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The Simple Volume of Hair
Sometimes the best way to capture hair is to look at the volume and capture the large value shapes. It can be more striking than fussing would be. It can make real the cast shadows because of its suggested substance. (Have you guessed yet? October is about hair. I get asked about hair all the […]
Dig Out Some Old Art Supplies
Even with the best laid plans sometimes things happen. I like to tape sketching sessions to use when explaining things to my Patreon subscribers. But last month while preparing pieces for this month’s playing with color theme I more than once forgot to turn the camera back on after taking a break to get something, […]
Even if Your Vision Is Giving You Fits You Can Still Get Some Sketching Done
This is a short pep talk. Your glasses don’t fit. The prescription isn’t right. Your vision is blurred by cataracts and any number of things that can happen to eyes. And you just don’t feel like sketching. Tough do it anyway. It keeps you prepped for sketching the next time your vision isn’t as blurred. […]
Enjoy the Little Bits
It’s important if you’re going to keep your drawing habit healthy that you take time to find something good in what you’ve done. Yes, you might not have captured someone’s likeness, or caught the proportions of a still life or landscape, but there is always something you can find and enjoy. And if you do […]
Sketching Faces: When You Feel You’ve Hit A Plateau
I sketch a ton of faces. I look back over the years and see how my approach to sketching faces has changed, how it’s constantly evolving. Often students write to me about experiencing a plateau in their drawing efforts. They feel that they have achieved a level of skill at which they remain […]
Protected: Working Transparently and Opaquely with Watercolor
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Protected: Don’t Sweat Ink Blots
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Protected: Using Watercolor Flats and a Bit on Back-Runs
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Mop Brushes Are Your Friend
I know that sometimes you want that special brush that has the delightful point and gives you all the detail you crave. Today’s post isn’t about that brush. That brush is great when you need it, but if it’s the only brush you’re using your work is going to look fussy very fast. So what […]
Protected: Thinking about Dry Brush Portraits
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