Tag: watercolor

How to paint with a limited palette and other art making skills you might find useful

As someone who is overwhelmed by the multitude of paint colors to use and make, the idea of a limited palette appeals to me, That’s why I liked this piece on the wonderful world of the limited palette as well as this one on the 7 benefits of painting with a limited palette. Relatedly, here’s an essential guide on the zorn pallette. More on the Zorn palette,here and here.  And here’s something on monochrome watercolour portrait.

Here’s a bunch of how to advice, including how to make diy packing tape transfers, how to do grisaille underpainting technique, plus an an unofficial guide to block printing. More on block printing here.

Want to paint using coffee? Why not. How about how to glaze with acrylics?

Here’s 5 Tips for Trois Crayons Drawing Technique. More how tos: How to draw leaves like John Ruskin, How to draw with ink, How to draw with graphite and How to draw with charcoal.

Some great trois crayons drawings here. Some great collage work here.

If you want to lay out a book, here’s  how it works. Related, here how to make a  booklet which is a half fold in the middle. Relatedly, here’s: How To Make An eBook.

Finally, here’s how to draw a portrait in pencil.

Inspiration: I found the following sites give me inspriation to make things. For example, block prints by svPhoenixStudio. More block print material  here.

Other things I found inspriring were these Italian renaissance drawings, these notable book covers and even these fonts for cookbooks. I like this guy who paints a lot of eggs, plus much more: egg painter. I like these illustrations by jason sturgill. The printing press work on display here: a man of letters. I loved these Istock photos of flowers on wallpaper. And these government prints that are free to use.

Do you like the color blue? Here’s some  blue to inspire you.

For fans of posters, take a look at this, on how give it a polish classic film posters with a twist in pictures.

Some photography help here, why i still shoot vintage kodak brownie hawkeye film camera and here,

Some inspiration from the beautiful film, perfect days.

Zines: I still love zines. If you do too, check out these quaranzines. Read  what the heck is a zine and What in the sam-heck is a zine? Then learn how to turn a google doc diary into a zine. Lots more zines here.

More art thoughts: on junk journaling benefits. Something on quantity and quality. Good advice: everything i make is a diary entry.

I really liked this book Brian Eno put out: Brian Eno Explores What Art Does in a New Book Co-Written with Artist Bette A. More Eno, here: Oblique Strategies.

Some insights onT he Highly Systematic Methodology of Dutch 17th-century Painting Techniques.

Why we need your art. Now go mess around and make something.

 

 

 

How to paint using one color, and more how to advice for artists


I’ve been working on drawing and painting again. During this work, I’ve collected a fair amount of good links on the subjects. Take a look:

Good luck to all who strive to create art!

On Anselm Kiefer’s watercolor paintings

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I was glad to come across this piece at artsy.com on these Anselm Kiefer’s watercolors. It’s a fine reminder just how great watercolor can be in the right hands, like Keifer’s. It was also a pleasant shock to see him make works so very different than what I am used to seeing from him.  If you know his work, you’ll know what I mean. Regardless of how knowledgeable you are, go over to artsy and check these out.

How great Japanese artists can make you better at art (and much more)


Ok, maybe this lesson on “How to Paint Like Hayao Miyazaki” will not result in work of his stature, but it was interesting to see how basic his technique is. Great work, simple approach.

Here’s a piece on much much older drawing lessons from Katsushika Hokusai Who Famously Painted The Great Wave off Kanagawa. The lessons themselves are online. You can get a sample of them, here: Japanese – Quick Lessons in Simplified Drawings. Old but still relevant.

As for other tools (some NSFW) that can help you draw and paint, there’s Figurosity, Figure drawing poses and gesture drawing tools. There is Magic Poser Web. Give intro Line of Action a visit. Lastly, here’s 20 Artistic Prompts to Get You Through a Creative Slump.

Speaking of NSFW, here’s a good online lesson on Drawing with Charcoal in Craftsy, that I found really good.

Need more help? Here’s a good exercise from Austin Kleon:  The 30-minute noticing workout.

Here’s a wealth of  Watercolour lessons for anyone who wants to go that way.

This article on Netherlands-based designer Teun Zwets who makes storage from residual or waste materials is inspirational, I thought. Look at how beautiful they are.

Maybe making art from discarded things is a good inspiration for you, too.

Need more inspiration? Read this, which has famous artists talking about how to be an artist.

Now get to work.