Copyright Law for Artists with a Lawyer

Artists need to know how to protect their artwork, but copyright info online is often confusing and not specific enough to an artist’s needs. This video explains: what to do if someone steals your art, if you can copyright a style or idea, whether Instagram owns your artwork, whether fan art is copyright infringement, defining […]

Soft Pastel Landscape Drawing

Art Prof Clara Lieu demonstrates drawing a landscape with soft pastels, using three different reference photos to create a new landscape. Techniques for how to start and develop a soft pastel drawings are explained. Prof Lieu talks about various techniques specific to soft pastels including layering, blending, creating a diverse range of textures and marks, […]

2 minute Figure Gesture Drawings in Pencil

Art Prof Clara Lieu demonstrates 2 minute gesture drawings using stills from Eadweard Muybridge’s book The Human Figure in Action. Prof Lieu explains how to capture the most essential masses and forms of the human figure within 2 minutes.  Video Walkthrough Art Supplies Reference Photos Books mentioned As a free educational source, Art Prof uses […]

Brush Pen Drawing in Taiwan

Art Prof Clara Lieu draws on site throughout several cities in Taiwan including Taipei, Beitou, Taitung, Hualien, using Tombow brush pens, a sketchbook, and Bristol board. Lieu gives tips for urban sketching, demonstrates step by step her drawing process with brush pens, and talks about how the culture and experience of traveling in Taiwan affects […]

Portrait Sculpture with Air Dry Clay

This video shows how to sculpt a portrait bust using air dry clay and a wire armature. Techniques for how to build a wire armature, and how to block in the largest shapes in the portrait sculpture are explained thoroughly. Sculpting techniques using a range of sculpting tools, and how to sculpt details, and the […]

Coptic Stitch Bookbinding

Coptic Stitch Bookbinding is a beautiful way to create a handmade sketchbook. This video demonstrates the Coptic stitch on a large scale book model, providing very clear and easy to follow step by step instructions. Different options for bookbinding materials and specialized tools like a bone folder and curved needles are explained. Demo led by […]

How To Get a Job in the Animation Industry

What does it take to become an animator in the animation industry? This video explains all the skills that are necessary to work as an animator, as well as tips for how to connect with other professionals working in the field. Discussion led by Art Prof Clara Lieu, who interviews animator & storyboard artist Janice […]

Starting Freelance Illustration Career

Learn the nuts and bolts of how to start a career as a freelancer in editorial illustration. This video explains specific, concrete initiatives you can take to get your career freelance illustration jump started, as well as the challenges that come with a career in this field. Discussion led by Art Prof Clara Lieu, who […]

How to Sell Your Art Online

There is now a multitude of options for selling your art, many more than existed a few decades ago thanks to the Internet. You have to troubleshoot which venue is most appropriate for you and your work, as different venues will provide different results. Experiment with different venues and platforms, and see what works and […]

How To Price Your Art

This video provides practical tips and important factors to consider when pricing your artwork. Factors to consider are the type of venue where you sell your artwork, whether you sell in an art gallery or online can greatly impact your prices. Concrete details such as the art media used, and the size of the artwork […]

Sketchbook Prompts 1

How do you start a page in your sketchbook when you don’t know what to draw, or feel unmotivated? (or both!) See a drawing demo which provides several prompts for how to get your creative juices flowing. Contrary to the sketchbooks you see on Instagram, real artist sketchbooks are a mess, full of scraps of […]

Artists & Imposter Syndrome

Imposter syndrome is an ongoing concern for many artists. All artists experience imposter syndrome at some point, no matter how accomplished or experienced you are! This video explores several solutions than can get you to shift away from toxic thinking patterns. Discussion led by Art Prof Clara Lieu and Teaching Artists Alex Rowe and Eloise […]

5 Reasons Instagram Can Be Toxic for Artists

This video explains the ways that Instagram can have a harmful effect on artists. It’s easy to compare yourself to other artists you see on Instagram, see all of their success, their “perfect” artworks and feel like you are the only artist in the world who struggles. We all do! Solutions for how to combat […]

How to Prepare an MFA Art Portfolio

The process of preparing a portfolio for an MFA studio art requires a level of maturity and engagement with critical thinking. At the MFA level, the concerns shift from technical skills to developing a unique artistic vision. This video explores the challenges and strategies that come with preparing an MFA portfolio. Discussion led by Art […]

Art Major in College vs. Art School

What is it like being an art major at a university vs. attending art school? This video weighs the pros and cons of being at an art major at a university, how it affects how to approach the college admissions process, how to figure out whether studying art at a college is a better fit […]

Cold Calling & Emails for Artists

Cold Calling as an artist can be an effective way to create professional opportunities for yourself. This video explains how to research specific people to contact, the logistics of how to write an introductory email that is professional and succinct, and then how to follow up in a manner that is not intrusive or demanding. […]

