Still Life in Soft Pastel, L.Diane Johnson

Carolina's Pride

Follow along as L. Diane Johnson demonstrates this pastel painting of a simple piece of lace and dogwood blossom against a neutral fabric background.

Basics of Landscape Composition

In this article, L. Diane Johnson writes: "Become familiar with the principles as a guide in training your eyes to naturally create interesting and powerful compositions....Composition is one of the most challenging yet powerful and exciting aspects of painting. It is the technical foundation of your painting. Without it, paintings visually fall apart. Careful consideration of the composition before putting paint to surface will make your session more enjoyable, and contribute to the success of your painting.

Two Ways to Achieve the Look of Oils Using Acrylics

The top two ways to achive the look of oil using acrylics by L.Diane Johnson.    "Why all this talk about making an acrylic look like an oil painting? Because when acrylics first came on to the scene, they had a plastic look. They still can. But with practice and patience, your acrylic paintings can make people say, "Great oil painting," as you smile.   .... For over a decade I have assisted artists with this issue and now it is here for you to read."