Learning to See

Inspiration and practical advice for aspiring realist artists

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Teaching Studio Update: Finding the Perfect Space

January 24, 2020 By: Paul37 Comments

Today I’d like to ask for your help.

My teaching studio project is moving forwards. The big decision I’m facing at this point is the space itself.

I think it’s important that anyone who learns with me, and travels to do a workshop with me feels at ease in the space we’ll be working in.

The Four Ways of Learning to Paint – Which Fits You Best?

January 17, 2020 By: Paul48 Comments

My big project of this year is opening a permanent teaching studio.

As I move forward with it, I’ve been giving a lot of thought to different approaches to learning to paint.

I think there are broadly four approaches to teaching skilled representational painting these days:

The Top 25 “Teach Yourself to Draw and Paint” Books

October 9, 2015 By: Paul76 Comments

What are the best books for teaching yourself to draw and paint? Which are your personal favourites? This list is an open, crowd-sourced resource. That means that not only can you see this list, you can vote on your favourites! Help this list get more votes by sharing it on facebook. The more people vote,

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The 3 Best Books I Know For Teaching Yourself to Draw

September 4, 2015 By: Paul53 Comments

We artists do love to buy books. Especially books that promise to teach us how to draw or paint better. In fact, we spend so much time buying books it’s a wonder we have any time for drawing. I’ll come clean. I have a special weakness for art instruction books. There’s something about the possibility of

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Belfast Drawing Symposium

September 17, 2014 By: Paul6 Comments

A couple of weeks ago, I was involved in Julie Douglas’ Draw-In in Belfast, a symposium celebrating drawing. Getting together with artists is always really rewarding, but this was special. Special because Julie, drawing tutor and the organiser of the event is special; special because all the artists that gave workshops and presentations were special;

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Were You Failed By Your Art Education?

October 13, 2013 By: Paul78 Comments

What is it about birthdays that makes us reflective? Or is that just me? Here’s my thoughts today on art education, and why so many of us have been failed. And perhaps, too, what we might do to turn that sad state of affairs around. (I should let you know up front, this is unedited,

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Three Reasons Taking an Art Course Might be a Good Idea After All

November 25, 2012 By: Paul28 Comments

Have you done an art course you thought was really worth-while? My last post, Why You Don’t Need Another Art Course, ruffled a feather or two. I make no secret of the fact that I’m self-taught. In fact I’m proud of it. But perhaps I should have realised that some people might be a bit

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Why You Don’t Need Another Art Course

November 18, 2012 By: Paul33 Comments

I get quite a lot of emails from people who want to learn to draw and paint better, but just don’t know where to start. It’s a problem I identify with because it’s one I faced too when I returned to art seven years ago. I’ve had to overcome that problem myself, and I know

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A New Non-Anatomical Approach to Human Form For Artists

February 20, 2011 By: Paul32 Comments

I generally write about practical stuff these days, but I’m breaking with tradition a little here to write a short (well, about as short as they ever get for me) post about a new book on figure drawing by Ted Seth Jacobs. I don’t have a copy of this book myself, and know only as

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The Four Phases of Learning

September 10, 2006 By: Paul2 Comments

Ordinarily, I’m skeptical of self development books and the like. I’m skeptical of anyapproach which promises to be a “magic bullet” for learning any skill. There are no shortcuts, especially when it comes to representational drawing and painting. My experience of returningto drawing and painting after a ten year gap has taught me that. These

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Hi, I’m Paul

I'm a (mostly) self-taught artist. I paint realism in oils, mostly still life. I share my work, my evolving process and what knowledge I've gained on my own learning journey here, in the hope that it might help you on yours.
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