Art Prof
This video is an overview of the skills that are helpful in creating portraits. Knowledge like the anatomical structure of the head, formal elements like light and shadow, how to mix flesh tones, and more are explained as being fundamental to creating artwork with portraits. Discussion led by Art Prof Clara Lieu and Teaching Artists […]
Art Prof Clara Lieu critiques an art school portfolio by high school student Sakina Ibrahim. Prof Lieu highlights what aspects of the entire portfolio and artworks are working well, and recommends concrete strategies for how to make progress. Featured Artist Sakina Ibrahim “I have been creating art since I was young and I particularly love […]
Prompt Start a painting with an underpainting, using the complementary colors of the objects in the image. For example, in the painting below, the blue area in the underpainting was chosen because eventually the orange of the lobster will be painted over the blue. complementary colorS Underpaintings Subject Matter The subject matter is up to […]
Prompt Create a portrait that expresses an emotional mood by using an unrealistic color scheme. For some people it can be helpful to have a specific word to refer to the mood: sullen, perky, whimsical, livid, energetic, etc. Look up the word in the dictionary to get ideas for how you might represent your portrait. […]
See a drawing demo on how to draw a portrait in profile. Explained are tips for how to create a convincing portrayal of a profile, including what facial structures are important to emphasize. Techniques for rendering light and shadow to create a convincing portrait are discussed as well. Demo by Art Prof Clara Lieu and […]
Prompt Create an artwork that depicts a scene at night. Consider how different types of lighting (natural light vs. artificial light) interact within a night scene. Explore the visual qualities of the night as well as the narrative elements behind this specific time of day. Inspiration Lauryn Welch Examples Helen Cook, Croooolik, Anna, Neil Espinosa […]
The Drawing Basics Track is a great way to learn fundamental skills in drawing. You’ll develop versatility in drawing by practicing everything from a two minute gesture drawing to drawings that take several hours to complete! Ana BastosSlideshow, Video feature, Instagram Post Joanna Ratajczak, @joanrawrSlideshow, Video feature, Instagram Post Jonalyn Garcia, @johana_arts024Slideshow, Video feature, Instagram Post Anna P., @a.pen.drawsSlideshow, Video feature, […]
This video shows the results of the 2021 December Art Dare: depicting the same subject 20 times, in as diverse styles as possible. The 2022 February Art Dare is to take an old artwork and “cannibalize” it into a new artwork. Discussion led by Art Prof Clara Lieu and Teaching Artist Alex Rowe. Prize Winner […]
Get essential tips on how to draw a foreshortened human figure. Learn to identify key points on the figure that will make foreshortening clear and concrete. Foreshortening is when an object appears to be shorter than it actually physically is, creating a point of view that is dramatic and challenging to portray in drawing. Lecture […]
Our free Character Design track builds fundamental skills in order to create innovative character designs. Essential skills and topics include shape language, the psychology of color, turnarounds, expressions, poses, thumbnail sketches, silhouette, story, and more. Shape Language Sketch 3 characters (from other popular character designs) and use shape to communicate the feeling of them being cute, strong and dangerous. Artworks […]
Our free Anatomy track lessons allow students to learn the fundamentals of drawing the human figure by developing a base knowledge of human anatomy. 2-5 minute Gesture Drawings 2-5 minute gesture drawings from Eadward Muybridge’s The Human Figure in Motion. Artworks by Toaster, Anastasia, Neil, Pat, Tent, Steen. Skeleton Inside a Figure Draw a skeleton inside a figure in order to see where bony […]
The Painting Basics Track will help you develop a foundation for painting. The Track covers basic skills like color theory, brush technique, composition, transparent vs. opaque paint, and more. Butter WildeSlideshow, Video feature, Instagram Post Helen CookSlideshow, Video feature, Instagram Post Manette EatonSlideshow, Video feature, Instagram Post
Art Dare Prompt Choose an old artwork and dramatically transform it into a new one. Be sure to shoot a photo of the old artwork before you change it so we can see the transformation! Art media Use any 2D or 3D art media, anything goes! Tips The more dramatic the change, the more exciting […]
Prompt Painting from Life We understand that painting from life often doesn’t feel as easy or convenient as working from a photograph. Seeing colors in real life is actually easier than observing a photograph, where colors lose their sophistication and nuances. Painting from life provides the opportunity to observe colors and subtle shifts in those […]
Prompt Create a collage using hand painted papers to create a portrait of a room where you live. This prompt is all about how to play with color through shapes and patterns. Choosing a room Take several rooms under consideration, and think about which has the most visual potential to explore color, pattern, and shape. […]
This video is a step by step drawing demo of soft pastel techniques for drawing a scene of a table setting with a dish, napkins, and glasses. The development of the drawing is explained from scratch. Prof Lieu explains in depth the technical aspects of the drawing process and the creative decisions that are made […]
