks Tom for a wonderful master class. My biggest problem is knowing when to stop. It’s interesting to hear you talk about stopping before overdoing it! It’s never easy to recognise the point when I need to STOP 🛑🎨

[@thomaswschaller]

Yes, we all struggle a bit with this I believe. But if you prioritize freshness and fluidity, in time I think you can clearly hear the inner voice telling you to "put the brush down" before it's too late

[@juliemccormack8389]

What great advice, thank you 🙏🎨

[@SailHorse]

Thank you for sharing your artistic process and thinking in such a clear way. The result is stunning.

[@thomaswschaller]

Thanks for watching

[@JanaBailey-ff7uf]

Incredibly beautiful!

[@thomaswschaller]

Thank you so much

[@sherrym.2413]

This subject is one that really interested me because I'm in the midwest and it's the kind of landscape painting that I tend to paint. I learned so much by watching your approach on painting the scene. Thank you, thank you Wonderful painting!

[@thomaswschaller]

that's great to hear - thanks

[@erallen509]

You say you've ruined so many paintings with bad trees. My first thought when I saw this painting online, I thought, "His trees are always magical"

[@thomaswschaller]

Thanks so much - But in truth - my batting average is far from perfect

[@fromcyn4472]

When I stopped painting a few months ago to nurse my hubby back to health, I turned to your beautiful videos and listening to a calming voice to keep me rooted to my art. It's like spirituàl theràpy for me. I still don't paint, I still miss it but hope one day I will. Thank you for what you do.

[@thomaswschaller]

Thank you for that. I hope that if it feels right, you can get back to it. It can be a very healing practice

[@mysticriver9420]

Vous êtes un professeur merveilleux ❤

[@thomaswschaller]

merci

[@jdcherrierart]

I love your videos so much! I'm just finishing up Lesson 1 of the mentorship course on Terracotta. The program is more incredible than I could ever imagine! Anyone thinking about the mentorship -- for me it has been life-changing!

[@thomaswschaller]

Thanks so much Joyce

[@JVSwailesBoudicca]

Dreamy, I love it. I can never work-along-with-you because watching you is mesmerising ! If I get my head into your beautiful book I find it hard to get out !

[@thomaswschaller]

I appreciate it!

[@ccw347]

This is a beautiful scene and painting. The connection to you, as the artist, makes it all the more compelling and special. Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge.🎨Cami

[@thomaswschaller]

Thank you for watching and for your kind comments Cami

[@maureendowd7387]

Enjoying watching you painting. Maureen.

[@user-px5gk6om5q]

I see from the static image shown prior to clicking on the video to start you snuck in a couple of trees in the foreground. I do like it both with and without.

[@thomaswschaller]

Yes I did - I had no intention earlier on. But in looking at the final, it seemed it needed the foreground trees. That said, I like them well enough, but feel it could have been OK without

[@Winstonsmom]

Good morning Thomas. Thank you for these wonderful tutorials. Your approach to colour has been a bit of a watershed moment for me. I would love to see more tutorials exploring colour, pigments etc. I also just purchased your book. So lovely and inspiring.

[@thomaswschaller]

Thanks so very much

[@louisepansieri3230]

Thank you for this interesting demo. Beautiful painting. Lucky neighbours!

[@morgenmachen2400]

Love how the sky and road play off each other. Unusual composition - I really enjoy it. Thank you for putting so much work into your KZbin lately. We're loving it!

[@thomaswschaller]

thanks so much for watching

[@MastiffMike1]

Tom, at some point please consider doing a video on your paper prep process. Do you soak, tape&staple, etc. And what are your thoughts on Baohong's paper blocks (some even have your name on them)? Thanks!

[@thomaswschaller]

you got it

[@bahumdinger8361]

Big thanks TS...always a treat. Having grown up in Ohio and graduating from osu, I particularly appreciate this. ☺

[@thomaswschaller]

love to hear it. thanks

[@jcline147]

A session on paper would be an excellent opportunity for everyone to really understand what is of importance …there is a lot of confusion out there about the quality of so many types available. Thanks again for this instruction. I appreciate you taking the time to share your experience and talent with everyone.

[@thomaswschaller]

Yes - perhaps so - The issue is that the question isn't always what's important - but what the expressive choices are. There's no one "correct" paper

[@jcline147]

@@thomaswschaller OK I watched this a second time and at the very end you brought some leaves over the house. It was after you painted the darker leaves in the tree in back of the house. The roof line would’ve gone back quite far and that tree in the back would not have been sending leaves or shadows of leaves across the front of the house ..and I found that confusing. I could see maybe using the front tree as that ..but not the very back trees. I know nothing has to be in total reality, but sometimes when I’m looking at shadows and where they fall with the sunshine and the shadows cast down from a building…or a street …I always have to look for where it’s coming from ..and maybe that’s just me. I don’t know. I don’t want things to be necessarily perfect. It’s just that it’s confusing when I look at shadows that are going the wrong way or placement of something that doesn’t seem realistic, but then again ..I guess it doesn’t have to be totally 😊realistic lol.

[@thomaswschaller]

@@jcline147 The leaves that cut across in front of the house are coming from the tree nearest and in the front - not from the trees in the rear. Sorry that is confusing - but I'm not sure why it would be

[@jcline147]

@@thomaswschaller OK I can see it now. Thank you.

[@thomaswschaller]

@@jcline147 No problem. And again - sorry for any confusion. I may not have explained it clearly enough while painting. Sometimes when I'm painting, I don;t speak as plainly as I would otherwise

[@frolicthebay957]

Thank you so much for showing your full process. What a delight to watch!

[@thomaswschaller]

thanks so much

[@madome8508]

Muchas gracias! Un trabajo maravilloso 😍

[@thomaswschaller]

Thank you !

[@rosine2]

Merci Thomas Schaller

[@ELP979]

Спасибо большое за прекрасный урок по акварели.

[@thomaswschaller]

you're very welcome

[@ellenlee5012]

Thank you very much for sharing the detailed watercolor painting tutorials. The value study is very helpful.

[@Shamufrootyboots]

He should sell his thumbnails, because 1) they are lovely and insightful; 2) I might be able to afford one; but mainly because of reason one.

[@lindamooser7951]

Hello Thomas, vielen Dank für dein sehr interessantes Video. Ich habe es grad angeschaut und es macht Spass dir zu zu schauen.Du verstehst dein Handwerk.whow! Aber eine Frage : du hast mit einem kleiner Flasche gespray.War das Wasser ? oder ein spezieller Verzögerer für Aquarellfarben? Vielen Dank für die Antwort und viele Grüsse Limo

[@thomaswschaller]

Hallo Linda Ja - die kleine Nebelflasche war nur mit Wasser gefüllt. Es wird von der Firma Holbein hergestellt und ist sehr preiswert

[@user-kt5fq3ig6w]

Beautiful painting and finally someone who mentions the sizing issue for vegan/anti-animal cruelty artists