Paintbrushes come in all shapes and sizes. From round brushes to fan brushes, there are a wide variety you can choose from. The paintbrush shape you do choose, though, will depend on what it is that you’re painting. Acrylic, for instance, needs a different paintbrush than watercolor. Additionally, you can’t use a large fan brush… Read more »
The Benefits of Thumbnail Sketching for Artists
Every artist looks for ways to improve their skills. One proven method is thumbnail sketching. These small, simple sketches are made quickly and with no corrections. They force the artist to rely on their memory and to work on crucial elements such as lines, shapes, curves, and more. Here are some more reasons why you… Read more »
How to Draw from Your Imagination
Drawing from your imagination can be harder than you think. If you sit an apple down in front of you, you can see for yourself how the light falls across its surface, or how its shadow stretches out across the table. When drawing from your imagination, however, you need to make up for yourself how… Read more »
Choosing the Best Painting Medium for Beginners
Now that you’re comfortable with drawing, it’s time to start thinking about painting. But where do you start? From acrylic to watercolor to oil, there are many painting mediums for you to choose from. Finding the right one, however, can be difficult, especially for beginners who may not know everything there is about each type…. Read more »
The Elements of Composition in Art and Design
Take a look at a work of art. What do you see? You likely notice characters, actions, and scenery, but if you look a little closer, you will notice movement, contrast, patterns, and balance. These are the elements of composition—various visual elements that make up a painting or drawing. They are not to be confused… Read more »
How to Use the Horizon Line in Your Artwork
For any type of artwork, the horizon line is an essential part of making your art more realistic. It helps you to scale the subjects in your drawing or painting properly, and it provides a sense of three-dimensionality to a strictly two-dimensional surface. As such, understanding what the horizon line is and how it works… Read more »
How Art Therapy Can Benefit Seniors
Art therapy can help anyone, no matter their age or situation. Children, for instance, can improve their critical thinking skills, and adults can use art to improve their mental health. Seniors can also benefit from art therapy, as recent studies have shown that seniors who participate in artistic activities are less depressed and have fewer… Read more »
How to Stay Creative During the Coronavirus Pandemic
Creativity doesn’t have an on-off switch. Even if the best of times we struggle to find our artistic inspiration, but during the coronavirus pandemic, it is even more difficult. Yet, art can be a great way to escape the stresses of everyday life, and thankfully, there are ways to find that creative spark again. Here’s… Read more »
How Drawing Can Improve Your Mood
There are many reasons why people should pick up a pencil and draw. Drawing, or any other form of art, can improve our mental health and aid childhood development. It can also improve our mood in the present moment, helping to make a bad day somewhat more bearable. Here’s how: It gives us something to… Read more »
What Is Value in Art?
The word “value” can take on many different meanings in the art world. There’s the monetary value that a piece of artwork may have; there is also the cultural value that a painting or drawing may have as well. For this blog post, however, we are concerned with the third type of value: that in… Read more »