Instructional 001 Playing with Knives

Hey guys, welcome to my very first instructional! In this video, we’re diving into an essential guided exercise to shake things up in your painting practice. If you’re used to working in a highly realistic way, it’s crucial to step back sometimes and focus on immediacy over accuracy. That’s exactly what we’re doing here—embracing looseness, discovery, and a little bit of chaos.

We’re working only with palette knives and squeegees, pushing ourselves to let go of rigid drawing and leave room for unexpected moments. The goal? Get lost in the process and find your way out, bringing back those hard-earned, exciting passages into your more refined work. To make this a fully guided experience, I’ve included the original reference photo so you can paint alongside me in real time. I’ll walk you through the tools I’m using, show you how to approach this exercise, and most importantly—how to have fun with it.

I’m also offering virtual studio visits where we can go over this guided instructional or any work-in-progress pieces you’re struggling with. The goal of these sessions is simple: diagnose visual problems and come up with actionable solutions by the end. Whether it’s technical, conceptual, or just a fresh pair of eyes, we’ll work through it together. Studio visits can be scheduled here.