Focusing on Brushwork When We Paint

Good brushwork demands attention. Research has shown that 46% of the time we are not actually paying attention to what is going on now.
We all admire clean bold brushwork. In my experience, we don't ever master that. We need to pay attention and push ourselves to be bold, direct and precise.
In this video I only show the actual painting process, the brushwork. No block in. Just finding the color and putting it down.
Link to join my email list so you receive these videos weekly to your inbox: www.ianroberts.com/e-learning...
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Instagram @ianrobertsartist: / ianrobertsartist

[@annsowers4591]

I like to take a day and concentrate on color mixing and using my different brushes. There is a definite learning curve with watercolor but I enjoy it. I paint to help me with the loss of my Son. It keeps my mind busy.

[@BarbrajoanOriginals]

Ann Sowers, can I say I’m so sorry for your loss. I am able to say I know how you feel, because I really do. It’s been many years since I lost my twenty six year old son. I don’t know if your loss was recent, but painting will help you. I’m a watercolor painter, but I dabble in oils also. Keep painting , keep your mind and hands busy. The pain of losing a child never goes away fully, but you can learn to live with it. You do. Tallahassee Florida .

[@marykahn6803]

Im so sorry for your loss. It’s been 9 years since I my son and painting and creating with oils and learning has given me an inspiration that helps with that loss.

[@TOPFIVEFIT]

Loved seeing a painting done without a traditional blocking in stage. I'm a very detail-oriented person, and I have such a hard time with big blocks of color that I know will be covered by something else! Thanks for another great lesson.

[@leandrodurao0991]

Hello Ian ... I hope everything is fine ... I'm from Roo de Janeiro , Brasil ... I watch your lessons every day ... I painted for 45 years with a classic tendency rich in details ... you radically changed my painting with simplification and a new focus in design ... painting only what really matters ... I am very very very happy with the freshness of my new work ... stay with God ... lots of health ... sorry about my english ... It's like Tarzan ... 😂😂😂

[@IanRobertsMasteringComposition]

Hi Leandro, well even as Tarzan you certainly made it clear. Thank you for letting me know how my videos have helped. Makes me happy to hear it. Best wishes to you as well.

[@Dennis-Hare]

Hi Leandro, Funny, I too have been painting a while, and have been stubbornly (self-taught) sticking to my usual routine, mostly over painting my work, with occasional success. After watching Ian, and a few other earnest artists, I feel like I am breaking out of my shell, however old habits do die hard, and it is a constant battle between my alter egos. Ian definitely has his act together and I respect his conclusions. Thank you and good luck.

[@judymiller8883]

Great lesson on brush strokes. I notice you twirl the brush as you drag it across the canvas and many of your marks are similar to those in your drawings. Another good reason to do the drawing first! Thank you Ian for another fantastic video!

[@normanmerrill1241]

I’ve just started watching you and already feel more comfortable with your teachings than all the 1000’s of painting videos I’ve watched...I will continue...thanks...

[@IanRobertsMasteringComposition]

Hi Norman, well that makes my day. Welcome. And glad you find the videos useful.

[@BirchBrook]

You make an ordinary scene look fabulous.

[@jenniferbealey4658]

I have been totally blocked in my painting for the last 15 months or so, not knowing what to do about it. Having just stumbled on your videos Ian I feel as though I have some starting points to get back into it. I’m going to give it a try today, so thank you so much.

[@kathleenflanagan6760]

Thank you. I would never have attempted to paint a scene with so much foreground. I feel like giving it a whirl.

[@screeningmimi]

I love what you did. Honestly, I didn't see much in the photograph to interest me, but you turned it into a thing of beauty~ LOL...I've probably passed by a thousand such opportunities. ;- )

[@janeiwan3809]

Ian, all of your posts are fabulous. I am so thankful that you're doing these demos. Best wishes, Jane

[@IanRobertsMasteringComposition]

Thanks so much Jane. Great to hear from you.

