Art Prof
This video shows how you can draw from real life! See a demo of how to do gesture drawings from life using Faber-Castell colored pencils and Pitt pens. Discussed in the video are the many advantages of drawing from life, as well as the challenges. See how to draw cats who simply won’t sit still! […]
Do you rationalize to yourself why your artwork doesn’t need a background? Time to stop making excuses and see the immense potential that backgrounds can have on your artwork, regardless of the media you work in. Backgrounds are not just visually rich and dynamic, but they contribute tremendously toward communicating a narrative, atmosphere or tone […]
Watch Prof Lieu fall on her face trying digital art for the first time in Procreate. Will decades of experience with traditional media make any difference here??? (answer: nope, especially when it comes to deleting layers…) Thankfully Jordan McCracken-Foster patiently held her hand through every step. Video Walkthrough Software Reference Photos As a free educational […]
Writing an effective artist CV (curriculum vitae) and resume is hugely important to pursue job and career opportunities as an artist. This video explains in great detail what should or should not be included in an artist CV. Tips on how to format a CV differently depending on where you are sending your CV for […]
See a drawing demo which explains the anatomy of the back while also showing pencil drawing techniques to achieve a convincing sense of realistic form. Anatomical landmarks shown include the scapula, pelvis, centerline, the Posterior Superior Iliac Spine, and more. Techniques for creating tone are shown using graphite powder, a white plastic eraser, a kneaded […]
Art Prof Clara Lieu and Teaching Artist Jordan McCracken-Foster critique an art school portfolio by high school student Julie Chung. 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 Julie Chung “I am a high school senior, self taught […]
Art Prof Clara Lieu and Teaching Artist Lauryn Welch critique an art school portfolio by Maria Leamae Patagnan, providing a detailed critique of the overall portfolio, followed by critiques for each individual artwork. Prof Lieu and Lauryn highlight what aspects of the entire portfolio and artworks are working well, and recommends concrete strategies for how […]
Art Prof Clara Lieu and Teaching Artist Cat Huang critique an art school portfolio by Mari Ebisu. Prof Lieu and Cat highlight what aspects of the entire portfolio and artworks are working well, and recommends concrete strategies for how to make progress. Featured Artist Mari Ebisu I am currently a high school senior in Japan, […]
Art Prof Clara Lieu and Teaching Artist Alex Rowe critique an illustration portfolio by Julie Kitzes. Prof Lieu and Alex highlight what aspects of the entire portfolio and artworks are working well, and recommend concrete strategies for how to make progress. Featured Artist Julie Kitzes “I grew up in a remote wooded area of western […]
Here are 5 practical strategies you can use to keep away the toxic thinking that comes along with comparing yourself to other artists. This process can be harmful to your ability as an artist to create and stay motivated. Especially with social media it’s very common to feel like all of the artists you see […]
This videos provides simple art prompts that can be done in literally 10 minutes so self-taught artists can jump start their studio art practice. These are prompts are easy, accessible, and quick to start with bare bones art supplies. Sometimes the toughest part of the creative process is getting started. These prompts will get your […]
Practice your drawing skills with our timed drawing session videos! These videos makes drawing practice easy: get your drawing supplies and follow along as each pose plays with a timer. Portraits • Human Figure • Landscapes & Plants • Mammals • Underwater • Birds • Bones All of the reference photos used in these timed drawing videos are available on Art Prof’s free reference photo collection […]
Many artists feel pressured to do their art non stop, when really taking breaks is extremely valuable and necessary in improving and progressing as an artist. Stepping away from your artwork gives you time away to absorb your ideas, to have non art related experiences that can provide fresh inspiration, and getting distance so you […]
Handmade artist books are lovely objects that can be very three-dimensional with techniques like the lotus fold and meandering fold. This video demonstrates these two book folding techniques, which include book covers, archival book glue, paper, specialized tools like a bone folder, and more. The end result is a beautiful handmade artist book which you […]
Visual Journaling is an easy, effective visual exercise. You can do it on a regular basis as a refreshing way to renew your artistic thinking and process. This video talks about different techniques for creating mixed media collages in a visual journal. It includes: searching for imagery in art magazines, using photo copies from books, […]
See colored pencil techniques for drawing a scene of tea and scones. Techniques shown in colored pencil include how to layer colors, how to create gradients and blend to get specific colors, and how to create a balance of saturated and muted colors, and more. Demo led by Art Prof Clara Lieu. Video Walkthrough Art […]
