To have YOUR image featured in the July paintings. UP TO 5 ... of your favorite photos. Submit here today and tomorrow. They can be funny, adorable, ridiculous, or beautiful - They can be animals, people, landscapes or catastrophes. They can be emotional, or melancholy. Anything you want us to paint in July. Then, YOU, the community of Dropouts will vote to decide which has the best color and composition and ultimately decide WHICH image(s) we paint together. (Please make them your images that you took so there is no copywright issues. By submitting, you are giving us permission to use your image publicly and you will be credited with a copyright marking. Please post clear, highest quality images.) AND GO!

You might notice: 🫶🏻 one artist paints hands 🐄 another paints cows 🤪 another draws faces And you’re like: 👉 “Do they… know anything else??” 😆 🎯 Truthefully, It’s not lack of ability. It’s focus + consistency and deeply exploring one thing. It’s also about being passionate about one message. When an artist repeats a subject, they are: mastering thru repetition understanding the message deeply showing you just how passionate they are about the subject. But there’s another layer people don’t talk about… 🏛️ Galleries. Higher-end galleries need consistency!! Think about it like this: You don’t go to a 🛠️ hardware store to buy 🍞 bread. Galleries are the same way. If they specialize in realism, they want work from artists who are known for realism. 🫟🫟🫟🫟🫟🫟🫟🫟🫟🫟🫟🫟🫟🫟🫟 🫟 🫟 If I walk into a gallery that represents me and suddenly bring: 🫟 🫟 abstract work 🫟 🫟 or animals paintings 🫟 🫟 I’m creating confusion and inconsistency. 🫟 🫟 Beginners tend to jump from subject to subject and try some many different styles. They aren’t focusing on a “voice” or a specific message. But growth (and sales) come from: 🌊 going deep 🪞 being recognizable 🦄 becoming known for something 🔥 And yes… I paint hands 🤲🏻 📇 They tell stories 😣 They’re HARD 👩🏼‍🏫 and I’m still learning every single time I paint them. So, If you’re painting as a hobby… 🧠 DO EVERYTHING 🗺️ explore 🦄 try weird stuff 🫟 make a mess 😆 That’s is where you will LEARN what your message is and how you will tell it. If you choose to. ❓❔❓❔❓❔❓❔❓❔❓❔❓❔❓❔❓❔❓❔ What is ONE subject that you think about all the time? A subject that maybe you can’t TALK about but want to really share it with the world.

We had a GREAT question and I really want to share these answers. “I’m a lefty… am I going to drag my hand through wet paint??” 🎯 Short answer: Nope Painting is NOT like writing though. If you’re resting your hand and dragging across the surface you’re going to make a mess 😆 🫟🫟🫟🫟🫟🫟🫟🫟🫟🫟🫟🫟🫟🫟🫟 🫟 🫟 Here’s how to NOT smear your paint: 🫟 🫟 🫟 Paint upright 🫟 Your painting panel should be vertical, not flat on a table for the best situation. 🫟 If you are painting on the table, lay an old towel down and put a heavyish 🫟 box on the table. Then put the panel against the box. Voila! Instant easel. 🫟 Palette stays on the table…not in your hand like you’ve seen in pictures 🫟 You are not anchoring your hand like you would with a pencil. 🫟 🫟 Use a mahl stick if you need support - a thin padded stick works perfectly - super low tech. 🫟 Hold your brush farther back 🫟 Yes… the END of the brush - you will see me doing this in the demo videos. 🫟 🫟 Turn your painting - sideways or upside down- this really helps you see when you’re painting in 🫟 a space that your hand gets in the way. 🫟 🫟🫟🫟🫟🫟🫟🫟🫟🫟🫟 Here are some IRL student setups and mine. See the stick?

Not really sure I understand the contrast part. Would love to see what you would do.

Alright Back Row Rebels… It’s time to vote for our first class painting. BUT… if you want to help your painting win… Want to help your favorite image win? After you vote, you can drop additional votes with GIFs in the comments to earn 🎟️ extra tickets to win the FINAL PAINTING from my DEMO. Currently, @Janice Peterson is in the lead with 🎟️🎟️🎟️🎟️🎟️, and @Shari Walker Kearney with 🎟️. ⭐️ = least time to paint, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ = longest to paint Voting closes end of day Tuesday 03/17