[@karlasolomon8128]

Watching you paint, especially hearing the choices and decisions you make as you go, is both interesting and useful.

[@Nurse3811]

Came to your sure through James Gurney. Always been a watercolorist , but a friend is having me take acrylic classes with her … and I miss the great lights that I used to get with watercolor . You sir , have proved to me that an opaque technique can be full of LIGHT! Thank you , and you deserve the $60/month I’m paying for these classes!!!

[@sandraworrall-hart3840]

The brushwork of all the different greens in the foreground creates a lot of movement. Love the way you have accentuated the blue in three places. Thank you

[@IanRobertsMasteringComposition]

Thanks Sandi. Glad you found it engaging. Best wishes.

[@valeriachilders]

As always, wonderful. Thank you.

[@nataliehachey4865]

Love it!

[@gwenritch]

I absolutely love this loose feeling. I strive in this direction but the struggle is real at keeping it loose. Thanks for the great video

[@Michelle-hg3sv]

Just what I needed! Thank you, Ian.

[@donam4840]

I look forward to your Tuesday videos and sunlit paintings. It's a joy seeing new scenery--alleyways to canyon walls. Your demo and tips have helped me gradually improve each week. Thank you so much for generously sharing your knowledge.

[@dv9476]

Simply awesome

[@anisaonofre]

That is beautiful. Thank you.

[@cheryrobertson2735]

Thank you for your wonderful “handholding “ to take us with you through your process. I’m new at this and am soaking up instruction, no longer thinking it isn’t authentic if I don’t stumble on truth all on my own!

[@lynnhuntington3498]

I am grateful for these, always pleased on Tuesday morning. Thank you

[@oljas4642]

Great instruction, I am so thankful for all yours demos. Thank you, all the best 🎨

[@mumtazsamnani1237]

Just perfect demonstration for brush strokes thank you

[@bilaljanart]

Beautiful

[@yeshonestly4268]

Great learning as always. Thank you. I liked the painting more, just before it was completely finished. The contrast before it finished were awesome. 😆

[@SerenitySam]

You are just simply amazing!!!

[@jamiewashington7853]

Loved this! Beautiful. So interesting to watch you work. Thank you!

[@joyceheddy6321]

Loved it! Do more. Fantastic instructions

[@maryannbradshaw6658]

Thank you for the lesson on brush strokes.

[@JoanKentBible]

Brilliant! Your paintings are beautiful and your videos really, really helpful. Thank you for your generosity.

[@PradipAgrawalPatna]

Great work

[@christinefischerart]

Your work inspires and teaches me as always! Thank you for sharing your process of "Mastering Composition".

[@paintingsofwaves_mikewoning]

LOVELY painting and great explanation. Thanks so much!

[@thvrijhof-kruit7357]

Thank you Ian

[@donnaduhamel6004]

Beautiful.....

[@jamesb2059]

Extraordinarily helpful and inspiring once again. Thank you.

[@rebeccajosteelman563]

Beautiful.

[@francoforleo4971]

Truly beautiful!

[@monev4456]

Beautiful! I’ve learned so much with your videos; thank you!

[@glorious5389]

From prosaic photo to a work of art. Thank you so much for your generosity in teaching people you don’t even know. God bless you.

[@kosolya]

So much acknowledgment I have captured from you! You are my Happy Day! Just subscribed! Looking forward to new Masterclasses. Thank you!

[@pourquoipas971]

Thank you..great artist, great teacher/ coach! Pascale, de FWI ( guadeloupe)

[@pchabanowich]

Every time I encounter a new work of yours, I instantly recognize it, and the same initial appeal of your subtle colours has me caught yet again! I've no room to paint, but I take your compositional and colour information to my work digitally. Thank you huge.💐

[@IanRobertsMasteringComposition]

Thanks so much Peter. All the best.

[@cathyserafinowicz6374]

Fabulous! Thanks so much.❤️ 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@Dennis-Hare]

You are right, Ian. The finished image has great coloration. Thank you.

