A new feature for online students: “Skill Building Challenges”
While hard work, proper instruction, and dedication to the craft are the best ways to build one’s skills, outside factors can help give the student or professional a new reason to apply themselves and provide an additional “push” to their studies. For the professional, deadlines, art shows, and high profile clients are often reasons for… Continue reading
“Demonstrating the Craft:” Landscape demos
This week on “Demonstrating the Craft,” we bring you two demos from Robert Watt’s “Landscape Painting Essentials” course. Robert is known for his strong work ethic (and his charming wit), which over the course of his decades-long career has translated into an ability to execute masterful paintings in a short amount of time. Each of… Continue reading
“From the Sketchbook,” our new weekly blog feature
Every artist keeps (or should keep, rather) a sketchbook. Sketchbooks can help you record ideas, solve visual problems, strengthen and commit lessons to memory, and so much more. Every Thursday for the next several weeks, we will be giving you a peek into our instructor’s sketchbooks in a new blog segment appropriately titled “From the Sketchbook.”… Continue reading
Demonstrating the Craft: Portrait Paintings
This week on “Demonstrating the Craft” we bring you two new portrait paintings, completed last week for our in-class demonstrations. As painting can be a longer process than drawing, each of our ten week painting courses begins with a class dedicated entirely to an instructor demo, to highlight the concepts being taught in that particular… Continue reading
“Demonstrating the Craft,” a new weekly blog feature
Our Instructors (From left to right; Ben, Jeff, Lucas, and Meadow) Demonstrating the Craft We at the Watts Atelier believe that seeing proper technique in action is an important step in the learning process. Because of this, each one of our courses at our on-location Atelier in Encinitas, CA begins with an instructor demonstration. Our… Continue reading
Watts Atelier Illustration Boot Camp FAQ, featured at Imaginefx.com
“Alessandra,” by Michael C. Hayes Do you have questions regarding our upcoming Watts Atelier Illustration Boot Camp? We have the answers. Watts Atelier staff member, student and freelance illustrator Tom Babbey recently had the chance to sit down with Watts Instructors E.M. Gist, Lucas Graciano, and Michael C. Hayes, to talk with them about… Continue reading
The Watts Atelier Online Experience
One of the most common questions we receive from students who are considering studying with us is “How exactly does your online program work?” There are a plethora of online programs available, and it’s understandable for the student to want to know what sets our program apart from others. To help give you a better… Continue reading
Utilizing models and reference in your paintings
Whether your goal is to become a fine artist or an illustrator, if you are planning to create finished, figurative pieces you more than likely will be utilizing models and props as tools of reference for your paintings. To give you an idea of just what goes into getting “good reference,” we will be taking… Continue reading
Specialty Classes Now Available
“Siege,” by Robert Watts We are pleased to announce that the first of our Specialty Classes, “Drapery” with Erik M. Gist and “Painting Mood and Atmosphere in Gouache” with Robert Watts, are now available. These exciting new additions to our curriculum are designed to help the student build their skills in specific areas that will… Continue reading
Finishing Touches: New Content Delayed until 2/28
We at the Watts Atelier strive to provide our students with the highest quality online art education available. With that in mind, we are announcing a brief delay in our new content launch for September. Our Figure and Head Quicksketch courses and new specialty classes will be available a week from their original launch date,… Continue reading
Scheduled Site Shutdown for Maintenance on Thursday, 1/16, 11pm PST
Time to take a break… The site will be offline and unavailable due to scheduled maintenance on Thursday, January 16th at 11pm PST. This downtime will last two hours, and will be part of a monthly maintenance routine. Thank you for your patience during this time, and Happy Drawing! -The Watts Atelier Team
Announcing our new Study Groups
Online schools such as ours offer the immense convenience of being able to study with the top artists in their field from the comfort of your own home…But how does an online school recreate the camaraderie of a brick-and-mortar school, with it’s personal interactions between students? If you’ve visited our Member Forums in the past… Continue reading
Holiday Gifts for the Artist
Holiday Gifts for the Artist still life by Catherine Bobkoski The Holidays are here and Christmas is fast approaching. If you’re having trouble figuring out what to get the artist in your life (or if you want to give yourself a nice gift), take a look at our Holiday Wish List. These artist tools… Continue reading
Scheduled Site Shutdown for Maintenance on Sunday, 10/21, 12am PST
The site will be offline and unavailable due to scheduled maintenance on Monday, Oct 21st, at 12am PST. This downtime will last two hours, and will be part of a monthly maintenance routine. Thank you for your patience during this time, and Happy Drawing! -The Watts Atelier Team
Traveling and The Artist
As an artist, I always envisioned a romantic notion of what “being an artist” meant. Traveling abroad to retrieve my reference was something I not only wanted to do, but needed to do as well. My first trip for reference retrieval was right out of high school. I ventured abroad with a group of… Continue reading
Temple of the Ape King
This piece originated in my Composition & Staging for Visual Development class at the Atelier. The title…’Temple of the Ape King’ was an assignment, with only the text line for inspiration. Most concepts start with descriptive words. It began with an invented sketch of a large ape seated on a crude stone throne. As is… Continue reading
Creating the Zorn Palette
Many of you have asked where the supplemental video for mixing the Zorn palette is. It has been uploaded in the second phase of our portrait painting curriculum. Check it out! Anders Zorn was a Swedish painter who is known not only for his beautiful paintings, but also for his extensive use of a limited palette… Continue reading
Watts Podcast – Robert Watts Interview Part 2 of 2
Hey everyone! Here is the second and final part of the interview I conducted with my father – Robert Watts! In this interview my dad continues to give us insight into his multifaceted career as a fine artist, illustrator, concept artist and teacher at the Watts Atelier. Enjoy! For more information about Robert Watts: http://robertwatts-illustrator.com/
Watts Podcast – Robert Watts Interview Part 1 of 2
Many of our viewers have requested this interview and it’s finally here! On this podcast, Jeff talks with his father, Robert Watts to discuss his many faceted career as a fine artist, illustrator, concept artist and teacher at the Watts Atelier. For more information about Robert Watts: http://robertwatts-illustrator.com/
Jeffrey Watts Speed Drawing
On August 31st we will launch Watts Atelier Online with over 250 hours of classes! We captured one of Jeff’s demonstrations for you. The demo took about 45 minutes. In the coming weeks we will post excerpts from Head Drawing Phases I & II.
Watts Atelier Online Launching Soon!
In just a few weeks, we launch the Watts Online School with over 250 hours of classes. And it’s just the start! Be sure not to miss the launch. We are limiting enrollment initially on a first come basis. You can learn more about the school at: online.wattsatelier.com
Watts Podcast – Ben Young Interview
Enjoy the latest in our series of interviews of Watts Atelier instructors. On this podcast, Jeff sits down with Ben Young to discuss his career as a fine artist and teacher at the Watts Atelier.