The Artist’s Blog

Explore the rule of thirds in this week's art challenge set in Portrush, Northern Ireland.

Master the rule of thirds in art — when to follow it, when to break it, and how it transforms your landscape painting.

This week’s Landscape Art Club challenge takes us to Gorée Island, Senegal. A place of immense historical weight and visual richness, Gorée offers an intense study in texture — from eroded stone walls and shuttered colonial houses to haunting doorways. As we explore texture in art, we invite you to sketch, paint, or draw how surfaces carry meaning, memory, and atmosphere.

Texture in art is more than a visual element—it’s a storytelling tool. In this post, we explore how texture can evoke emotion, create atmosphere, and add depth to your work. With real-world observation tips and inspiring examples from artists like John Constable and Vincent van Gogh, you'll learn how to use texture as a narrative voice in your compositions.

Why I created rules for the Landscape Art Club — and how structure helps our art community thrive without limiting creativity.

Painting lilacs means choosing what to show and what to leave out. Learn to simplify and sharpen with mass vs. detail, using references from Schleißheim.