Artist insights, creative techniques, suggested art supplies, and guided exercises for July 2026
by Elizabeth Ragona, with art by Ron Lewis. © 2026 Alabama Art Supply.

Weather reshapes how we see and respond to everyday scenes, inviting artists to let atmosphere inform their work first.

Weather is one of the most powerful teachers in painting—not because it is dramatic, but because it refuses to stay still.

A change in weather alters light, softens edges, shifts color temperature, and rearranges space. The same road looks different after rain. Snow quiets a landscape. Fog removes information and replaces it with mood. For painters, weather becomes a way to explore atmosphere before detail, feeling before description.

This month’s Studio Notes art blog is inspired by the art of Ron Lewis. It focuses on using weather as a structural element rather than a decorative one. Instead of asking, What am I painting? the more useful question becomes, What does the air feel like here?

Atmosphere Before Accuracy

Atmosphere is created through value, color temperature, and edge quality. When weather is present, hard lines rarely dominate. Edges soften. Shapes overlap. Contrast compresses or expands depending on light conditions.

In atmospheric painting:

• Values often sit closer together
• Colors shift subtly toward warm or cool
• Details emerge later—or not at all

This approach applies across mediums. In watercolor, atmosphere is built through washes and restraint. In acrylic and oil, it comes through layering, softened transitions, and selective omission. Regardless of medium, the goal is the same: let the air organize the scene.

Letting Weather Simplify the Scene

Weather gives painters permission to simplify. Rain blurs forms. Snow reduces contrast. Fog eliminates background detail entirely. These conditions are not obstacles—they are compositional tools.

When weather leads:

• You don’t need to explain every object
• Familiar subjects become fresh
• Mood replaces description

This is especially effective in everyday scenes: streets, fields, buildings, paths, and quiet interiors of landscapes. The subject becomes secondary to how it is experienced in that moment.

Color as Climate

Color choices communicate temperature, humidity, and time of day. Cool grays suggest mist or snow. Warm neutrals imply fading light. Reflections introduce unexpected color relationships.

Rather than mixing exact colors, atmospheric painting benefits from:

• Limited palettes
• Repeated color families
• Subtle shifts rather than sharp contrasts

This creates unity and allows the viewer to feel the environment rather than analyze it.

Restraint as a Skill

One of the hardest lessons in weather-based painting is knowing when to stop. Atmospheric work often weakens when too much information is added. The suggestion of a figure, a building, or a tree is usually enough.

Strong atmospheric paintings trust the viewer. They allow space for interpretation. They leave room for silence.

As you work this month, notice where less does more. When the air feels right, the painting is already speaking.

Suggested Products (July, Weeks 27–30)

Week 27: Shifting Light

• Watercolor paper pad
• Watercolor paint set
• Soft round brush
• Water container

Week 28: Weather in Motion

• Watercolor paint or acrylic paint
• Medium round or flat brush
• Paper towels or rag
• Mixed media or watercolor paper

Week 29: Everyday Weather

• Canvas or heavy paper
• Acrylic paint or oil paint
• Medium brush
• Palette or mixing surface

Week 30: Atmosphere First

• Limited palette paint set
• Large brush
• Canvas or heavy paper
• Palette knife (optional)

TRY IT NOW: Weather & Atmosphere

July 2026 Studio Notes Exercise Guide

Inspired by the art of Ron Lewis.

Weather doesn’t wait for permission—it arrives, changes the scene, and moves on. These exercises invite you to respond the same way: quickly, intuitively, and without overworking.

This month focuses on mood, light, and movement rather than precision. Each week encourages you to begin with atmosphere and allow the subject to emerge naturally.

There is no required medium and no expected finish. Each exercise is a study in seeing, not a demand for completion.

WEEK 27: Shifting Light

What

Paint a scene where changing light sets the mood more than the objects themselves.

Why

Light defines atmosphere. When light leads, detail becomes secondary and emotion comes forward.

How

• Observe light direction and temperature
• Simplify shapes and values
• Let edges remain soft
• Stop before adding detail

Tip: If the light feels right, the painting is already working.

WEEK 28: Weather in Motion

What

Capture rain, snow, fog, or mist using loose marks and broken edges.

Why

Weather rarely has sharp boundaries. Softness and movement communicate more than accuracy.

How

Use diluted paint or broken strokes

Allow drips, runs, or texture

Let forms dissolve into the background

Tip: Don’t correct accidents—weather thrives on imperfection.

WEEK 29: Everyday Weather

What

Paint a familiar place influenced by weather or time of day.

Why

Ordinary locations become compelling when atmosphere changes how we experience them.

How

• Choose a simple, known subject
• Let weather dictate color and contrast
• Keep forms understated

Tip: Familiarity gives you freedom—use it.

WEEK 30: Atmosphere First

What

Begin with mood and atmosphere before introducing structure or detail.

Why

Starting with atmosphere sets a unified foundation for the entire piece.

How

• Block in large areas of color
• Establish temperature and value first
• Add detail only if needed

Tip: Atmosphere doesn’t need explanation—trust it.

⭐ Share Your Process

Trying the exercises? Finished or not, your process matters.

We’d love to see what you’re working on. Share your piece on social media and tag @AlabamaArtSupply or use #StudioNotesAAS so we can follow along.

A Final Thought

In the subtle shifts of light, the softening of edges, and the quiet mood weather brings, we find a powerful lesson for our art: painting isn’t just about capturing objects — it’s about capturing experience.

Weather teaches us to see beyond form, to let atmosphere lead, and to trust that meaning often lives in feeling rather than detail. In everyday scenes — ordinary streets, fields, buildings, and quiet corners — the air itself becomes the subject, holding emotion, time, and place together.

When we let weather guide our choices, we invite the viewer not just to look at a scene, but to feel it.

Featured Artist Connection

This Studio Notes art blog is inspired by the work and approach of a featured artist at Alabama Art Supply. Visit the artist’s feature to explore their work, background, and creative perspective in more depth.

→ Meet the Featured Artist: Ron Lewis

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