Recent Posts
Drawing landscapes is something I used to do quite regularly, going out sketching whenever I could. But as time went on, and I started drawing professionally, my life moved to working entirely from photographs. The commercial realities robbed me of the time I needed to sketch outdoors. I took photos …
When you’re putting together your first drawing kit, it’s incredibly tempting to walk into an art store and buy one of everything, a fancy sketchbook, dozens of pencils, even a drawing board. But here’s the truth, most of that stuff ends up gathering dust. In this post, I’m going to …
I remember an art teacher telling me to soften my edges, fine but you have to know where the boundaries are first. So do you need to outline drawings? Certainly You should outline drawings to get the correct proportions and overall shape. An outline is a scaffold for your finished …
I didn’t set out to become a hyperrealist. Honestly, my detailed art happened by accident. Early on in my commercial art career, insane detail wasn’t the goal. I was just drawing. The turning point came while selling my art in a street market. I set up an easel, and draw …
If you want to know how to shade a black background, the main problem is getting a deep, even black without patchy areas, or that annoying graphite shine. It sounds simple. You’re only filling in the background, after all. In practice, large areas of solid black can be a pain …
Ever wondered how artists draw those tiny white lines in a pencil drawing? How do you draw whiskers? It looks insanely difficult, doesn’t it? But in actual fact, it’s incredibly easy, once you know how. There are three reliable ways of creating white lines in a pencil drawing. Score the …
If you’re learning how to draw a realistic cat, whiskers are one of the things that trip people up. They look simple, but they’re surprisingly hard to get right. Most drawings end up with whiskers that look stiff, kinked, or fat. It’s a common problem, and it can ruin an …
If you want to know how to get good at drawing, and already know the basics, adding personality will improve your art. I draw animals from reference photos, and I’ve learned that a few small tweaks can turn a stiff illustration into something that actually feels alive. In this guide, …
Atmosphere is the mood a drawing gives off. Calm, creepy, dramatic – you feel it. Nothing about the subject has to change much to get there. It’s all in the light, the shadows, and what you choose to leave out. This isn’t some advanced trick only pro artists know. It’s …
Storytelling is the easiest way to sell anything, including your art. At a market stall, you get a few seconds to grab attension. If your picture doesn’t hook them fast, it’s just wallpaper. I’ve sold prints from a stall for over 20 years, and storytelling is what closes the sale …
These drawing tips will help you add movement to your animal drawings and stop them looking stiff and lifeless. It’s an easy trap to fall into. You spend hours getting the details right, refining the shading and sharpening the edges. Before you know it, you’ve tightened everything up and lost …
Choosing the most practical way to learn art is daunting for a beginner. Many students start with a book, so let’s answer the question – are drawing books worth it? Drawing books are worth it for learning art. They provide a structured approach to mastering various techniques and styles at …
I’ve been passionate about drawing animals for as long as I can remember. In this post “Cool Animal Drawings” I will showcase some of my best work, both old and new, in the hope that sharing my tips and experience will inspire you to create your own beautiful animal drawings. …
In many ways, the Printables business model is the answer to your prayers, if you can make it work. There’s no stock, no shipping, and a recurring income. That’s why I’m writing this post. I needed to know how to start a Printables business. The easiest way to start a …
If you admire an artist’s work, you want to know how they did it, right? Perhaps there’s a magic formula that only professional artists know. Maybe it’s the kit list? If only you knew the best drawing supplies to buy. This article is about my personal kit. These are the …
Are you still using your finger to smudge and blend your pencil drawings? Stop. It’s one of those mistakes many beginners make. There are drawing tools for blending. Your fingers contain natural oils. Rub them over graphite and you can leave greasy marks on the paper. Those marks are difficult …
Imagine a Home Studio Setup where everything you need is right there waiting for you. No packing your art supplies away. No digging through cupboards. Just walk in, sit down, and carry on where you left off. That’s the dream, isn’t it? A spare room can become your own little …
After years of selling my work at markets and shows, I’ve learned that one style never fails to pull a crowd: hyper realistic drawings. People don’t just glance at them, they stop, lean in, and and take a good hard look. It’s a strange kind of magic. Most people can’t …
I’m often asked how to price art prints. It’s not an easy answer because there are so many variables when selling art prints. In this post, I’ll show you how to price your art prints, but only you can decide what to charge, given your own situation. That said, try …
I’ve spent most of my life traveling alone. Not because I don’t like people and not because I’m chasing some deep spiritual quest. It just happened that way. I had no one to go with and one trip led to another, and before I knew it, solo travel became the …