Prompt Choose 1 complementary color pair, and create a painting that only uses that complementary color pair. Subject Matter The subject matter is up to you! We do recommend, if you can, to paint from life. When you can observe in real life, you’ll see colors and subtle shifts of saturation, contrast, etc. that a […]
Prompt Draw a skull inside a head as a means of figuring out where bony landmarks and muscles align. Examples Jen Noelle, Triplegem, Anastasia, Ashley Tanelle, Tent Goals The objective of this prompt is to see past the surface of the face and start to look at the head structurally so you can identify bony […]
Art Prof Clara Lieu demonstrates how to do drawings of a heads using Conté Crayon. Prof Lieu explains how sketch the essential bony structures of the skull, and then how to knock in big patches of tone to give the head mass and weight. Video Walkthrough Reference Photos Prof Lieu’s Tips In terms of capturing the gesture […]
Prompt Draw 3 sets of 5-10 min. drawings which address line and tone. Include the head and neck. Aim to draw 12 heads per set, for a total of 36 head drawings. Prof Lieu, Jordan Reference Photos Portraits by Photographers Examples Emily, Lisa H., Simpletriskell, Wadalafer, Triplegem, Ashley Tanelle TIMED DRAWING VIDEOS Practice with our […]
Prompt Create 3 color charts, for each complementary color pair: This color chart is very effective in terms of training your eye to see subtle shifts of color, to develop a more sensitive color mixing technique, and mixing different levels of saturation with the opposite color instead of relying on straight white and black out of the […]
The Portrait Track is an opportunity to immerse yourself into the tremendous world of the human face. Throughout the centuries, portraits have represented every facet of the human experience. Lesson 1 • Lesson 2 • Lesson 3Lesson 4 • Lesson 5 • Lesson 6 We’ll take a deep dive into the basic structures of the human face as a premise for the vast […]
The Color Track will provide a comprehensive exploration of color. It addresses the specifics of color theory and the creative potential of color as a vehicle for narrative and abstract expression. Lesson 1 • Lesson 2 • Lesson 3Lesson 4 • Lesson 5 • Lesson 6 See how color profoundly impacts all of the fundamentals […]
Table of Contents Tracks & Curriculums Free Tracks Anatomy TrackPortrait TrackAll Tracks Curriculums Portrait CurriculumAll Curriculums Anatomy Lectures Torso Bones, Back TorsoBones, Front TorsoButtsMuscles, Front TorsoMuscles, Back TorsoCenterline & Spine Arms & Legs ArmsFeetHandsLegs, BonesLegs, Front Muscles Full Figure ForeshorteningIntro for BeginnersMajor Masses Head EyesFaceHairNose Anatomy Slideshows Head EyesHeadHandsHairNoses Arms & Legs ArmsFeetForeshorteningLegs, BonesLegs, Front […]
This video is a discussion about sexism experienced by artists in the art world. Sexism impacts many areas of the art world: in academia, in galleries, museums, and more. Stories from personal experiences and public events that involve sexism are explained by Art Prof Clara Lieu and Teaching Artists Lauryn Welch and Deepti Menon. Video […]
This video provides concrete tips on how to go about interviews for MFA programs in studio art. Covering the types of topics you will likely be expected to discuss, as well as logistical parts on how to handle the interview process. Discussion led by Art Prof Clara Lieu and Teaching Artist Lauryn Welch. Video Walkthrough […]
Get concrete tips and anatomy advice on how to draw arms in a convincing way. Arms have a complex structure of bones, ligaments, and muscles that can be challenging to figure out. This drawing tutorial provides specific landmarks to identify and how to put all the parts together to create a fluid drawing. Demo by […]
See a drawing demo on how to draw monkey bread with colored pencil. Learn how to approach a scene with varied textures and layered patterns. Methods for using colored pencil include how to layer and build up color, how to choose what colors to create the sense of light in the scene, and more are […]
While every student has their weaknesses they’re working on, the one skill that none of my students seem to have experience with across the board is brainstorming. Even strong students who have exceptional drawing skills struggle tremendously with brainstorming. In fact, many of these students have an even tougher time because they’ve been using their drawing […]
The complete Portrait Curriculum for Self-taught Artists is a series of 3 videos. Portraits 1: Types of Portraits Portraits 2: Portrait Skills
This video is an overview of a portraiture in contemporary art and art history. There are many categories of portraits: portraits for editorial illustration, portrait commissions, allegorical portraits, self-portraits, surreal portraits, anonymous portraits and more. Several examples of each type of portrait are shown and discussed in depth. Discussion led by Art Prof Clara Lieu […]
This video provides a critique of an MFA art school portfolio, starting with an overview of the portfolio, followed by critiques for each individual artwork. Topics discussed include aspects of the entire portfolio and if artworks are working well, and recommends concrete strategies for how to make progress. Critique led by Art Prof Clara Lieu, […]