Learn How To Draw Cool!

Learn to Draw Anything - Basic Drawing Skills

2011-07-06T11:10:00.000-07:00

A lot of people will say 'I can't draw' because they really think that it is either something you are born with or not. Although to a certain extent some people might have a greater talent for drawing skills than others, it is also possible for anyone to learn to draw anything to a reasonable standard. There are specific techniques involved in learning to draw and once you know them you can really master the skill of drawing or painting.

To start off with in drawing, did you know that virtually everything can be drawn so that it is made up of 3 basic shapes? The 3 shapes are a circle, a square and a triangle. Included in these definitions are variations of these shapes - e.g. for a circle, also include and oval and for a square also include a rectangle.

If you create and drawing by starting off with a rough sketch using these shapes then you are starting to draw already!

The other main thing to take account of when you start to draw is proportion. Don't start just drawing one part of the picture in minute detail and then go from there. Start with the whole big picture. Use your rough geometric shapes to produce a vague sketch of your object or objects first. Make sure that you spend the first few minutes putting in the major points of the picture (for example if you are drawing a figure do a very rough sketch from head to toe of the whole figure using your basic shapes before you even start to think about any detail). Literally take only a couple of minutes to do your first rough sketch.

Once you have this make sure that you have the proportions right. Measure with your eye the relative sizes of one part of the drawing to the other - is the wine glass half of the size of the bottle that you are drawing?, is the head bigger than the hand? Simply comparing one part of the drawing to the other can make you realise why your picture is not looking right.

So, to start off in drawing, do lots of basic sketches using the circle, square and triangle. Keep practising one minute sketches on very simple objects until you see yourself getting better at it. Drawing only gets better by practice and learning techniques from other that have been practising for years.

I have been a professional artist for 5 years and you can read more about me on my art blog.

If You Want to Learn to Draw Cars What's Stopping You?

2011-07-05T11:13:00.000-07:00

So you have real interest in learning to draw cars but you are not so sure you can do it. You would be amazed at how easy it really is. Many people feel they can't do it and don't even try and they miss out on the chance to learn how to do this.

Drawing cars is nothing like drawing a portrait, if you told me drawing portraits were hard I would absolutely agree with you. It took me years to learn to draw faces and I still don't like it. Getting the persons expressions is what makes it. Drawing cars is nothing close to that, anyone can learn to do this no matter the age.

Even if you have no art experience, a good book on drawing cars will teach you all the basics that are needed to get you off on the right foot. All the techniques that the pros use will be laid out for you to learn and use. The professionals that do this for a living have had to find shortcuts and you can learn it all.

A book would show you different ways to lay out your car on paper by tracing, free hand or copying from a picture. All three of these methods are legitimate ways to draw. Do you know what perspective is? Perspective is seeing your drawing in a dimensional form rather than a picture flat on the paper, this you will also learn.

You can learn to use your pencils to add shading to the car to again add dimension. Color can be used to add more realism to the design and take it to the next level. There are lots of tips and secrets that pros use that are shown to help you work fast and still produce a good looking car.

If you really want to draw cars then you need this book. It will get you started out on the right foot doing some great art work. For more info on drawing like a pro the fast and easy way check out Draw Cars Quickly.

Oil Painting Art Course - Learn to Draw & Learn to Paint - Step by Step

2011-07-04T15:10:00.000-07:00

Are you an artist? Do you want to become an artist? Do you want to be a better artist?

Are you a botanical artist, do you aspire to be a still life painter, a painter of bar scenes, a science fiction or manga artist or a seascape painter? Some people know from birth and others find themselves in their later years (i.e. Grandma Moses in her 70's). Some students learn on their own, or go to a four-year art school, some prefer to take an art class or art course from time to time. Others teach themselves using art textbooks, art videos or work with other artists and learn from each other.

Struggling to develop their art, some complain that they need better brushes. Some art teachers say "put a little blue here." It's not the brushes. Sure the light could be better where you paint or draw and it's not the little blue that goes here. What's missing in the art education of some is an understanding of the visual basics that underlie all good painting.

