The Winners of the First Annual Master Skill Building Challenge

We are extremely proud to announce the winners of our first annual Master Skill Building Challenge.  This contest, open to all of our enrolled students,  was made up of 6 individual, month-long challenges, and was designed to push participant’s skill sets in order to help them grow as representational artists.  Each student’s final portfolio was then submitted… Continue reading


Skill Building Cycle 17 Winners Announced!

As many of you know, our first annual Master Skill Building Challenge recently came to a close (more on that in a moment..!), marked by the end of our cycle 17 Skill Building Challenge.  With the jury results now in, we are thrilled to say we now know the winners of our first annual Master… Continue reading


The New Year at the Watts Atelier: Master Skill Building Challenge, Bootcamp blogs, and more!

Happy New Year!   We’re thrilled to bring in the New Year and welcome all of the exciting events on the horizon for 2016 here at the Watts Atelier.  Here’s a peek at what the first part of 2016 has in store for our students…   Master Skill Building Challenge, with James Gurney Students enrolled… Continue reading


First Annual Master Skill Building Challenge, with guest juror James Gurney

We are pleased to announce our first Annual Master Skill Building Challenge, with Guest Juror James Gurney   Our primary goal at the Watts Atelier is to help our students become better, more skilled and more proficient artists.  It’s with this goal in mind that we have reached out to award winning artists and illustrators, and created… Continue reading


Skill Building Challenge 10 Winners announced! Cycle 9 Crit video released!

We would like to take a moment to congratulate the Winner and Honorable Mention of our Cycle 10 Skill Building Challenge. Our Skill Building Challenge entries are judged on the displayed comprehension of the lessons, and (most importantly) the improvement displayed by the internalization of those concepts and application of them over the course of… Continue reading


Skill Building Challenges; New Changes, New Incentives, New Learning Opportunities

  Here at the Watts Atelier, we are constantly striving to improve the learning experience for our students.  With this in mind, Jeff and his team of instructors recently took a close look at our Skill Building Challenges, and brainstormed ways to structure the challenges (as well as their rewards) to better help the skill advancement… Continue reading


The Watts Atelier Workshop and Bootcamp FAQ

  At the Watts Atelier, we understand the importance of quality, skill-based art instruction.  We also understand that individuals from across the globe wish to increase thier skills, students who are unable to spend a full ten-week term studying with us in person at our Atelier.  This understanding is what led us to create our innovative… Continue reading


Beginning this Friday: “In the Studio” podcast series, with Jeff Watts

  We are thrilled to announce the start of a new ongoing feature for our online school; our “In the Studio” podcast series, premiering this Friday at 7pm PST on our Youtube station.  .  This exciting series of video podcasts takes the viewer into the at-home studios of the artists and instructors of the Watts… Continue reading


Just Released: “Designing and Painting Dragons,” with Lucas Graciano

  We are proud to announce that our newest Master Class, “Designing and Painting Dragons” with Lucas Graciano, is now available! This course will delve into the research, prep work, and finishing techniques that are required to paint dragons for the illustrative industries.  Students will be guided through the process of designing a dragon with personality and weight… Continue reading


New Classes for a New Year: Landscape Phase 3, with Jeffrey Watts

2015 has arrived, and we’re excited to begin the new year with the release of our online program’s Landscape Phase 3 lessons. This course walks the student through breaking down Landscape paintings from some of Jeffrey Watts’ favorite painters. While deconstructing the paintings, Jeff places emphasis on incorporating the chosen artist’s brushmanship, color harmonies, compositional choices,… Continue reading


Just Released: “Studio Still Life Painting,” With Meadow Gist

  We are thrilled to announce the release of a new Master Class to our online program; “Studio Still Life Painting,” with Watts Atelier instructor and fine artist Meadow Gist. This video course follows Meadow as she delves into one of the painting disciplines she is known for, her long-format still life paintings.  Students will… Continue reading


New Specialty Class Released: “Composition and Staging,” with Robert Watts

  We are happy to announce the release of our latest Specialty Class; “Composition and Staging,” with Robert Watts. This course is meant to help the student break down, simplify, and understand the elements that make up a fantastic composition.  Robert draws on his decades of experience as an illustrator and designer to help students… Continue reading