Learn to Paint Podcast

Learn to Paint Podcast
  • 4.7 (303)
  • VISUAL ARTS
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Every month, you'll hear conversations with artists and teachers about how to get better at painting. Conversations will cover topics for all levels of painter from beginning to advanced. We'll explore everything from tools and techniques, color theory, composition and design to habits and goals.

  1. Building a Serious Painting Practice With a Full-Time Job with Aida Smith (Ep.122)

    6D AGO

    Building a Serious Painting Practice With a Full-Time Job with Aida Smith (Ep.122)

    Welcome to the conversation with Aida Smith! Learn more about Aida Smith: WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM Many artists assume that building serious skills requires huge blocks of free time. Aida Smith proves otherwise. With a full-time career, a long commute, and a firmly established professional identity outside the art world, she has built a meaningful and increasingly confident painting practice over the past five years. In this conversation, we talk about what it really takes to grow as a painter while working full-time, the color mixing breakthrough that changed everything for her, and how rethinking failure allowed her to keep showing up. If you’ve ever said, “I just don’t have enough time,” this episode will challenge that belief in a practical way. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: How Smith  structured her painting practice around a full-time jobWhy commute time and lunch breaks can meaningfully build skillThe color mixing shift that transformed her confidenceA simple way to adjust color using red, yellow, or blueHow to think about failure in a way that keeps you showing upWhy simplifying shapes strengthens a paintingHow she decides whether to keep a painting or wipe it downWhy she paints with solvent-free oils and questions traditional rulesBuilding Skill in Real Life Smith did not grow up identifying as an artist. Painting was not her childhood identity. Her entry point was photography. Painting returned later, first as a stress reliever during a demanding job, and eventually as something she chose to take seriously. She paints and draws at night. On weekends. During commutes. During lunch breaks. And she is clear about something many artists resist hearing: Skill takes longer than you hope. Growth happened over years of sketchbooks. Years of mixing colors poorly before it clicked. Years of showing up even when the work felt frustrating. This is not a story about finding more time. It is about using the time that already exists. Extended Cut Bonus [Patreon] In this bonus episode, Smith explains how shifting to a very limited palette transformed her color mixing and brought instant harmony to her work. She shares the exact colors she relies on, why she prioritizes value over perfect color matches, and how a simple “mother color” keeps everything cohesive. Get practical tips sent straight to your inbox. Join the Learn to Paint newsletter here. Support the show

    46 min
  2. You Didn’t Miss the Boat with Suzanne Allard (Ep.121)

    JAN 27

    You Didn’t Miss the Boat with Suzanne Allard (Ep.121)

    Many artists quietly believe there is a deadline on creativity. If you did not start young, it can feel like you missed your chance. In episode 121, Suzanne Allard about where that belief comes from and why it does not hold up. Suzanne shares her story of beginning to draw and paint in her early 50s, along with the fear, pressure, and self talk that shaped her early creative experience. Allard shares what actually helps artists move forward. Gentle entry points, low pressure practice, and learning how to stay with discomfort all play a role. This conversation is for artists who feel behind, overwhelmed, or unsure whether it is worth starting or continuing at all. In this episode, you will learn: Why starting late is more story than realityHow low pressure prompts help build momentum and confidenceThe difference between fear of judgment and fear of how you feel about your own workHow to lower pressure when your art practice starts to feel stressfulWhy creative growth requires patience, pauses, and trustAllard also shares insights into her acrylic landscape process, how she chooses references, why she works in phases, and how she balances focused learning with play. Whether you are picking up a brush for the first time or trying to reconnect with your practice, this episode offers a grounded and encouraging perspective on what it means to keep going. Art Club: Find your ad free version here. Bonus Episode (Podcast Art Club) In the bonus conversation, Allard goes deeper into how she actually works in the studio and how looseness, confidence, and expressive color are built through intentional choices rather than talent or speed. Allard shares why setting constraints, like limiting the number of shapes or colors in a painting, can make it easier to simplify and stop overworking. You’ll learn how she uses reference photos as a jumping-off point rather than a rulebook, and how shifting from object-based thinking to value- and shape-based thinking changes the way you approach landscapes. The conversation also explores how color confidence develops through play and repetition, why avoiding straight-from-the-tube color helps build a personal color language, and how reducing friction in your setup makes it easier to paint more often without overthinking materials or wasting supplies. This bonus episode is especially helpful if you are trying to loosen up, simplify complex scenes, or feel more confident making color decisions in your own work. In this bonus, we cover: Why constraints are one of the fastest ways to loosen up your workHow to think in shapes and values instead of objectsUsing reference photos as inspiration rather than instructionsBuilding color confidence through experimentation and repetitionSimplifying landscapes without losing interest or depthMaking it easier to paint more often by reducing setup friction Learn more about Suzanne Allard: WEBSITE / CLASSES / INSTAGRAM / FACEBOOK / YOUTUBE / PINTEREST  Freebie: Color Mixing Success FREE ebook and 7 module class Support the show

