Anytime you learn something your time and energy are not wasted. A tree needs to be your friend if you’re going to paint him. The light is your friend. Preserve it. For the lack of a better word I call them hangy downs. All you have to learn here is how to have fun. That’s crazy.

The secret to doing anything is believing that you can do it. Anything that you believe you can do strong enough, you can do. Anything. As long as you believe. Follow the lay of the land. It’s most important. We’ll paint one happy little tree right here. Isn’t it great to do something you can’t fail at? Just think about these things in your mind – then bring them into your world.

That’s what painting is all about. It should make you feel good when you paint. Only God can make a tree – but you can paint one. It takes dark in order to show light. We’re trying to teach you a technique here and how to use it. Everybody needs a friend.We don’t want to set these clouds on fire. Steve wants reflections, so let’s give him reflections. We’ll have a super time.

It’s a very cold picture, I may have to go get my coat. It’s about to freeze me to death. Paint anything you want on the canvas. Create your own world. That is when you can experience true joy, when you have no fear. Let’s have a little bit of fun today. Only think about one thing at a time. Don’t get greedy. A beautiful little sunset.

There’s nothing wrong with having a tree as a friend. Maybe there’s a happy little bush that lives right there. Here’s another little happy bush You have to allow the paint to break to make it beautiful.

I started painting as a hobby when I was little. I didn’t know I had any talent. I believe talent is just a pursued interest. Anybody can do what I do. We need a shadow side and a highlight side. Everyone is going to see things differently – and that’s the way it should be.We don’t really know where this goes – and I’m not sure we really care. Just relax and let it flow. That easy. If I paint something, I don’t want to have to explain what it is. You can create anything that makes you happy. Maybe he has a little friend that lives right over here. With practice comes confidence.

You have freedom here. The only guide is your heart. Isn’t that fantastic that you can make whole mountains in minutes? We need dark in order to show light. If you’ve been in Alaska less than a year you’re a Cheechako. We’ll put some happy little leaves here and there.

Van Dyke Brown is a very nice brown, it’s almost like a chocolate brown. You can’t make a mistake. Anything that happens you can learn to use – and make something beautiful out of it. Painting should do one thing. It should put happiness in your heart. Just let this happen. We just let this flow right out of our minds. This painting comes right out of your heart.