About.com Drawing / Sketching

Draw a Cartoon Elephant

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 04:51:33 +0000

Learn to draw this cute cartoon elephant, following this fun tutorial from regular guest artist Shawn Encarnacion.

Draw a Cartoon Elephant originally appeared on About.com Drawing / Sketching on Tuesday, February 9th, 2010 at 04:51:33.

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Add Some Color To Your Life

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 05:13:17 +0000

Feeling a little gray and dull? Bored with monochrome? You need some color! Dig those colored pencils out of the closet and have a go at one of these colored pencil drawing tutorials. For best results, use a good, strong, toothy paper such as hot-pressed watercolor paper.

Colored Pencil Basic Techniques
Draw a Rose in Colored Pencil
Shiny Metal in Colored Pencil
Drawing Fire and Flame
Dragon Eyes in Colored Pencil
Horse Head in Colored Pencil

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Add Some Color To Your Life originally appeared on About.com Drawing / Sketching on Monday, February 8th, 2010 at 05:13:17.

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Draw a Goofy Cartoon Dragon

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 05:04:10 +0000

Humor often works by combining opposites, and this cartoon dragon is a great example. It plays on the 'goofy guy' cartoon archetype - the hapless, fool, he's lazy, good natured and harmless. Learn how to create a goofy cartoon dragon with this step by step tutorial by Shawn Encarnacion.

Draw a Goofy Cartoon Dragon originally appeared on About.com Drawing / Sketching on Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010 at 05:04:10.

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Sketch a Running Horse

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 03:25:21 +0000

Learn how to sketch a running horse following this step by step tutorial by guest artist Dan Lewis. Dan is an amazingly talented artist and teacher, so it's a delight to be able to share his work with you. Dan uses traditional sketching techniques, working like a sculptor does 'from the outside, in', so if you're used to the photorealist outline method, you'll find this approach refreshingly different; by learning the principles, you can sketch a horse in any pose.

More Drawing and Sketching Horses:
Draw a Horse Head in Colored Pencil
A Standing Horse in Colored Pencil
Beginner Standing Horse Step by Step

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Sketch a Running Horse originally appeared on About.com Drawing / Sketching on Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010 at 03:25:21.

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Keys to Drawing with Imagination

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 02:18:19 +0000

Bert Dodson's 'Keys to Drawing' has become a classic drawing text and the title of this book plays on the title of that entirely unrelated work. That said, 'Keys to Drawing with Imagination' is a surprisingly interesting book. The emphasis is on the visual, with loads of illustrations, and text in bite-size and digestible chunks. 'Drawing with Imagination' combines hands-on exercises with thought-provoking concepts, for example:

"This work reminds us of the important role that constraints play on creativity. Constraints often dictate structure. They set boundaries for creative play."

(Consider rhyming poetry, or the haiku, as an example of this: the form forces inventiveness.) If you need to break out of a rut or are often in the position of trying to find a new angle on an old idea, you might just find the kick-start you need here. Read the review of Keys to Drawing with Imagination

More Drawing Books and Ideas
Drawing Book Reviews
5 Tips on Drawing from Imagination
Blog Entry on Drawing from Imagination

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Keys to Drawing with Imagination originally appeared on About.com Drawing / Sketching on Saturday, January 30th, 2010 at 02:18:19.

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Creative Life: Time Management

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 19:46:53 +0000

Have you noticed the trend away from 'having it all' in time management? We are spoilt for choice, with a million ways to spend our energy.

Sketchbook � H South

We are beginning to realize that you can't do it all, you need to focus on the things that really matter. Creativity coach Mark McGuinness has a useful guest post on design blog BoDo, on Why You Need to be Organized to Be Creative. I particularly liked this quote from Mozart:
"People err who think my art comes easily to me. I assure you, dear friend, nobody has devoted so much time and thought to composition as I. There is not a famous master whose music I have not industriously studied through many times." Read more...

Creative Life: Time Management originally appeared on About.com Drawing / Sketching on Thursday, January 28th, 2010 at 19:46:53.

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Horse Drawing in Colored Pencil

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 03:47:03 +0000

Learn to draw a horse in colored pencil with this tutorial by guest artist Janet Griffin-Scott. For this lesson, Janet has chosen a standing pose with basic colored pencil techniques, so that even beginner artists can create a beautiful horse drawing. Check out Janet's Horse Drawing in Colored Pencil.

Horse Drawing in Colored Pencil originally appeared on About.com Drawing / Sketching on Tuesday, January 26th, 2010 at 03:47:03.

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How Not to Get Paid

Sun, 24 Jan 2010 16:45:34 +0000

The artist-client relationship can be a difficult one, especially if you're a friendly person - the desire to just 'be nice' and negotiating a deal don't always go well together. I think it stems from our usual social conventions of not discussing money, and asking questions rather than making demands. It's so easy for both artist and client to be a bit vague about the job specs, the fees and the paperwork. Jacci Howard Bear explains the classic mistakes in her article How Not to Get Paid.

As a freelance artist or designer you need to remember that this is a business deal, not a social one, so it's okay to state requirements clearly - sure be flexible, but within limits - and to talk about money. You need to have a clear idea of what your time and expertise is worth and be able to negotiate your rates.

In difficult economic times there's a temptation to accept whatever work you can get, but be careful not to expend too much time and energy on an unproductive client relationship. Graphic Design guide Eric Miller has some useful tips on Client Red Flags - 10 Early Warning Signs of a Bad Client.

More on Freelancing, Contracts and Clients:
Calculating Fees for Publishing
How to Write a Contract
Sample Letter of Agreement
Firing Clients

How Not to Get Paid originally appeared on About.com Drawing / Sketching on Sunday, January 24th, 2010 at 16:45:34.

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Sketching and Drawing Flowers

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 17:22:37 +0000

I really enjoy sketching flowers. I think it's the organic shapes - I'm drawn more to the rambling, disordered sort of flower more than a structured bloom - and my daughter's flower paintings are among my favorite artworks. Which is odd, really, since I'm not really a flowery person!

Flower Sketching and Drawing Lessons:
Sketching and Drawing Flowers
Sketch a Rose in Digital Ink
Draw a Rose in Colored Pencil
Kirsty Kutch - Poppy in Colored Pencil

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Sketching and Drawing Flowers originally appeared on About.com Drawing / Sketching on Thursday, January 21st, 2010 at 17:22:37.

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Creative Life: Choose Your Peer Group

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 16:07:47 +0000

Often when we talk about creativity, a common theme will be how friends or family don't 'get' what we are doing. I know many creative people who struggle with making their art, writing or music in a vacuum, especially if they have a conservative day-job. So this post from Copyblogger, Don't Lie Down With Dogs (or you'll get fleas) really struck a chord. I'd be careful not to take the advice too literally - I think everybody, creative or not, successful or not, matters, and the article emphasises this too, with a reference to success coach Tony Robbins: "Love your family and friends. But choose your peer group." But find like minds to spend some time with, people who will support your creative goals.
RELATED:

What's Your Artistic Brand?
Creating Boundaries
Art and Lifelong Learning
Participate in a Drawing Show-and-Tell
Visit the Drawing Forum

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Creative Life: Choose Your Peer Group originally appeared on About.com Drawing / Sketching on Tuesday, January 19th, 2010 at 16:07:47.

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