Tony Allain Workshop - March 19-21, 2025

Sketching and drawing are the ABC’s of painting.Do value sketches (thumbnails) of photos to figure out what to do.He looks for color and light in landscapes.

Stage your painting with a strong foreground, the focal point in the middle, and a supporting background.

He paints from dark to light and uses black to mark the dark areas.  Shapes and values are important.  Then he paints around and over it.

Painting is 70% observation and 30% painting time.

Exercise to having clean colors:  Paint something in 100 times you touch the paper.  Make a mark and never touch it again.  Otherwise, it turns into a blob.

​Stones have at least 3 value tones. Be careful of white for water and clouds.  They are not cotton balls.  It’s OK for snow peaks in the sun.  For water use a pale blue.  He uses crosshatching with side of pastel to make mountains, trees, clouds, sunsets.

A big wide marker is good for making people.  Then add color for clothes. 

How to add color to your world with a still life.  Get a big cardboard box and have one opening for the stage.  Paint the inside black.  Have a light on your easel.  Set objects to paint in the stage.  Turn on music.  Use bright colors.

Trees of color.  Place darks first.  Don’t keep going over a stroke.  Get it down in one hit. 

Communication, Revelation, and Celebration are what he's looking for in a painting as a judge.

The following slide show are photos showing the progression of Tony's demos and students learning how to be just a bit freer in their paintings.  This was an amazing workshop thank to the generous and amazing Tony Allain.

​Thank you, Tony!!!!