Self Promotion Mistakes Artists Should Avoid

How do you promote yourself as an artist without being too pushy? This video explains what practices to avoid when promoting your artwork online. Factors such as appropriate online etiquette, fostering a professional relationship first before asking for help, will let you avoid the risk of coming across as pushy and self absorbed. Discussion led […]

Natural Light vs Artificial Light

Lighting plays a huge role for artists and can dramatically effect the mood of an artwork. This video explains the differences between artificial light and natural light in illustrations, paintings, comics, films, animation and more. Examples in art show how natural lighting and artificial lighting create different visual affects, and how that can impact the […]

Painting Curriculum 2: Prompts

Part 2 of this painting curriculum provides painting prompts that will stimulate all areas of painting, and that can be done in any paint media: color, brushwork, thumbnails, composition, and more in order to gain a well rounded skill set in painting. Discussion led by Art Prof Clara Lieu and Teaching Artist Alex Rowe. Video […]

Painting Curriculum 1: Types of Paint

This video explains the various types of paint: oil, acrylic, flashe acrylic, encaustic, casein, mixed media, fresco, outdoor paints, egg tempera, air brush, ink, enamel, oil bars, gouache, acryl gouache, and watercolor. Discussion led by Art Prof Clara Lieu and Teaching Artist Lauryn Welch, who outline part 1 of our painting curriculum for self-taught artists.  […]

Multi-Color Linoleum Printmaking

This video shows multi-color linoleum block printing techniques from beginning to end, in order to create an editorial illustration. The process begins by brainstorming ideas from an article in the New York Times, and then transitions into drawing a mind map and into drawing thumbnail sketches. Techniques for carving into the linoleum are done, showing […]

3D Design: Chipboard

Art Prof Clara Lieu presents a basic 3D design project using chipboard and glue guns to construct a sculpture which is an abstract representation of the artist’s personality Prof Lieu begins with a brainstorming activity as a starting point for generating shapes and designs that will visually show an artist’s personality. Cutting techniques with utility […]

OBS Studio Tutorial for Art Demos

OBS Studio is free software that can be used to create a customized layouts for an online, hands on art demo. This video explains how to organize and set up scenes in OBS in a manner that is streamlined and efficient. Topics covered include the variety of sources OBS provides, how to add multiple camera […]

How to Set up a Live Stream Art Demo

With many schools teaching art remotely, Art Prof Clara Lieu explains how to do an art demo online. Prof Lieu explains the pros and cons of doing live demonstrations vs. pre-recorded demonstrations. This video provides detailed information about options for equipment to purchase and how to create a set up including light, a mic, a […]

Intro to Oil Painting: Part 2 – Step by step

Part 2 of this intro to oil painting tutorial walks you through every step of the process to paint a lobster in a still life. Watch Part 1. Prof Lieu talks about how to premix your colors with a palette knife, lighting & shadow, brush techniques, how to layer your oil paint, the differences between […]

Intro to Oil Painting: Part 1 – Basics

In part 1 of this oil painting tutorial, essential techniques, materials, and approaches to oil painting are thoroughly covered. (Watch Part 2) Topics covered include all of the supplies: brushes, palette knives, oil paints, palettes, surfaces, and more. Safety hazards which include ventilation and disposal are explained in depth, as well as brush techniques, painting […]

Oil vs. Acrylic

Art Prof Clara Lieu and Teaching Artist Alex Rowe discuss all of the differences between oil and acrylic paint in great depth, as well as their similarities. It’s essential for any artist who paints to know what the technical differences are between oil and acrylic paint. The dry time varies tremendously, the solvents and mediums […]

Intro to Gouache Painting

This video comprehensively covers the fundamentals of painting with gouache by showing the process of painting a book cover illustration based on the Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving. The process begins by shooting reference photos at a graveyard in Concord, MA, moving on to thumbnail sketches, painting color studies, and then exploring techniques […]

Guide to Thumbnail Sketches

These videos explain and demonstrate the process of how thumbnail sketches work within the artistic process. ‘ There are many benefits of thumbnail sketches: they can save you time when working on a final piece of artwork and allow you to explore more options for composition. The demonstration shows simple strategies on how to crop […]

Brainstorming for Artists

Brainstorming is an essential process that artists can use to develop their ideas to create their artwork. Exercises such as word association, mind maps, thumbnail sketches, and sketchbook doodles are all discussed as a means towards stimulating the development of ideas for future artworks. Discussion led by Art Prof Clara Lieu and Teaching Artists Eloise […]

How to Brainstorm with Mood Boards

Creating mood boards is a fun, exciting way to gather visual inspiration for your projects. This video explores Jordan’s mood boards, created for the character designs in the series Shadow Boxers. Jordan explains his process for finding visual inspiration, using Pinterest to organize the images, developing the stories behind the characters, and ultimately to the […]

Class Group Critique

Art Prof Clara Lieu demonstrates how to run a group art critique in a classroom. For every art teacher, leading art critiques during an art class is an ongoing challenge. Every student, every artwork, and every art critique is different. Art students have their own challenges as participants in a group critique, how do you […]