I’m working on improving my composition skills. I’m taking a class and the instructor suggested Andrew Loomis’ book “Creative Illustration”. I read this years ago and am re-reading it. There’s so much useful information crammed in its pages! Anyway, I thought I’d share a few other resources I’ve found...
Mar162016
Composition
Feb32016
Twin Cities Drawing Co-ops and Classes
Join me! Register for one of my figure drawing classes. If you want independent study, below is a list of figure drawing co-ops in our area, and one online resource. Figure Drawing Classes: I teach some figure drawing classes at The Atelier Studio Program of Fine Arts in Minneapolis,...
Feb112015
Book Recommendation
As the name suggests, “The Painters Handbook: Revised and Expanded” by Mark David Gottsegen is a reference for painting. I think it’s excellent. I’ve had for years. I mainly use it for information relating to oil painting and studio/materials safety but it also covers other paints and other useful...
Dec102014
Values First, then Color
I’ve been reading a book recommended to me by Susan Cook, Vision and Art: The Biology of Seeing by Margaret Livingstone (a neurophysiologist). In it she addresses many characteristics of human vision and how they relate to art in a very palatable way. Recently, one section really caught my...
Oct222014
Convention Preparation – Mailing in Art
I send art out to a few sci-fi/fantasy conventions. Nothing original, just prints because they’re lighter and smaller than original art. Lighter and smaller = less shipping cost. Prints also seem to have a more appealing price point than originals. Most convention art shows I send art to have...
Jun112014
DIY Ink Filled Brush-Pen and Lightfast Test
I enjoy using the Pentel Pocket Brush Pen but I wanted to have an ink brush that I could sketch with in a color other than black. I wanted to put ink in a Niji Waterbrush to make my own. What I wasn’t sure about was how much I...
May292014
Quieting the Inner Critic
April was International Fake Journal Month (brain child of Roz Stendahl, a Twin Cities based artist and graphic designer). As I understand it the idea is to do something different. If you draw dogs all the time, draw cats. The project could also be as elaborate as a visual...
Apr92014
Head Study in Oil – Trying Out Colors
In an effort to see for myself what different colors and paints do and decide what I like, I’ve been experimenting. For this head study I tried Rembrandt Sepia, Gamblin Flake White Replacement, and Gamblin Chromatic Black. This combination also gave me a chance to concentrate on values (more...
Mar202014
Online Drawing Practice Resource
Nothing beats drawing from life, but let’s say you live out in the middle of nowhere and are sick of drawing yourself and your surroundings. Or maybe you need something during the week, between that weekend drawing co-op you like to attend. Perhaps you’ve tried the good ‘ol internet...