Light Tells the Story
Color & Light
“Every lighting choice is a story choice.”
Runs twice a year · 8 weeks · Digital
Runs twice a year · 8 weeks · Digital
Winter: Feb 1 – Mar 28 · Classroom opens Jan 25 · Midpoint Q&A Sat, Feb 27 · Wrap-up Q&A Sat, Apr 3 · Access closes Apr 18
Fall: Sep 27 – Nov 21 · Classroom opens Sep 20 · Midpoint Q&A Sat, Oct 23 · Wrap-up Q&A Sat, Dec 4 · Access closes Dec 12
Light is the fastest way to tell a viewer how to feel. The same scene at dawn, by candlelight or under a storm tells three different stories. This course gives you a clear system for value, temperature and light — then shows you how to use it to set mood, time and emotion, and to lead the eye straight to what matters. You'll paint along with Robert every week using Luminary, the light-and-value tool he built for exactly this work.
Who it's for: Anyone who can draw and wants their color to finally work — illustrators, comic artists, hobby painters, digital and traditional.
What you'll learn
Week 1 — Value: the backbone of every mood
Week 2 — Light sources and how form turns
Week 3 — Color temperature and emotion
Week 4 — Local color vs. the color of light
Week 5 — Palettes that carry mood
Week 6 — Atmosphere, time of day and setting
Week 7 — Leading the eye: contrast, edges and focus
Week 8 — Final: one story moment, three lighting moods
What you'll make: One story moment painted in three lighting moods, plus your own palette library.
Bonus: Every enrolled student gets Luminary [included / at 20% off [Link to Luminary]
Paint with confidence and precision.
How this course works
Self-Paced · Released weekly · Prerecorded — not taught live
This course is prerecorded. Robert isn't teaching it live. Instead, a new module unlocks every Monday and the whole class moves through it together, one week at a time — so you can't jump ahead, but within each week you watch and work whenever it fits your schedule.
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Early access. Your classroom opens one week before the start date. Meet your cohort, get your supply list and watch the welcome video.
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New module every Monday. One video lesson and one assignment.
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Post your homework by Saturday at 11:59 pm PT in the course thread.
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Feedback starts Sunday (With Pro Feedback). Your work is reviewed by Robert or one of his industry professionals, with thorough feedback back within 2–7 days — a recorded video critique, a draw-over on your image, or written notes in your thread.
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Two live Q&As with Robert on Zoom (With Pro Feedback). One at the midpoint and a wrap-up after the final week, held on Saturday mornings and recorded.
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Access closes 3 weeks after the course ends for everyone.
Who reviews your Work?
Every feedback seat is reviewed by Robert or one of his industry professionals — working artists Robert trained himself. Each one follows Robert's critique method, so the standard is the same, whoever reviews your piece. And every student gets Robert himself in both live Q&As.
Limited Enrollment
Limited Enrollment
Runs twice a year · 8 weeks ·
[Digital]
Winter: Feb 1 – Mar 28 Classroom opens: Jan 25 Midpoint Q&A: Sat, Feb 27 Wrap-up Q&A: Sat, Apr 3 Access closes: Apr 18
Winter
Lessons Only $197
With Pro Feedback $997 (20 seats)
Early access. Your classroom opens one week before the start date. Meet your cohort, get your supply list and watch the welcome video.
New module every Monday. One video lesson and one assignment.
Post your homework by Saturday at 11:59 pm PT in the course thread.
Feedback starts Sunday (With Pro Feedback). Your work is reviewed by Robert or one of his industry professionals, with thorough feedback back within 2–7 days — a recorded video critique, a draw-over on your image, or written notes in your thread.
Two live Q&As with Robert on Zoom (With Pro Feedback). One at the midpoint and a wrap-up after the final week, Saturday mornings, recorded.
Access closes 3 weeks after the course ends for everyone.
Fall: Sep 27 – Nov 21
Classroom: opens Sep 20 Midpoint Q&A: Sat, Oct 23 Wrap-up Q&A: Sat, Dec 4 Access closes: Dec 12
Fall
Lessons Only $197
With Pro Feedback $997 (20 seats)
Early access. Your classroom opens one week before the start date. Meet your cohort, get your supply list and watch the welcome video.
New module every Monday. One video lesson and one assignment.
Post your homework by Saturday at 11:59 pm PT in the course thread.
Feedback starts Sunday (With Pro Feedback). Your work is reviewed by Robert or one of his industry professionals, with thorough feedback back within 2–7 days — a recorded video critique, a draw-over on your image, or written notes in your thread.
Two live Q&As with Robert on Zoom (With Pro Feedback). One at the midpoint and a wrap-up after the final week, Saturday mornings, recorded.
Access closes 3 weeks after the course ends for everyone.
✺ Frequently asked questions ✺
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No. It's prerecorded, and a new module unlocks every Monday.
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Saturday at 11:59 pm PT each week.
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With Pro Feedback, Robert or one of his industry professionals reviews every assignment and replies within 2–7 days.
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Catch up anytime until access closes, 3 weeks after the course ends.
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Photoshop, Procreate, or Clip Studio. The course will use the Luminary System.
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Yes — 20% off, applied automatically when you buy inside Nextgen.
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A finished piece you can be proud of — see "What you'll make" above.
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Full refund if you ask within the first week of the course — before Module 2 unlocks.