Want to create magical artworks of nature and find new ideas for future paintings? We asked Peter Dranitsin, a full-time artist and graphic designer from Cleveland, Ohio, and popular YouTube-blogger with more than 240K subscribers, to tell us his secrets and give us some tips. Read his story and advice in our interview.

- Hi, Peter! Tell us a few words about yourself.

Hello! My name is Peter Dranitsin, I am a full-time artist and graphic designer from Cleveland, Ohio. I have been addicted to painting for many years. I am very passionate about creating and sharing my painting techniques with the world through my YouTube channel.

- When did you start drawing? Is there some story behind it? What did you want to become as a child?

I started drawing as a child. I grew up in a family full of professional artists. My mother is an art teacher and my dad is a professional photographer. However, as I was growing up I was never really serious about making a career as an artist. It all happened when my wife asked me to paint something for our kids’ room which brought me back to painting. I have continued on this beautiful journey to this day.

- How do you choose which medium to use?

I enjoy painting with all kinds of media including acrylics, oils, and watercolors. I prefer acrylics over all other media for its ease of use and flexibility.

- How did you start your own YouTube painting channel and gain in popularity?

As I was trying to promote my paintings through social media, I decided to create a step-by-step art video for my YouTube channel. After my first upload, I was amazed at how well it was received. So I decided to continue creating and sharing my art techniques. Being able to share my art and be appreciated by other people throughout the world is the biggest reward for me.

- Nature seems to be one of the major themes in your paintings. What draws you to it?

I love spending time in parks admiring what our Mother Nature has given us. As I would walk through the park, it would always strike me how each individual tree has a distinct character. In my art videos, I strive to share this visual experience with the viewers.

- Where do you find ideas for fantasy paintings?

Almost all of my paintings come directly from my imagination with little to no preparation in advance. I brainstorm in my mind on a subject and theme for my next painting based on feelings and emotions that are hovering over me at that particular moment.

- Share some interesting facts about your art with us.

The most interesting painting results come out when I am persistent and paint over and over on the same canvas. I build and destroy each creation and in the process, I eventually get to the desired result. Just like a sculptor, I sculpt the visual appearance based on my inner intuition.

- Give us some insight into how to make nature paintings as vibrant and magical as yours. Are there any specific techniques?

The first thing that comes to mind is the game of colors and contrast. Choose color combinations that will make the visual ‘pop.’ Emphasize the source of light with darker tones to guide viewers to the focal point in your composition. To achieve vibrant colors in your painting use high-quality paint. Many of the cheap paint brands out there do not retain high-intensity color pigments after the paint is dry.

Additionally, use double-primed canvas so that the canvas material itself does not absorb your paint as it dries, which makes it look much different than when it was still wet.

- What advice can you give to aspiring artists?

If you are new to painting, learn to relax and enjoy the painting process every time you create. If your painting does not turn out like you’ve initially imagined, try to learn from it and see what you could have done better or what to avoid next time. With each painting, you will most definitely improve. Through many years of painting, I still learn something new with each new creation.

- Do you use a lot of Arteza products in your work?

For the past 2 years I have been using nothing else but Arteza products. I can definitely say with confidence that Arteza offers by far the best quality paint, canvas, and other art supplies I have ever tried.

- What’s your top Arteza product and why?

Acrylic Premium Artist Paint, 120ml pouches are my favorite Arteza products. I absolutely love the paint quality and ease of use. The paint is easy to mix and has a beautiful flow to it. The pouches are a very convenient way to squeeze the paint directly to the canvas and/or my palette. It’s funny how many people mistakenly think I am using oils for my paintings which are actually done in acrylics. I tell them to try using Arteza paint; it will open your eyes to a new magical world.

Other posts you may enjoy:

• Paint a Realistic Wave with Acrylics
• November Artist Interview — Ursula Doughty
• How to Use Acrylic Paint