See how to draw guinea pigs using soft pastel gesture drawing techniques. Drawing a moving guinea pig IS possible, get some tips and tricks for how to achieve that. This video also explains how to capture each guinea pig’s personality by using soft pastel techniques like layering and smudging. Demo by Art Prof Clara Lieu, […]
You don’t need a press to create monotypes, all you need is a gelli plate, some water based Akua printmaking inks, and printmaking paper! Prof Lieu demonstrates every step of the process, showing wiping techniques, brush techniques, registration, and the printing process to create a monochromatic monotype. Demo led by Art Prof Clara Lieu and […]
Rubber stamps are an easy, fun printmaking process what is versatile and gets great results. This video demonstrates how to start with a brush pen drawing which is then transferred using a graphite technique onto the surface of the Speedball Speedy Carve surface. Techniques such as how to cut many different types of lines and […]
Whether to go to art school is a tough decision, there so many factors to be considered. This video discusses whether art school is the right fit for you, and what are the most important considerations. Explained are the primary advantages are of attending art school, as well as the many challenges that come with […]
Why are some artists overrated, while some are underrated? This video provides 3 examples of overrated artists, and 3 examples of underrated artists, explaining the specific reasons why these artists receive more, or less attention over time. Discussion led by Art Prof Clara Lieu and Teaching Artists Alex Rowe & Jordan McCracken-Foster. Video Walkthrough Artists […]
See a demo of pencil techniques from beginning to end to create a compelling portrait. Various techniques are explained, that can be used to build up three dimensional volume with pencil layering, blending, creating a diverse range of textures and marks, pencil grip, and more. Tools like woodless pencils, kneaded erasers, and eraser sticks are […]
The Art Prof team travels to Guangzhou, China where they draw on site using alcohol based markers, water based brush pens, felt tip pens, and mixed media collage to show the urban sketching process from beginning to end. Art Prof Clara Lieu and Teaching Artists Eloise Sherrid, Casey Roonan, and Lauryn Welch discuss the challenges […]
Art Prof Clara Lieu explains the most important muscles on the front torso of the human figure for artists. Muscles covered include the serratus anterior, rectus abdominis, external oblique, deltoid, pectoralis major, and trapezius. Prof Lieu explains how these muscles interact with the bony landmarks and how they overlap on top of each other. Video […]
Art Prof Clara Lieu explains the bones in the leg, including the femur, the patella, the tibia, fibula, and more. Explained in the video is the proportional relationships between the bones in the upper leg and the lower leg, as well as the important role of joints in the leg, such as the patella. Video […]
See a demo of oil pastel techniques that will show how to create a compelling portrait. Various techniques are explained, that can be used to build up vibrant colors and three dimensional volume with oil pastels including layering, blending, creating a diverse range of textures and marks, and more. Demo led by Art Prof Clara […]
Short videos are a great way to get visibility as an artist! This video provides ideas for short videos, info on easy software you can use for editing, adding graphics, stills of art, and captions. Tips for how to shoot video footage that will be dynamic in a video short. Discussion led by Art Prof […]
Art Dare Prompt Create a 15-30 second video short about your art practice, using a vertical format. Tips Get ideas from other artists’ shorts on Tik Tok, Instagram, & YouTube. The “hook” is everything in a short. You have literally 1 second to get your viewer’s attention Even a 15 second video takes time, way […]
Teaching Artist Alex Rowe shows how to brainstorm, research, sketch, and complete an illustration based on a historical event from the colonial era in America. Alex talks about how to come up with an idea for an illustration. He takes a trip to the library to research a story about sheep in colonial America. Another […]
Many artists feel guilt about so many things: not being productive enough, not making the artwork they “should” be making, not achieving their goals quickly enough as an artist, even just for using expensive art supplies! This video explores the many layers of guilt experienced by artists. Discussion led by Art Prof Clara Lieu and […]
This video shows the results of the August 2021 Art Dare: designing fantasy vehicles using at least 3 reference photos. Discussion led by Art Prof Clara Lieu and Teaching Artist Jordan McCracken-Foster. Prize Winner Sarah C. McGill (Canada)@snapsketchsnooze “Our family is always inventing silly songs or stories about our dogs. For Fantasy Vehicles, my brain […]
Artist burnout happens to all artists, so what do you do when it happens? This video provides pre-emptive measures you can take to prevent artist burnout from happening Coping strategies are explained, which you can initiate when despite all your best efforts, you get burned out. Discussion by Art Prof Clara Lieu and Teaching Artist […]