Soft Pastels, Hard Choices: My Must-Have Tools for Creating Realistic Art
With so many art supply options available, it’s exciting—but also overwhelming! Let me simplify the process by sharing my favorite soft pastel tools. I’ll explain why I love them, how I use them, and even point out any downsides, so you can make informed choices for your own creative journey.
From Good to Great: 5 More Tips for Excelling in Realistic Art
The journey to mastering realistic art is a blend of persistence, learning, and patience. In this second blog of a two-part series, I take a look at five more tips to help you improve your art.
Drawing the Line: 5 Practical Tips to Master Realistic Art
I’ve been on a mission to improve my realistic art skills. I have already learned a lot, and I’m sharing 5 tips to elevate your technique. These are very simple and range from how to print your large reference photo to mind tricks to help you practice.
Reflections and Revelations: What I've Learned on My Pastel Journey So Far
My mission for 2024 is to elevate my pastel painting skills and knowledge. Over time, I've progressed through three distinct phases, each contributing to my growth as an artist. In this reflection, I share insights into the various types of pastels and techniques I've explored on my journey. I'll delve into the pros and cons, offering lessons learned through experience and experimentation.
Goethe's Color Theory: Where Rainbows Meet Philosophy (and Maybe a Few Unicorns)
Join me as I jump into the world of Goethe. After I describe some of his musings on Color Theory, I’ll analyze two J.M.W. Turner paintings to observe the theory put into artistic practice. Finally, I’ll briefly suggest three ways I plan to employ Goethe’s color theory principles as I move forward on my art journey.
Color Theory Part 2: Exploring the Harmony of Complementary Colors
Color plays a fundamental role in art, shaping compositions, evoking emotions, and conveying symbolic meanings. In this blog, I delve into the dynamic world of complementary colors and their profound impact on artistic expression. I look at how artists use complementary colors to enrich the visual experience and invite viewers on a journey of interpretation and discovery.
Mastering the Palette: A Beginner's Guide to Color Theory
Color Theory can be confusing, but it’s so important for artists to understand to create cohesive, meaningful pieces. In this post, I’ll tackle the basics of color theory to provide a good foundation for understanding this complex topic.
Grass Whispers: An Artist's Guide to Not Mowing it Up
Rendering backgrounds, especially ones featuring grass, can be quite the artistic feat. But fret not! There are some helpful principles to ease the process. Here are a few practical tips for achieving realistic grass with colored pencils or pastels.
“If you hear a voice within you say you cannot paint, then by all means paint and that voice will be silenced.”