A good way to start a painting is by recognizing the shapes within the scene. After outlining the shapes, then identify the value (light medium dark) of each shape. Then the detail can be added - or left off. The video is up now for the above scene on the video page of www.ShowcaseArtCenter.com . Find your own scene and try this exercise again. Training the eye to identify shape and value will improve our paintings. We will paint this and some other scenes next week in

Join me for a watercolor lesson that starts with a quick tech version of drawing. Yep, use your phone as a tool to "see" shapes to help improve your drawings. The video is live now at www.ShowcaseArtCenter.com . (subscription only $10/month for unlimited views of 389 choices) This will conclude the January White Sale where we painted a different white animal each week. I know you will enjoy painting "Coconut", the West Highland Terrier - photo sent by her human, Anne Mas

I used to have a beautiful long haired white cat that ran the art gallery. She reminded me of the James Bond nemesis mascot, only much sweeter. This model will be another study in painting "white" using other than white colors and light and dark values. This how-to-paint in watercolor video is up now on the video page of www.ShowcaseArtCenter.com. It is also Watercolor LIVE week next Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. So next week's schedule is as follows: 10:00 to noon T

Continuing the "January White Sale" theme, this week's white animal is a snowy owl. With the request of icicles, it made a nice story of the owl's gaze being captured by the sparkling freezing drips. The video for this painting is up now on www.ShowcaseArtCenter.com . Classes at Showcase this week are: Tuesday and Wednesday 10:00 A.M. - noon for independent projects Tuesday and Wednesday 1:30 - 3:30 P.M. for step-by-step Snowy Owl

A January white polar bear project will start the new year in our watercolor video classes. In watercolor, white is the white of the paper, so painting white is easy, right? Not so fast! White is the reflection of all color. Ah, value is important too. This cuddly bear video is up now on the video class page at www.ShowcaseArtCenter.com . I will show you exactly how I painted him. (subscription only $10/month for unlimited views of 386 videos) Missed everyone over the