Technical Studio Sessions
A structured approach to solving the problems that cause paintings to fail.
Each session isolates a specific painting problem—materials, structure, and long-term behavior—and shows how to control it in practice.
Next Session: Fat Over Lean —April 30 10:00 AM (PT)
This Is Not a Series of Lectures
Most painters encounter the same problems repeatedly:
Paint that sinks in or loses clarity
Surface defects in thick applications
Unexpected color shifts over time
Failures that originate below the paint layer
These are not isolated issues. They follow predictable patterns. Because these problems follow predictable patterns, they can be anticipated and prevented.
Each session isolates one problem, explains why it occurs, and shows how to control it in practice.
These Sessions Solve Painting Problems
Most painting failures can be traced to one of these three areas.
Supports and Grounds
Where many failures originate—canvas preparation, ground layers, and structural stability.
Paint Structure
How paint behaves as a material—thickness, drying, pigment interactions, and film formation.
Surface and Appearance
Why paintings change visually over time, including darkening, sinking-in, and gloss variation.
Upcoming Sessions
Fat Over Lean: What Artists Get Wrong
April 30, 2026 10:00 AM PT
Fat over lean is one of the most repeated rules in oil painting. It is also one of the least understood. Most artists are told to follow it. Few are shown what actually changes in the paint.
This session examines how oil content, solvent use, and absorption affect the formation of the paint film. We will look at how flexibility, shrinkage, and internal stress develop across layers—and why simply adding more medium does not reliably make a layer “fat.” The goal is to replace rule-of-thumb thinking with a working understanding of how layered paint structures behave over time.
Glazing Like the Old Masters
May 28, 2026 10:00 AM PT
Glazing is often described as applying thin, transparent layers. That description is incomplete. What matters is how light moves through the paint film and how the medium controls that behavior.
This session focuses on the relationship between pigment properties, refractive index, and medium selection. We will examine why some glazes remain clear while others become dull or cloudy, how absorption into lower layers affects saturation, and how to manage drying between layers. Historical methods are considered in terms of what can be supported by material evidence, not studio mythology.
Why Oil Paintings Crack
June 25, 2026 10:00 AM PT
Cracking is usually attributed to a single cause, such as “violating fat over lean.” In practice, it results from multiple interacting factors.
This session analyzes how mechanical stress develops in a painting—from support movement and ground rigidity to differences in drying rates and film strength between layers. We will examine the role of absorbent grounds, excessive medium, and brittle paint films. The objective is to identify the specific conditions that lead to cracking and how to avoid building them into the structure of a painting.
Titanium White vs Lead White
August 27, 2026 10:00 AM PT
All whites are not interchangeable. The differences are not limited to color or opacity—they affect how the entire paint film behaves.
This session compares titanium white and lead white in terms of particle size, oil absorption, drying rate, and film formation. We will examine how each influences flexibility, strength, and the stability of impasto. The discussion focuses on where each material performs well, where it introduces risk, and how mixtures can be used to control these properties.
Oil Painting Mediums Explained
September 24, 2026 10:00 AM PT
Oil painting mediums are often described by name—linseed oil, stand oil, alkyd, resin—without explaining what they do in the paint film.
This session examines how different oils and additives influence viscosity, leveling, drying rate, and final film properties. We will compare linseed, walnut, and stand oil in terms of oxidation and film formation, and evaluate the role of alkyds and resins in modifying behavior. The goal is to move from selecting mediums by tradition or habit to selecting them based on their actual effects in the paint.
Why These Problems Matter
Many painting issues do not appear immediately.
They develop over time—sometimes months or years after a painting is completed.
Understanding their causes allows you to prevent them, rather than attempt to correct them later.
Past Sessions
Impasto Without Regrets
March 26, 2026
Impasto is one of the most visually compelling techniques in oil painting. It can intensify light, reinforce form, and give a painting a physical presence that cannot be achieved with thin paint alone. It is also one of the most misunderstood. Many of the problems associated with impasto—cracking, wrinkling, sinking, or long-term instability—do not arise from a single mistake. They result from how thick oil paint behaves as a material system.
Fat Over Lean: What Artists Get Wrong
February 26, 2026
Fat over lean is one of the most repeated rules in oil painting. It is also one of the least understood. Most artists are told to follow it. Few are shown what actually changes in the paint.
This session examines how oil content, solvent use, and absorption affect the formation of the paint film. We will look at how flexibility, shrinkage, and internal stress develop across layers—and why simply adding more medium does not reliably make a layer “fat.” The goal is to replace rule-of-thumb thinking with a working understanding of how layered paint structures behave over time.
Session Format
Each session is structured to move from explanation to application.
45 Minutes—Core Presentation
A focused breakdown of the problem, including its causes, material behavior, and where it typically goes wrong in practice.
15 Minutes—Studio Problem Clinic
Selected submissions are analyzed to show how these issues appear in real paintings and how to address them.
30 Minutes — Open Q&A
Participants can ask questions about their own work, materials, and method.
Members may submit studio problems in advance for possible inclusion in the session. Selected submissions are used to demonstrate how these issues appear in real paintings—not just theory.
Access to Previous Sessions
Each session builds on the same underlying principles. Over time, these sessions form a connected body of knowledge—not isolated topics.
Access to previous sessions allows you to revisit key concepts, see how problems connect, and avoid repeating common mistakes.
Full access to session replays is included with Artisan membership.
View Previous Sessions
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If you plan to attend more than one session, membership provides full access to the series and its recordings.
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