Here is a list of the basics that underlie quality drawing and painting.

1. DRAWING: Study and practice drawing. Keep an artist's blank sketch book with you and draw everything you see. Study books on how to draw and practice, practice, practice.

2. FORM: Understand that form underlies everything. A sphere underlies an apple or an orange. A cylinder underlies a tree trunk. An egg form underlies the human head ... and so on.

3. LIGHT AND SHADE: How an object changes its appearance across its surface depends on how the light(s) strike it, the underlying form and "local color" of the object. For example: Let's "paint" a word picture of an orange on a table. If the main light is a warm light (like the sun or a light bulb) striking the orange from in front and above to the right of the orange, the colors and values across the orange from left to right from the viewer's viewpoint are as follows:

- Rich medium orange

- Lighter, a little less orange, a little more towards yellow/white/orange highlight

- Back to a rich orange in stages getting darker and less color intense toward the shadow side of the orange

- Progressively darker and cooler into the shadow side of the orange

- The tones further from the light are less warm orange & more toward maroon or alizarin crimson orange

- The shadow side lightens some toward the extreme right as it picks up some reflected light from the table top

- Next is the shadow cast from the orange on the table top ... and so on

4: COMPOSITION: Understand that paintings are composed, so study the principles of composition. Your art course(s) or art textbook(s) should include composition theory and training.

5. COLOR THEORY: Color is a major component of picture making so study and understand color theory.

6. PERSPECTIVE: Perspective underlies a building, a street or a city. In a smaller world, there is perspective (both linear and atmospheric) in three fruits and a wine bottle on a table.

7. STILL LIFE: Having learned the above basics numbers1-6, you can apply them to a still life.

8. LANDSCAPE: Landscapes may include cityscapes, roofscapes, seascapes and so on depending where you live and what you can access. Drawing, form, composition, light and shade, perspective and color theory underlie landscape drawing and painting.

9. FIGURES, PORTRAITS, PEOPLE and ANIMALS: Some students want to "only paint people" or "only do portraits." Tell that to Leonardo DaVinci ... his Mona Lisa is in front of a landscape. A rounded art education should include anatomy studies of people and animals in addition to the basics.

Let's review the underlying basics of how one can learn to draw and learn to paint. A rounded student needs to study and advance their understanding and skills in:

- drawing

- form

- light and shade

- composition

- color theory

- perspective

- still life

- landscape, botanicals, seascapes and so on

- figures, portraits, people and animals

- ... and over time ... an understanding of these basics will make any picture better.

As I asked at the beginning of this article, who are you or what do you want to become as an artist? You may know what you want to be as an artist or want to find out as you develop your artistic skills. Shakespeare had a rule to keep in mind as you educate yourself in painting "...This above all: to thine own self be true..." (Act 1, Scene III, Hamlet, Polonius to Laertes). You can find your artistic self while studying the basics step by step.

I had a college art school buddy who started copying comic books as a child. He now travels the world drawing and painting elephants, other animals in the wild, tribes of nomads and other exotic subjects.

I also worked with a fellow instructor at Famous Artist's School who saw the work and career of a great seascape painter and decided that he wanted to do the same. He did become a successful seascape painter with his own art gallery on the sea. My seascape painter friend could paint a person walking on the beach, with driftwood and foliage here and there and the sea rolling in toward the beach.

Both my friends had to study and absorb drawing, form, light and shade, composition, perspective, color theory, still life, botanicals, landscape, seascapes figure, animals and portraits so they could end up painting their dreams.

Learn to draw and learn to paint by learning the basics step by step.

The author has painted and taught for 50 years and has had over 30 art exhibits of his paintings. My USA based online art school has students in 19 countries. I have taught art classes at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn and Manhattan, USA, Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut, Famous Artists Schools in Westport, Connecticut, USA. I have also lectured on various art subjects all over the USA and in Holland, Belgium, France, South Africa and Australia.

