Welcome to my Mentorship Studios
Frustrated?
Don’t Know What to do Next?
• Are you just beginning to draw or paint and don’t know where to start?
• Or have you been drawing and painting for a while now and have reached a point where you don’t know what to do next?
• Are you frustrated with trying to figure out a new technique or working with new materials?
Learn the Fundamentals
Learning the fundamentals of drawing and painting is often overlooked but starting with these always gives an artist a foundation to grow on.
Work with a Professional Artist
We all sometimes get stuck when trying to grow as an artist, and working with a professional artist as a mentor is something that students and artists have been doing for centuries.
Break Through the Frustration
Working with a mentor will help to break the frustration of learning a new technique or working with new materials.
Let Me Introduce Myself
I’m Robert Louis Caldwell, and I love to draw and paint. I have been painting since the late 1990s and have been drawing since I was two years old. I have the proof; my mom saved my first drawing of a Tractor Trailer.
My passion for creating art has evolved into sharing my knowledge with others through my weekly mentoring studios. Nothing brings me more joy than seeing that smile on a student’s face when they have created something new and spectacular.
I have been teaching since 2010, and now that I have this platform, I get the opportunity to teach from my studio into yours. During this weekly studio time, students work on their drawings and paintings in a virtual in-person studio. The class is a dedicated time each week for students to work, ask technique and compositional questions, and receive feedback through an open discussion. As a group, students learn more than just what their challenge is because all discussions/critiques are done on-screen; everyone learns from each other's challenges.
I am honored to be named an Associate Living Master with the Art Renewal Center, an organization promoting skills-based training, standards, and excellence in visual arts. All courses taught by me are ARC approved.
I love what I do, and I love sharing and helping students build their knowledge by working with color and brushwork!
What do you get with your weekly mentorship studio?
• A dedicated two and half hours a week to work on your drawings or paintings and receive feedback on your current project.
• A friendly and encouraging environment with fellow supportive students.
• Visual feedback and critiques show you in real-time what the suggested changes will look like, and then the altered image can be sent back to you.
• Artists of various skill levels learn from each other, being exposed to advanced artists and being reminded of the fundamentals.
Your tuition subscription gives you immediate access to;
- All of the courses I have to offer allowing you to sharpen your skills with my precise and clear real-time video instruction.
- All of my demonstration courses are where you can watch how I create some of my drawings and paintings.
- To all of my Artists Resources, these courses cover how to gesso a panel, photograph your art, access to my Color Charts, and many more as these continue to grow.
- To my growing reference library that you can use as you wish to create your unique compositions.
- And as long as you are a student in the mentoring studio, you will have early access to new courses I create.
Before enrolling, please visit the Technology Needs page to ensure you have everything needed to participate in the online class, ensuring a great experience.
Four Different Opportunities to Join a Mentoring Studio
Each mentoring studio is limited to eight artists, two studios on Tuesdays and two on Thursdays.
• I work with thirty-two students throughout the four studios.
• Keeping the number of students low gives the students and me the best experience,
allowing them to receive feedback and critiques.
• Every studio has artists at varying levels of experience, and everyone learns from each other's
questions and perceived problems. We all become invested in each other's projects.
• Visit the four different mentoring studios below to see if there is a time and day that works for you.
All times are in the eastern time zone.
Tuesday Mentoring Studios
Thursday Mentoring Studios
Ready to start working with me? Apply Today!
To apply for my weekly mentoring studios, Click on the “Ready? Apply Today!” below and fill out the application form. I will respond to your application within a few days after receiving it.
Not sure, Need More Information?
Not sure if this will work for you or if you would like to know more information about my mentoring studios. Click on the button below and fill out the application form. If you want to schedule a video call with me, check the yes box on the application form. And if you would like to visit a class before subscribing to the class, check the yes button on the application form for that as well.
I work and instruct in graphite pencil and oil paint. However, I have artists working in various mediums, such as watercolor, acrylic, colored pencil, and pastel. Any student working with me is told up front that if you are working in a medium other than graphite pencil and oil paint, I may not always be able to answer your questions regarding materials and techniques of the medium you are working in.
The monthly tuition subscription is $145 per month
- The subscription renews automatically on the day of the month that you first joined the studio.
- The monthly subscription covers 40 weeks of instruction per 12 months averaging 3.5 weeks of instruction per month. This accounts for holidays and time off; you might have a month with five classes and another with only two classes.
- Most years, I end up scheduling more than 40 weeks.
- There are no refunds for any missed classes. If you miss a class, we can schedule a 15-minute meeting via zoom at a time that works best for you and me or attend another class on a different day.
- If you know, you will miss several classes. You can cancel your subscription until you are ready to resume.
A Dedicated Weekly Time to Grow as an Artist
• By joining a weekly mentoring studio, you'll be joining a nurturing community of fellow artists, all learning from each other questions from the comfort of your studios.
• You can break the frustration of learning something new by working with me and receiving weekly feedback on your projects.
• You will gain access to my growing course library, Demonstrations, Artists Resources, and Reference Library.
Testimonials
Students who have taken my Mentoring Studios want to share what they have learned and gained from this course.
"...an artist who loves teaching and helping his students reach their artistic goals."
When I moved to Midlothian, I searched for an artist whose work I admired and provided the type of teaching that I wanted. Robert L. Caldwell was a perfect fit. Currently, I am enrolled in his weekly mentoring studio where I receive feedback on composition, painting techniques, and how to best reach my artistic goals. I have a sense of pride in how much I have grown since I began with Robert just two years ago. That's priceless.