[@lynnhuntington3498]

Beautiful ly captured

[@analivingston7590]

Loved it.... Thanks again...!

[@carolyncibik8429]

Great Painting! I love watching your videos. Very informative!

[@53justjude]

The leson I have learnt and has been highlighted for me is that I am far too heavy handed with my brushwork. Thank you for this video Ian.

[@kandicegillies2500]

I love to watch you paint, Ian. Beautiful painting!

[@IanRobertsMasteringComposition]

Thanks Kandice. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@orbmanelson]

Just so Lovely in every way!

[@Michelle-kw2sp]

That is a good composition.

[@lanaschuster7630]

Margaret was right, this is worth another viewing for the brushwork. It was also a good review of the steps: crop the view, sketch the road map, draw the value masses, all this before painting. Now I have a third mantra: crop, sketch, draw, paint. It's great that these videos stay up for revisiting. Thanks again Ian.

[@IanRobertsMasteringComposition]

Yes, the steps. All those steps before the brush hits the canvas. Painful but true.

[@gizmogimble9559]

Your lessons are so valuable, thanks you so very much, From Australia

[@boulbon08]

Hi Ian, I love your Tuesday posts! Thanks for putting them together 🙏

[@IanRobertsMasteringComposition]

You are welcome. Love you name "Being authentic" Did you know I wrote a book called Creative Authenticity. So I am all in on the idea. Best wishes.

[@rolisonpaint3]

Really great demo. gorgeous painting thank you !

[@IanRobertsMasteringComposition]

Thanks so much for letting me know Loretta.

[@catherinecabbell2666]

One of your best demos! And such a beautiful painting and composition- thanks again for your generosity and thoughtfulness..

[@IanRobertsMasteringComposition]

Thank you Catherine. Appreciate your letting me know you liked it.

[@lovewillwinnn]

Finished painting is stunning as usual. 😆👏👏

[@candacetroystudios]

I’m looking forward to learning more about how colors relate to mood. You do this so well.

[@IanRobertsMasteringComposition]

Hi Candace, I'll see if I can address that one week. Best wishes.

[@daniellukensow4095]

Very good. Spot on. Love the brush strokes. Thanks

[@IanRobertsMasteringComposition]

Thanks Dan. Appreciate your letting me know.

[@terrierose5917]

You have a beautiful style, and I love your choice of colors.

[@yenhoff22]

A beautiful Renoir.

[@simonnemason2162]

Thank you so much

[@eyeballs46]

Thanks so much, Ian. As usual, a thoughtful and useful video. Your point is well taken about getting values right and refining color later, but in some future video please discuss what you did to the blocked-in painting to arrive at final hues. Did you, for example, achieve that late afternoon warmth by applying a thinned layer of deep yellow/ochre to all the vegetation to knock down the bluish cast of the block-in colors? Just ordered a copy of MASTERING COMPOSITION, eager to see what it contains.

[@elisabeth6386]

Thank you so much for your fantasic teaching 😍

[@IanRobertsMasteringComposition]

You are welcome Lisa. Best wishes.

[@gaylemartin6498]

Thank you, Ian. You are an inspiration and great source of very important information to those of us trying to find our way with painting. Happy Thanksgiving!

[@IanRobertsMasteringComposition]

Happy Thanks giving to you too Gayle. Best wishes, Ian.

[@philippaheadleyartist8450]

As Always very informative - especially the shadow areas...

[@IanRobertsMasteringComposition]

Hi Philippa, it is so nice to hear from you. Hope all is well and your painting is going well. Thanks for letting me know you liked the video. Best wishes.

[@orlane219]

To my mind beautiful painting. I love it. Thank you for sharing your work.

[@IanRobertsMasteringComposition]

Thanks so much Hannah. It is always nice to hear. Best wishes.

