Often times in class, Matt sees his students struggle to design their paintings because it causes them to deviate from copying the photo. But there are rarely perfect scenes found in nature, so following the foundational principles becomes essential to adapting a photographic reference for painting.

About the Artist: Matt Smith earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in painting from Arizona State University. Somewhat frustrated with the abstract focus of the program at ASU, he began looking to outside sources for inspiration and guidance. These sources included fellow artists, fine galleries and museums. This is where his "real" education began. These days, Matt can often be found painting en Plein air from southern Arizona to the Canadian Rockies, from the California coast to the Rocky Mountains. "I appreciate traditional landscape painting and I am inspired by the pristine landscapes of the American West.  I enjoy working in areas where one can travel for miles without seeing the influence of man.  When I paint, I feel I've hit the mark when I've captured a balance between mood, look and feel.

To see Matt's video tutorials through TAAO, visit https://tucsonartacademyonline.com/matt-smith-artist-instructional-video

For more from Matt Smith see https://tucsonartacademyonline.com/matt-smith-online-workshop

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