Ryan begins by introducing you to the subject — a cheery white crab boat in the harbor, surrounded by water, reflections, and dancing light.

But before a single brushstroke hits canvas, he walks you through something even more important: your attitude.

Ryan stresses that your mental and emotional state directly transfers onto your painting. 

You’ll learn how to get into your “feel good place” — awake, positive, and ready to paint with childlike curiosity and wonder.

Plus, he reviews the simple limited color palette and relatively big brushes that give you permission to paint with confidence from the very start.

In this chapter, you’ll complete a loose underpainting that helps you feel out your subject without overcommitting.

Ryan teaches you to think of your subject as shapes, contrasts, and values — not a boat.

Watch as he sketches ideas directly on canvas, even experimenting with different canvas orientations right there in real time. No sketchbook required.

In this chapter, Ryan explains building value and shape to solidify composition and placement while staying focused on what you want to say — not what traditional rules demand.

He paints with a playful, practical approach as though working en plein air, showing you what to capture first before the light changes.

Plus, he breaks down the single most important element for accurate placement and proportion.

Get this right, and your brush will swing and hit a home run, just like Barry Bonds stepping up to the plate with confidence and power.

This is where Ryan refreshes the boat’s anatomy and develops the painting further.

In this chapter, you’ll uncover how to develop contrast and form with value, add pops of bright color for interest, and keep edges and brushwork lively for maximum energy.

What’s more, you’ll also learn the importance of “PLM,” something Ryan considers the key ingredient of painting. 

In this chapter, Ryan returns to the work with fresh eyes.

You’ll continue keeping edges and brushwork lively and discover an unexpected sky color you may not have thought to use — while always reviewing compositional tools, like showing odd versus even numbers of objects.

Finally, Ryan even explains why signing your painting when you’re stuck might be exactly what you need to finish with success.

Here you’ll learn how to paint with confidence even when you’re not feeling it, and discover how palette knife painting can rescue problem areas with surprising ease.

You’ll explore different ways to add masts using both palette knife and brush, while developing the water and background elements that bring the whole scene together.

Plus, Ryan shares one of his favorite techniques for in the studio or en plein air: using a mirror to view your painting “backwards,” so you can instantly spot elements that need adjustment.

This chapter begins on a new day with a fresh perspective.

Ryan moves the reference closer to the painting to work on details and accurate anatomy now that the foundation has been established.

You’ll continue to add and subtract, observe and adjust, while keeping value and contrast as top priorities when capturing light and shadow.

As Ryan says: “I don’t just want to ‘do stuff’ to my painting, I want to do ‘the right stuff.’”

In this final chapter, Ryan takes the painting to completion — refining and adjusting as he nears the finish line.

You’ll learn how to slow down and become more methodical as you approach the final touches, while still making bold adjustments with confidence.

This is where everything comes together and your painting transforms into a finished work you’re proud to share.