During the COVID pandemic, we moved to an online platform. I have to say I was skeptical. It has actually enhanced my learning experience. Not only have my paintings improved but now I enjoy utilizing an application to assist in the composition process. Robert's constantly working on providing new classes and materials online so that I can view them at my own pace. Then those resources are always available to me in case I need a refresher.
I feel truly blessed to have found an artist who loves teaching and helping his students reach their artistic goals.
-Pam Landreth
Paints in oil and has been a student since 2019
"...there's a continual give and take of dialog and explanation that's invaluable"
Taking online art classes with Robert has been a godsend, especially during the pandemic. Not only is finding an instructor that offers a live class format amazing but he's also taken the time to set up his virtual classroom to facilitate learning and sharing of the artistic process. I've taken several online courses, and this is by far the best. You're not just watching an instructor paint to music, there's a continual give and take of dialog and explanation that's invaluable.
-Elizabeth Miller
Paints in Oils, a student since 2018
"...using his wonderful grasp of technology with his obvious love of teaching has made the classes even better "
I came to Robert in 2014 shortly after I retired and decided to try drawing and painting. Robert started me from the very beginning with shapes and their values. I still use these basic concepts as I have grown as an artist and love both drawing and painting. The pandemic threw all of us into limbo...but not for long. Robert, using his wonderful grasp of technology with his obvious love of teaching has made the classes even better as we ZOOM along. To be able to send a photo of a piece I'm working on each week for help on compositing, composing, and value makes each week a wonderful learning experience for me. He will draw on my photo in Photoshop and pinpoint exactly where I need to work next. I also love the camaraderie we students have in our class. I think we have become even closer to each other through zooming than we were painting in his studio where it was easy to concentrate only on what I was doing. Now I can learn as he helps each student in the class. I can find a nugget that I hadn't thought of before. In addition, since I take all my own reference photos he has helped me combine various photos to make a better composition. I plan to take lessons for years.
-Mary Lee Wetzel
Paints in Oils and has been a student since 2014
"RLC has provided the structure and discipline I need to develop as an artist."
Working under Robert has opened my eyes to graphite drawing. While I knew a bit about drawing, I didn’t know how to bring true depth to the paper. Robert’s mentoring classes have equipped me with the tools of values, tone, and composition. What I continue to learn is that drawing is seeing and presenting what you see in a way that captures reality. RLC, artist, teacher, and school, have provided the structure and discipline I need to develop as an artist.
-Rich Turney
Works with graphite pencil and has been a student since 2018.
"Robert has a true talent and passion for creating art and teaching..."
I found Robert Caldwell's studio through an online search in 2018. I had never taken a drawing or painting class, and I consider myself very lucky to have found an instructor who teaches everything from the basic fundamentals of drawing to classical composition that can be applied to any medium. He encourages all of his students to develop their own unique style, offering suggestions to improve skills while allowing each artist to express themselves and their vision through their artwork.
Since the pandemic severely restricted in-person learning, Robert has reworked his business into a virtual studio using the Zoom platform, providing the ability to continue a group atmosphere and still provide one on one instruction. Multiple screens and the use of Photoshop allow Robert to demonstrate changes in ways that were not available in the classroom, allowing you to really see what a difference a change in value or composition makes in a painting before you commit to the change on paper. Each class has students of different levels of experience as well as working in different mediums, which allows us to learn so much from each other.
Robert has a true talent and passion for creating art and teaching that makes his classes both educational and a pleasure to attend. I highly recommend joining any of his online classes!
-Katharina Robinson
Watercolor artist since 2018.
"Not only does he provide great instruction, but he clearly loves to teach."
I have been taking Robert’s online mentoring class for oil painting since its inception and It seems that in every class, I learn something new. Not only does he provide great instruction, but he clearly loves to teach. He is an accomplished artist in his own right and has the unique ability to teach not only the fundamentals of painting but actually takes the time to explain the importance of why these elements of composition, values, color, and perspective, are so important to your painting. He helps to make my paintings come to life! By incorporating what he has taught me, I feel I have learned so much and I find myself looking forward to each additional class I take!
-Paula Smith
Paints in oils and a student since May 2019.
I am honored to have so many very talented and dedicated artists learning with me every week in the mentoring studios, personal coaching, online courses, and workshops. I sincerely believe that I learn as much from my students as they do from me, and I am so very humbled by the kind words that they have written here. I have the best students!
To read more about what my students have to say about me, my instruction, and my passion for art visit the Testimonials page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I need to take a break from classes?
If you want to take a break, click on your account button in the upper right corner and select the “Manage Subscriptions” option. Then click on the “Cancel” button to end your subscription; your subscription will end at the end of your billing cycle.
When you are ready to rejoin your mentoring studio, simply resubscribe.
What if I am sick or am going on vacation and I will miss a scheduled class?
There are no refunds for any missed classes. If you miss a class, we can schedule a 15-minute meeting via zoom at a time that works best for you and me or attend another class on a different day.
If I cancel my tuition subscription, will I still have access to the drawing and painting courses, demonstrations, and artists’ resources?
No, once you cancel your tuition subscription, you will no longer have access to the drawing and painting courses, demonstrations, and artists’ resources. They are directly linked to your Mentoring Studio enrollment.