This video is one of the first to pull together the information presented in earlier, preparatory titles about the treatment of still life objects and how to paint them. Watch as Johnnie paints every stroke in this attractive setup of her painting tools. Paint along with her or setup your own. 

The Illuminations! Series addresses many of the basic elements of painting that many beginning painters fail to learn because they may not have access to good instructive art sources. Collect the entire series to acquire a good foundation in painting principles, regardless of your chosen medium.

Establish the Major Color & Value Relationships First

Identify the local color of every major value mass in the painting, i.e., background cloth, background wall, table surface, copper portion of pot, brass portion of pot, etc. Lay these in with a single, transparent color in the value they represent. This is a quick way to establish not only the value range of the composition, but also the color relationships of the big masses. Decisions made after this point will be easier than trying to paint one area to completion before considering adjacent areas.