Art Instruction DVDs

I haven't been painting while I'm recuperating but I have been watching artist's instructional DVDs. I'm not going to switch from mainly acrylic paints to watercolor or gouache but there is something to be learned from each teacher even if they are not abstract instructors.

A friend loaned me some DVDs and I bought two new ones so I've had a good time seeing a variety of techniques. I just cannot rank them since they are all so different.

The DVDs from left to right starting with the top row:

Creative Break Out, The Art of Freedom by Bill Buchman.

Some new ideas and art products. Especially liked seeing him fling a large brush with Sumi ink and leave his "signature".

Acrylic Revolution by Nancy Reyner

Mainly one technique and one image to make acrylic look like watercolor or oil paint.

A Designed Approach to Abstraction by John Salminen

Enjoy watching him paint. His take on abstract is too meticulous for me though.

Mastering Yupo by George James

Not sure I want to paint on Yupo or not but maybe as an experiment. Otherwise his handling of paint and painting advice is very good.

Acrylic Abstract Painting: The Evolving Image by Virginia Cobb

She starts and finishes three paintings totally without a plan at the beginning. There are large and small changes before she finishes. She had a lot to say about painting and being an artist. I would like to take a class from her. You don't have to like her finished product to learn something useful to whatever your process might be.

Secret Tricks to Pouring Acrylic by Nancy Reyner

Rather than using an epoxy finish she shows how to use mainly GAC 800 for a similar finish since it doesn't crack when dried. I always learn more about Golden products when I see one of her videos. I don't think I would like to finish a large painting with this technique. She briefly talks about Clear Tar Gel and Self Leveling Gel as a substitute for GAC 800 since the GAC 800 has a slight yellow tint but the other two do not.

Start Abstract Painting Today by Robert Burridge

Always entertaining and full of ideas.

Figure Design in Gouache by Carla O"Connor

I learned the most from this one. Lots of good information about composition and certainly about the products she uses. I think I'll have to watch this one again because it's so dense with information.