    42 min
  3. Using Goals to Make Better Paintings with Michele Usibelli (Ep.120)

    11/25/2025

    Using Goals to Make Better Paintings with Michele Usibelli (Ep.120)

    Welcome to the conversation with Michele Usibelli! In the feature conversation you’ll discover a process that helps you create bold and loose work, explore a strategy for choosing what to paint next and you’ll learn how to build goals into your work so that every painting is a chance to improve. Extended Cut Bonus In the bonus conversation, we’ll walk through a few examples of how Usibelli makes color choices so that you can see how to make beautiful paintings without getting totally overwhelmed on the color front. Learn more about Michele Usibelli: WEBSITE / WORKSHOPS / MEMBERSHIP / INSTAGRAM / FACEBOOK Support the show

    51 min
  4. The Hidden Costs of Selling Your Work (Mini Ep.119)

    11/12/2025

    The Hidden Costs of Selling Your Work (Mini Ep.119)

    When you think of building an art practice, your mind might go to all of your favorite artists. You think of their social media feeds and the gallery shows they promote. You dream about having one of their pieces in your home some day… and maybe you can. Because they SELL their work. But building an art practice is not the same as building an art business. And while the benefits of an art business are many… we don’t talk enough about the costs. Because if you do decide to sell your work, there ARE costs.  Let’s explore the physical, time, and physiological costs to selling your work. And then armed with this knowledge, you can make a more intentional decision about whether selling now, selling later, or selling never is right for you and your goals learning to paint. Support the show

    31 min
  5. The 5 Buckets of Artistic Knowledge with William A. Schneider (Ep.118)

    10/28/2025

    The 5 Buckets of Artistic Knowledge with William A. Schneider (Ep.118)

    Welcome to the conversation with William A. Schneider. FEATURE In the conversation you'll learn the general proportions of the face and how to adjust them for the specific face you're painting, you’ll discover a bunch of great exercises to improve your skills, plus you’ll explore the 5 buckets of knowledge that every painter needs to learn to be able to tackle, well, kind of everything. Plus a whole lot more. In the interview Schneider mentions a free ebook download called, “Mastering Proportions of the Face.” You can find that here. EXTENDED CUT BONUS [Art Club] In the extended cut bonus conversation you’ll discover what you need to get correct so that you can push your color, and we talk about why your negative self talk is hurting you more than you think and what to do about it. Find it here. Art Club: Ad free feature  here.  Learn more about Schneider here: WEBSITE / WORKSHOPS / INSTAGRAM / FACEBOOK / BLOG Support the show

    48 min
  6. How to Paint or Draw While Traveling (Mini Ep.117)

    10/14/2025 · BONUS

    How to Paint or Draw While Traveling (Mini Ep.117)

    There are so many reasons why you might want to pack up a bunch of supplies and carry them off to a family trip or exotic local. There are great reasons to try just this. But there are also reasons to leave your supplies at home. So in today's mini, let's talk about why you might want to keep working while traveling, why you might NOT want to, and then if yes, how do you set yourself up for success. Support the show

    21 min
  7. Abstracting Reality with Sterling Edwards (Ep.116)

    09/30/2025

    Abstracting Reality with Sterling Edwards (Ep.116)

    Welcome to the conversation with Sterling Edwards. Inside you’ll learn why your next go-to watercolor brush might actually be one designed for oil painters. You’ll discover a smart way to prep your paints so your colors stay clean and travel with ease. Plus you’ll find out what to look for in a photo reference that leads to a stronger design. See his painting, Entwined here.  Extended Cut Bonus [Art Club] The conversation with Edwards continues in the Art Club. You’ll get a simple trick to make sure your center of interest feels integrated, not pasted on, and how using the power of opposites can instantly strengthen your paintings. Find it here. Learn more about Sterling Edwards: WEBSITE / WORKSHOPS / FACEBOOK / INSTAGRAM Support the show

    50 min
  8. Why is Starting so Hard? And What to Do About it (Mini Ep.115)

    09/09/2025 · BONUS

    Why is Starting so Hard? And What to Do About it (Mini Ep.115)

    If you love it...it should be easy, right? RIGHT?! But it turns out there are some challenging parts of learning to paint. Even before you can figure out technique or styles or concepts... you actually have to start.  In today's mini episode, let's talk about the different places you'll be starting, why starting is so hard and what you can do about it.  Guests mentioned in the episode: Mark Mehaffey, Ep.5 Sterling Edwards, Ep.116 (coming soon) Lisa Daria Kennedy, Ep.14 Kimberly Kelly Santini, Ep.97 Support the show

    26 min
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About

Every month, you'll hear conversations with artists and teachers about how to get better at painting. Conversations will cover topics for all levels of painter from beginning to advanced. We'll explore everything from tools and techniques, color theory, composition and design to habits and goals.

Information

  • Creator
    Learn to Paint Podcast
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    149
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Learn to Paint Podcast
  • Show Website
    Learn to Paint Podcast

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