Available in both Streaming and DVD Formats
Have you ever noticed how some artists seem to paint effortlessly outdoors?
They stand before a complex scene — a dramatic coastline, a busy harbor, a detailed landscape — and somehow…
…they know exactly what to focus on.
Their brush moves with confidence as they capture the essence of what makes that scene special.
Meanwhile, most of us feel overwhelmed by the sheer complexity of what we’re seeing.
We freeze, unsure where to begin or what to include.
That moment of hesitation often leads to paintings that feel cluttered, unfocused, and frustrating.
Here’s what most artists don’t realize:
The difference between an amateur and a master isn’t just technique — it’s how they observe the scene before them.
Brian Blood stands among California’s most important plein air impressionist artists, with a distinctive approach that has earned him multiple prestigious awards including First Place in the PleinAir Magazine Salon and the Irvine Museum Award at the California Art Club’s 111th Gold Medal Exhibition.
From his home in Pebble Beach, California, Brian captures the breathtaking coastal scenes that have inspired generations of artists.
But unlike many painters who simply document what they see, Brian has developed a systematic approach to simplification that transforms complex scenes into compelling, focused paintings.
This approach has made Brian’s work highly sought after by collectors worldwide. His paintings have been featured in major art publications and appeared in hundreds of exhibitions around the globe.
Before dedicating himself to plein air painting, Brian began his professional life as a graphic artist in Boston before moving to San Francisco in 1985.
There, he earned his BFA and MFA from Academy of Art University, where he later served as an instructor for 12 years alongside his award-winning artist wife, Laurie Kersey.
Now a self-described “student of nature,” Brian constantly seeks to better his art while helping other artists discover the joy and satisfaction of creating focused, compelling plein air paintings.
Available in both Streaming and DVD Formats
In Outdoor Painting Secrets: Plein Air by the Sea, Brian Blood reveals his entire systematic approach to observing and painting outdoors.
This approach is designed to help you develop your own instinctive process that will serve you in any plein air painting situation.
This is a complete roadmap that guides you through the entire painting process, from selecting your scene to adding those final, perfect touches that bring your painting to life.
At the heart of Brian’s teaching are what he calls “the three things to look for in your scene”:
These three elements form the foundation of Brian’s approach and will become the cornerstone of your own instinctive process for success.
This paint-along format allows you to experience Brian’s decision-making process in real time. You’ll see exactly how he:
Available in both Streaming and DVD Formats
Introduction & Materials
This chapter introduces Brian’s “3 Essential Elements” approach (atmospheric perspective, center of interest, and leading the viewer) and establishes the mindset that makes his process work: “I always do it the same way so it becomes an instinctive, intuitive process.” The chapter covers his materials setup and provides a clear roadmap for developing your own instinctive approach.
Simplify the Scene
This chapter addresses the challenge of overwhelming complexity by teaching artists to “interpret and simplify a scene into basic shapes and forms.” It shows how to recognize important elements, simplify them into abstract shapes, and identify the center of interest, as well as atmospheric perspective and how to lead the viewer. This critical skill of simplification allows artists to approach any scene with confidence rather than overwhelm.
The Block-In
This chapter demonstrates how to establish the foundation of the painting through the block-in process, transferring the simplified vision to canvas and developing abstract shapes into recognizable forms. It shows how Brian makes critical compositional decisions that “engage the viewer and lead them around the scene without making their journey too complicated.”
Take It to Finish
The final chapter addresses knowing what details to add and how to recognize when a painting is finished. It demonstrates how to make editorial decisions (what to leave in and take out), shows techniques for creating different edges and marks (and where to use them!), and explains mixing paint for harmony and interest, as well as minimizing information, creating depth, and knowing when a painting is done. This chapter helps artists develop an instinctive sense of when to add detail and when to stop.
Available in both Streaming and DVD Formats
Discover how Brian Blood has transformed plein air painting into an instinctive process that begins with observation rather than technique. This fundamental shift in approach enables you to paint with confidence and clarity in any location.
You’ll discover Brian’s “Shape-First” method for simplifying even the most complex scenes into manageable, paintable elements. You’ll learn how to identify the essential shapes that form the foundation of any successful painting and transfer them to your canvas with confidence.
This observation-focused approach eliminates the overwhelm that plagues most plein air painters. Instead of frantically trying to capture every detail before the light changes, you’ll have a clear roadmap for your painting from the very beginning — one that eventually becomes second nature.
As you practice this approach, you’ll find yourself automatically seeing shapes, values, and compositional elements whenever you look at a potential painting subject. This is the instinctive process that transforms plein air painting from a stressful struggle into an enjoyable experience.
Brian reveals the three key elements he looks for in every scene: atmospheric perspective, center of interest, and leading the viewer. These elements form a decision-making framework that you can apply to any subject matter, in any location.
This powerful framework simplifies the countless decisions you face when painting outdoors. Instead of being overwhelmed by options, you’ll have clear criteria for making choices about composition, emphasis, and detail.
You’ll discover how to use atmospheric perspective to create a sense of depth and distance, learn to establish a clear center of interest that draws the viewer’s attention, and master the art of leading the viewer’s eye through your composition.
Most importantly, you’ll learn how this framework becomes an instinctive part of your artistic process. As you internalize these three essential elements, you’ll find yourself making better decisions instinctively. Your artistic judgment will improve, your confidence will grow, and your paintings will develop a professional quality that comes from having a clear, consistent approach!