[@nickfanzo]

Nice painting

[@davideatwell6577]

I think you're doing a very good job, regards

[@candacetroystudios]

Wonderful demo Ian. Your brush strokes are so relaxed and effortless to my eyes. Years of painting experience for sure. Interesting watching you go from light to dark. Your greens are beautiful, transitions, movement, direction and complexity and much more show how to move through a painting. I’m becoming a Tuesday regular when I can. Thank you. Stay safe and well.

[@IanRobertsMasteringComposition]

Candace, delighted you are enjoying the videos. All the best to you.

[@marieczm5970]

Great demo Ian. I can relate the laying of the vertical lines in the middle ground field and the more oblique lines coming to the foreground to painting ocean waves. Waves are horizontal toward the horizon and often oblique when coming to shore. It makes a more interesting design. I am always looking forward to your Tuesday morning teachings! Thank you!

[@IanRobertsMasteringComposition]

Hi Marie, I'm delighted you are enjoying the weekly videos. Best wishes.

[@user-pe2pt6pq8z]

Огромное спасибо!

[@Tizaheijting]

Great video! Always wait for them to turn up on Tuesdays. Thank you.

[@IanRobertsMasteringComposition]

Thank you for letting me know Patricia. I appreciate it. Best wishes/

[@janleitch]

I am finding so much benefit in these short compositional videos. Thank you very much for taking the time to show us these basic ideas. I am trying to learn to draw and paint on my own and the light is starting to shine.

[@allenenelson6289]

Every scene interesting....where before it was not...before your painting it. That is landscape painting.

[@evgeniawillis2836]

I am showing your work and suggestions on KZbin to my students, Thank You!

[@IanRobertsMasteringComposition]

Hi Evgenia, thank you so much. I really appreciate that. Best wishes.

[@marybethw8121]

Just completed my Ian Robert’s marathon! I’ve watched ALL the videos in about one week! Notes...screenshots printed out! This has helped me more than I can ever express. I was imprisoned in pursuing every detail! Now it is photo-crop-armature structure-shapes-hue/intensity/value. All this with flow to focal point!! The “treasure map”, then “the journey begins when you pick up your brush”. And that is what I am about to do!! Again, 🙏 thank you so much!!!

[@IanRobertsMasteringComposition]

Marybeth, I gotta hand it to you. You're a quick study. Got the whole thing down in one week. Well done!

[@masterpiecetools131]

That is a beautiful painting.

[@IanRobertsMasteringComposition]

Thank you.

[@d00dl3SEd]

Jaw dropping at the end

[@maggielassie2320]

Ian thanks for sharing that brilliant way to add tree trunks in those birch trees !!! Maggie

[@IanRobertsMasteringComposition]

Hi Maggie, it works for birches anyway. Best wishes.

[@justtubingby129]

Before noticing the artwork, I thought you were in a doctor's office 😊 Thank you for your great content.

[@svetlanaproskurovska6795]

Wonderful painting. Very simple, yet, very appealing. Composition reads easily. You eliminated chaos and created a pleasing painting.

[@IanRobertsMasteringComposition]

Hi Svetlana, thank you. Glad you liked the painting.

[@desleykakoulidisgallaway3382]

That is so lovely. Great technique. Captures the serenity of this beautiful spot with life🙏🏻🦋🥰

[@mbegonasastre6938]

Thank you

[@robinalbee1660]

Excellent video! Seeing your brushstrokes and the subtle flicking up for trees is helpful. And of course you always use a decent sized brush, even for details which is a good lesson I’m still internalizing with own painting.

[@IanRobertsMasteringComposition]

Glad that was helpful Robin. The thing with the big brush is getting enough paint on the end that in fact you can make a small mark with it, rather than a half full brush which pretty much makes the mark the width of the brush.

[@robinalbee1660]

@@IanRobertsMasteringComposition Well, that’s certainly a helpful thing to know, thanks.

[@rebeccabassett4714]

I paint with Pastels, but have found the foundations that you are talking about apply to my medium too. I'm looking forward to applying these ideas to my paintings.

