Layne Johnson Studio

This course started it all. Over the past seven years, more than 1,800 students have joined me in my very first online course, Painting Dramatic Clouds 1.0. That short course gave students a wonderful starting point—and helped a lot of painters understand the basics of painting a cloudscape. As my art school has grown, though, I’ve learned a lot more about teaching and filming courses… and even more about what adult students really need to improve their painting skills. My newest course,...

Let's face it, water can be tricky to paint. So in my newest YouTube video, I share a few tips on painting water and reflections. If you’ve ever struggled with painting realistic reflections that look believable, this quick demo should help. 👉 Watch the video here As always, the goal isn’t perfection — it’s understanding the concepts well enough that you can relax and enjoy painting. And if you have a question about painting water or reflections, be sure to leave it in the comments below the...

I’ve been working on a new group of paintings over the last couple of months, and I’m excited to finally share them with you! Each painting captures something I love about the Texas landscape—whether it’s the warmth of a late-afternoon sun, a towering cumulonimbus promising rain, or the quiet glow of a moonlit night. I'll be delivering these new paintings to The Good Art Company in Fredericksburg, Texas just in time for the November Artwalk. If you’ll be in the area on Friday, November 7, I...

These days, it’s easy to find painting tutorials. A quick search on YouTube and you’ll find thousands of videos on every topic imaginable. And I think it’s great that so many people are sharing their love of painting. But here’s the problem: most of my students come to me after months—or even years—of cobbling together tips and tricks from random videos. And that can lead to a lot of frustration. Why? Because watching bits and pieces never gives you the full picture. One video might show you...

My biggest complaint about my college art experience is that even after taking Painting 101… I didn’t really learn much that I didn't already know. Frankly, I was expecting more. Let me explain. Back then, the “in” thing was expressionism, abstraction, and found-object painting. I walked into class with several years of painting already under my belt. Many classmates didn’t have that—and I watched them struggle. Two assignments have stuck with me: The newspaper clipping. We were handed tiny...

No matter how many times I tell myself “Trust the process!”—I still hesitate sometimes. Especially when I’m trying something completely new or challenging. So let me share how I cope with those fears (since I think this is pretty common for us artists). 1. Understand the real problem. Knowledge is the key to overcoming almost anything. The first step is figuring out what’s really going on. Sometimes we blow small issues out of proportion and make a mountain out of a molehill. (I know I do!)...

So you want to improve your painting skills... But, choosing the right teacher can feel overwhelming—especially when all you have are a few snippets from the internet. How do you know if their teaching style actually matches the way you like to learn? Back when I was starting out, your options were pretty limited: you either found a local class or traveled to a workshop. These days, there are so many options (including online) —which is great, but it can also make it even harder to know which...

The first time I packed up to go plein air painting, I spent a lot of time just figuring out what supplies to bring. I leaned on recommendations from other painters—and that was helpful—but over time, I’ve refined my kit into something that works for me. If you’re interested in painting outdoors too, I thought I’d share a few things that might help you get started (or simplify your setup if you’ve already tried it). 🎒 First up: What’s in my plein air kitIn my newest video, I’m showing you...

Not every sky has to be dramatic to be beautiful. In my newest video, I’m painting a subtle sky filled with high-altitude cirrus clouds. It’s quiet, peaceful—and painted in real time. Just brushstrokes and beautiful music as the layers build. Sometimes it’s nice to simply watch the process unfold.If you’ve ever wanted to sit in the studio with me and see how I approach a sky like this, here's your chance. 🎨 Watch the new video here ▶ Painting Clouds | Real-Time Oil Painting of Cirrus Clouds...