The most valuable aspect of this course is watching Brian’s decision-making process in real time as he demonstrates when to follow what you see and when to make creative adjustments for a stronger painting.
“I often leave elements out of my paintings or add and embellish particular parts to make them more interesting,” Brian explains. This willingness to edit and interpret is what separates master painters from amateurs.
You’ll discover how to develop your own artistic judgment, learning to trust your instincts about which details to include and which to omit. This selective approach is essential for creating paintings with impact and clarity.
Brian demonstrates specific techniques for “minimizing information” while still creating a compelling scene. You’ll learn how to suggest detail without painstakingly rendering every element, creating paintings that feel fresh and expressive rather than overworked.
Most importantly, you’ll develop the confidence to know when a painting is finished — one of the most challenging aspects of the artistic process. As Brian shows you how to recognize when you’ve achieved that perfect balance, you’ll build trust in your own creative abilities.
“Creating a painting has many chapters, similar to a book,” Brian notes. “When you’re starting out, your book of information is very thin ... but once you’ve learned and/or been shown a process to try, you can start to build up more chapters in your book.”
✅ How to develop your own instinctive process for plein air painting…
✅ The “3 Essential Elements” framework (atmospheric perspective, center of interest, and leading the viewer) that simplifies decision-making…
✅ Brian’s “observation first” approach that trains your eye to immediately recognize what matters in any scene — transforming how you see the world around you ...
✅ The counterintuitive “less is more” approach that helps you confidently eliminate distractions and focus on what truly matters in your painting ...
✅ How to trust your artistic judgment when deciding what to include and what to leave out...
✅ The “Shape-First” method for breaking any complex scene into 4-5 simple elements — a systematic approach that becomes intuitive over time ...
✅ How to develop the confidence to edit a scene for a more compelling painting ...
✅ The decision-making process that helps you recognize when a painting is finished — preventing the overworking that plagues many artists ...
✅ Techniques for “minimizing information” while still creating a compelling scene...
✅ Brian’s insight that will LIBERATE you from the pressure of perfect representation and allow your instinctive process to flourish...
✅ How to “design as you go” with color, developing the artistic intuition to create harmony and interest even when the actual scene lacks these qualities…
✅ The exact brushwork techniques that create different edges and marks … and where to use them!
✅ Color-mixing tips for harmony and interest
✅ How to fix common problems on the fly, developing the problem-solving confidence that comes from having a systematic approach...
✅ PLUS: Brian’s insights on when to start “calling a painting done”...
…and many more incredible insights — direct from a master artist!
Available in both Streaming and DVD Formats
If you’re someone who feels overwhelmed when facing a complex outdoor scene, unsure where to begin or what to include...
…and if you’re someone who knows there’s an instinctive, confident artist inside you waiting to emerge...
…and if you’re someone who’s ready to develop your own intuitive process for creating successful plein air paintings...
Then you’ve already made the decision, otherwise you wouldn’t have read this far.
You’re not just considering another art course.
You’re choosing to transform how you observe and paint the world around you.
With Brian Blood’s Outdoor Painting Secrets: Plein Air by the Sea, you’re not just learning techniques — you’re developing an instinctive process that will serve you in every painting you create.
The artist who observes with clarity instead of overwhelm.
The artist who makes confident decisions about what to include and what to leave out.
The artist whose process has become so intuitive that painting outdoors feels relaxing and enjoyable rather than stressful.
This is who you’re becoming.
This course helps you develop those chapters — building an instinctive approach that becomes second nature over time.
And honestly?
Very few instructors have the level of mastery and systematic approach that Brian Blood brings to his teaching...
His “3 Essential Elements” framework has been refined through years of painting the beautiful coastlines near his Pebble Beach home, earning him recognition as one of California’s most important plein air impressionist artists.
Furthermore, if you live far away from Pebble Beach and can’t attend Brian’s workshops, this paint-along video is the next best thing.
It’s like having him as your personal, “in-house” instructor you can watch over and over again — and it won’t cost you an extra penny.
Plus, you’ll see all the materials used so you won’t end up wasting money on getting the wrong ones.
So let’s take everything we’ve just discussed about how you’ll develop your own instinctive process for observing and painting outdoors...
…and how you’ll learn to trust your artistic judgment when making decisions...
…and how you’ll finally become the artist who approaches plein air painting with confidence and clarity...
And let’s make it a reality for you.
30-Day 100% Money-Back Satisfaction Guarantee!
After you go through this course, we want you to be completely satisfied and feel confident that you’ve improved your painting skills.
However, if after watching the video, you decide it’s just not for you, let us know within 30 days of purchase and we’ll refund 100% of your money.
Disclaimer
Results require practice and dedication. The techniques taught in this video need to be studied and implemented consistently to achieve improvement in your paintings. Individual results will vary based on experience level and amount of practice.
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Though you can observe the techniques of any artist instantly by watching them demonstrate and by watching the videos repeatedly, please know that, though many artists offer insights that can help people overcome a lot of learning time, every artist learns at their own speed based on their own level of understanding. Painting and drawing bring great joy, though the joy may come from practicing various techniques over and over until you master them. We do not wish to indicate that you, or anyone, can skip the joy of practice and the challenges of getting better. Painting is a lifetime endeavor, and getting good does not typically happen rapidly, or instantly. Your results may vary. And please know that if at any time within 30 days you feel this video has not lived up to your expectations or its promise, we will happily refund your money.