Colour theory is how we talk about and work with colour. This is the stuff painters study so we can shop for paint, choose great neighbouring colour within a painting, and mix the same colour two or three sessions in a row.

Techniques for applying paint are as varied as the artists who use them. There's no such thing as an exhaustive list, but this section covers the well-known methods I've seen used most in the studio. These are the techniques so useful we've given them names.

Composition includes all the "what goes where" decisions in painting.

The only rule in painting is "thick over thin, fat over lean." What's that about?

Some paints are different from the oils or acrylics you may have used before. What are these paints made of, what do they look like, and how do you clean the brushes after you've used them?

Special effects can be achieved with new pigments and finishes. How do they work, and are they useful?

Glossary of all the keywords explained in The Painting Lesson (in alphabetical order).

Gallery of all the illustrations used in The Painting Lesson.

Reading list of books and websites to read after you read this site.