[@IanRobertsMasteringComposition]

HI Rebecca, you bring up a good point. Even though as someone working in pastel and you watch a video on brushwork. Regardless of medium, the idea of structure underlying the image, and the orchestration of value masses, are the foundation of making paintings work consistently. Glad you are finding the videos helpful.

[@helenem4586]

I've watched several of your videos but haven't made a comment, which omission I correct now. Yours are the most instructive and useful videos of all I've encountered. I don't know by what circumstance one of your vids first appeared on my whatever it is one sees on going to youtube, but I'm very glad I clicked on it. I've become quite a fan.

[@IanRobertsMasteringComposition]

Thanks Helen.

[@paintlady2268]

Fantastic, all around! Painting😍 I use to be afraid that planning a painting would turn it into a killjoy activity. Yet it can actuality clear the way for more in the moment expression 'cause the big things are already taken care of.

[@IanRobertsMasteringComposition]

To my mind, that is it exactly. Sure there may be some experimental idea that requires just trying something to see what happens. But mostly I think a map is what you need before heading into the woods.

[@leesaunders5495]

Thank you for the brushwork tips. It's too easy to just do blobs for trees in the distance albeit altering the colours The direction of their growth is important to show and adds to their complexity.

[@allenvoss7977]

Great lesson I’m starting to understand more how Monet paints because of you . Thank you !!

[@IanRobertsMasteringComposition]

Monet is a great person to study for the way he painted in say 1870 compared to 1910. Such a radical shift. And still so energetic even in old age.

[@allenvoss7977]

I’ve only been painting for about a month but I painted his woman with parasol Surprisingly I didn’t really struggle with it very much and it turned out pretty good wish I could send you a picture and get your opinion

[@allenvoss7977]

I really enjoy impressionistic painting but also academic or detail painting I kind of want to combine the two somehow I suppose that’s the style that interests me the most

[@pleinaire8698]

A beautiful Painting Ian. what's your focus or center of interest? I'm drawn to the sunlit trees in the background.

[@elizabethhunt5536]

Thanks Ian, brilliant as usual. Can I ask if you use any medium with your paint?

[@leandrodurao0991]

before you I loved my details. today i'm happy to throw them away ... u made me a new painter ... i'm much happier ...

[@IanRobertsMasteringComposition]

Hi Leandro, It makes me happy to hear it. All the best

[@ubergeraldine]

Great! And I just spotted the actual brush you’re using for blocking in! It’s very pliable so you’re getting direction and movement even at that level!!! Can you say what type of brush it is please? 😀

[@abbeykletz2577]

Another WOW

[@megmurf5376]

Hi Ian, thank you for your demo, great seeing how loosely you paint and always end up with a lovely result. I saw you were using the blunt end of the brush I also do this on occasion but thought you might like to know that if you sharpen the end by using a blade you can get the varnished surface off the brush and it seems to work or scrap better. I thought you might like to try it. 😊

[@IanRobertsMasteringComposition]

Hi Meg, glad you liked the demo. And thanks for the tip. Best wishes.

[@scootmcgoot570]

Marvelous! Do you use any mediums on this? I have a difficult time NOT blending

[@swalker6794]

I didn't like this...even as you painted through it...but at the end you showed us your finished piece. I thought it was great! Ya done good here. I have some more detail than you do with yours, but so far, you usually, "pull it out" and I end up really enjoying what I watched while you painted over your panel. Thanks for a good, educational time.

[@elizabethclaire7916]

"the adventure starts when you pick up the brush" amen.

[@arnabbera.paints]

Beautiful painting. I am always taking notes. 🙏 Could you please talk about how you prepare your canvas/panel once? Thank you for sharing your knowledge, experience and wisdom with us. ❤️🎩🙏

[@IanRobertsMasteringComposition]

Thank you for letting me know you are enjoying the videos. Most of my smaller paintings (like the one in the video you were watching here) I use prepared panels by RayMar, with double primed oil prime on smooth linen. Larger paintings on stretched canvas, usually acrylic gesso to seal the canvas and then a coat of oil prime. That is usually it.