FAQs

I prefer a very smooth surface for the detailed paintings I do. When I have painted on canvas, I purchased the smoother weave canvas that was portrait quality. Either cotton…

What paint brushes do you use?

I have a collection of brushes from Rosemary and Co. I use a combination of both soft and stiff, flat and round, long and short brushes depending on the effect…

What advice do you have for oil painting on MDF?

I prefer to paint on very smooth surface panels. In the past, I cut any size I needed and prepared the panel myself. If you are interested in doing this…

Why do you use oil paint rather than acrylic?

I prefer the final appearance of oil paint because of its vibrancy, transparency and usability and I enjoy being able to blend and achieve the effects that I can. I…

What alternatives can I use instead of liquin?

Liquin was formulated by Winsor and Newton for use with their Alkyd Fast Drying Oil Paint but it has become very popular with artists who use oil paint regularly. The…

What alternatives can I use instead of turpentine?

Windsor and Newton has a low-odour option for use with oil paints, “Winsor and Newton Sansodor”. A low-odour solvent to clean your brushes can also be found in Windsor and…

What are you using to display the photos you paint from?

I’m using a Samsung tablet with a 10 1/2″ screen. The majority of tablets now have exceptional screen resolution, giving crisp and accurate colours, and best of all you can…

What colours do you use for your oil paintings?

I provide a complete list of all the normal colours I use in my Online Art School. I normally use these same colours for every subject I paint and rarely…

What do you use white spirit for?

I use white spirit to clean my paint brushes, as well as to thin my paint for when I am applying the paint in the later layers of the painting.…

How do you prevent oil paint from beading-up

Your paint, medium or even varnish can sometimes form beads on an already-painted surface, although this doesn’t happen often. The solution is to rub the surface lightly with alcohol to…

What does wet on wet mean?

Wet-on-wet, or alla prima, means “first attempt” in Italian. It is the method I use most of the time in my technique. This means applying layers of wet paint to…

How do you scale your oil paintings when using a reference photo?

When I am painting a complex subject or just want to be sure all the elements of the painting are in the right spot on the canvas, I use a…

What happens when the oil paint I’m using starts to dry?

When the paint on my palette starts to dry I can add a bit more of the medium and refresh with more paint, matching the colour, then continue painting using…

How do you start your oil paintings?

I start my paintings by doing a graphite pencil sketch lightly on the panel. If I am doing a complex subject I will use the grid method to be sure…

What is the secret to removing brush marks?

I typically apply my paint very thinly and use a soft brush to blend as I go, which tends to remove brush marks nicely.

How do you use alkyd paint?

Winsor and Newton Alkyd Fast Drying Oil paint is used in the same way as regular oils but has a much faster drying time. This is important for me to…

What is your technique for blocking in using acrylics?

I use acrylic for blocking-in because they dry fast allowing me to move on to the detail layers in oils. I only thin my acrylic paint with water to make…

How do you use liquin?

Liquin was formulated by Winsor and Newton for use with the Alkyd Fast Drying Oil Paint but has become very popular with artists who use regular oil paint. The Liquin…

What mediums do you use when oil painting?

I prefer Liquin original by Winsor & Newton because it helps the paint dry within 4-5 hours. My technique will work with any medium that is recommended for use with…

Can I pause, forward or rewind the tutorials?

Yes, you can. Once you start watching a video click on the pause button or rewind/forward by moving the duration bar back and forwards.

Do the tutorials have subtitles?

No, unfortunately the tutorials do not have subtitles. However, if you have hearing difficulties and have purchased a yearly subscription, we will provide you with a written transcript of each…

Does Michael James Smith paint seascapes?

Michael does paint seascapes and in fact, there are two tutorials available in the Online Art School, ‘How to Paint a Seascape’ and ‘How to Paint a Wave’. They gives…

How can I learn to paint like Michael James Smith?

Michael shares a wealth of knowledge in step-by-step tutorials, covering many different subjects and demonstrating his technique from start to finish. Each tutorial teaches the techniques Michael uses and offers…

How long are tutorial videos available to view?

Once you become a member you can view the tutorials as many times as you like. They will always be available as long as you are a paying member. The…

I’m struggling with a tutorial, do you offer any help?

Yes, if you need any support with the oil painting tutorials you can contact our friendly customer support team via email: admin@onlineartschool.com

What size panel will I need for tutorials?

A large number of the panels I use are in a square format of 12″x12″ or 13″x13″, with a few in landscape formats. You are free to use any size…

Can I adjust the speed of the tutorials?

Yes, you can change the speed of each tutorial by clicking on the cog icon next to the volume button in the footer of the video.

Where did you learn how to paint?

I am mostly self-taught but I have also learned a lot from my father, who is also an oil painter. I have been developing my own oil painting technique for…

Where do I find my username?

We send you a confirmation email with your username information. Normally your username consists of the first part of your email address.

Why was my payment declined when I tried to purchase a subscription?

We receive notifications about your payment and most of the time we can tell why your card has been declined. There could be a number of reasons such as typing…

Is the Art School suitable for children?

Yes, children are welcome to use MJS online art school but must be accompanied by an adult. Please see our Terms and Conditions with regards to this.

How do I redeem a gift voucher?

Go to Join/Pricing page > select your membership plan> click on Sign Up today> enter gift voucher code> Apply Gift voucher> Proceed to Checkout.

Is the Online Art School suitable for beginners?

My Online Art School is suitable for all experience levels, it doesn’t matter if you’re a total beginner. In each oil painting tutorial, I cover everything you need to know…

How do you add a signature to an oil painting?

I feel that the artist’s signature is very important and that is why I use all capital letters when adding my signature to my oill paintings, so that it is…

What if I don’t have time to work through the tutorials and I can’t keep up?

Each oil painting tutorial is broken down into shorter videos, which you can watch in your own time and at your own pace. Each section of tutorial is approximately 1-hour…

How do you make oil paint dry faster?

The addition of any number of products on the market can speed up the drying time for oil paintings. Often the name will include the word “alkyd” and different manufacturers…

What support will I receive in the Online Art School?

You can ask questions and request feedback from the Art School team by emailing admin@onlineartschool.com. I’ve also put together answers to many of the questions that I’m frequently asked, which…

My tutorial video keeps stopping, what should I do?

There could be a few reasons why this is happening: Please try disabling Auto Lock (which can be found in Settings > Display & Brightness > Auto-Lock) and see if…

Where can I make a complaint?

You can email us on admin@onlineartschool.com or you can fill out a form in our contact section.

Who do I contact for support in the Art School?

Our support team are here to help you and provide support . You can message them directly with any enquiries via the contact page or by emailing admin@onlineartschool.com

How do I resubscribe to the school after cancelling my subscription?

You simply Log in into your account, hover over ‘My Dashboard’ > select My Account > My Subscription > View > Re-subscribe.

Can I upgrade my subscription before my current subscription expires?

Yes you can, simply Log in > hover over My Dashboard> select My Account> My Subscription> View> Upgrade.

How do I bookmark my projects?

Choose the tutorial video you would like to bookmark, click on the ‘Bookmark’ button under the tutorial. By bookmarking you will save the tutorial onto your dashboard under ‘My projects’.

How do I change my address?

How do I change my name?

Select ‘About’ on the right-hand side bar under ‘My Profile’> click on ‘Edit’, type your name and save changes.

How do I change my payment method?

To change your payment method, log in > hover over ‘My Dashboard’> Payment methods > Add Payment Method. To delete your bank details, log in > hover over My Dashboard…

How do I delete a bookmark?