My online interactive art school is at: http://www.interactiveartschool.com

Links to people, images mentioned in article are at: http://www.interactiveartschool.com/linksEzine.html

Designing a Home School Project - Learning to Draw Sketches

2011-07-03T20:22:00.000-07:00

Two of my twelve-year-old daughter's project choices dovetail perfectly together, even though they are completely different disciplines. She wants to write short stories, and she wants to learn to draw.

I am a writing teacher and taught the writing of short stories just last year. I couldn't draw a thing if my life depended on it. When I draw on the board, my students laugh. However, I do know how to teach and how to create a meaningful learning experience for a child to understand and follow.

To start, I will go to Barnes and Nobles and look through the various "Learn to Draw" books, both for adults and for children. Some guides will be easier to follow than others. I will buy two that are different in approach, but that complement each other.

My daughter will follow what the books teach.

I will also purchase for her a well-equipped drawing kit with the various tools of the trade. I will acquire whatever other tools she needs over time.

For this project, she will produce two products. The first will be a portfolio of her work. This portfolio will show her learning of the art of drawing, and the particular development of a series of sketches that are her personal style or repertoire. Her art will focus on story book animals in general and cutesy rabbits in particular.

Her second project will be a series of finalized sketches that she will fit into her children's picture-book story about rabbits.

At some point further on in the development of her skill and portfolio, I may find a professional artist who would be willing to spend a couple of hours with my daughter to help her fine tune her craft and style.

In the meantime, she will study the life and works of Beatrix Potter. Although she will develop her own unique style, I will first have her copy Beatrix Potter's sketches as closely as possible. She will then create a Squidoo Lens on Beatrix Potter and her work. This will be the "reading and writing" portion of her project.

Proportion is a significant part of good drawing - sufficient for "figuring and graphing."

She will study briefly the history of animal sketching, both in natural science (Audubon, etc.) and in story art.

She will study and take notes on the science of color, of light, of the composition of the various colors a natural artist uses.

Finally, as her children's book project nears completion, she will learn to fit all of it into Adobe InDesign, and using Adobe Photoshop. I will help her with this.

She will combine her artwork and her story into a real - hard copy children's book which she will offer for sell online. The sky is then the limit on the prospects of publishing.

I will not require a lot of journal writing about this project, her portfolio is her journal. She will need to clock around 100 hours in her project account book.

In the end, her portfolio and her illustrated children's book will be treasures to keep a lifetime.

Daniel Yordy is the director of YGuide Academy, an Internet school serving the active-learning needs of families with students in 7th through 12th grades.

For more on project-led learning, visit us at http://www.YguideAcademy.com/ProjectLedLearning.html We help you develop project ideas into meaningful learning experiences.

Learning to Draw - Your First Few Sessions

2011-07-03T09:44:00.000-07:00

You should be drawing, say, three days a week in order to build on what we're talking about. Learning to draw is like eating an elephant - do it a bit at a time. I'm starting you from a very simple place, of drawing exactly what's in front of you. Do it exactly the same size on a piece of paper sat along side you're still life. I suggest you do this half a dozen times. Each time for about half an hour may be a little bit longer if your concentration span can take it. You can draw the same object time and time again from a different viewpoint.

For these first few drawings just concentrate on the outline and concentrate on comparing the position of each outline and its relationship to any nearby outlines. Look at the space in between the outlines, try and compare these. Is this space bigger than it should be? Is in the right position in relation to its neighbours?

You can as you get a bit of confidence play with the kind of line you use. I suggest that you start off with a relatively soft pencil rehearse the line without allowing the pencil to touch the paper when you feel that your arm is moving correctly and the point of a pencil is over the right area you can lower the pencil onto the paper and make the mark. do this all always as your arm is moving, this will make the mark seemed fresher and more spontaneous. Avoid being tense and tight, your state of mind should be relaxed concentration.

As you get more confidence you can use a different medium. Try using a different kind of pencil, try using charcoal, and if you're really feeling good try using a pen. A simple ballpoint pen is a great tool but the pen has the benefit of not being easily erased, so it makes you really focus and concentrate. This alone gives a different kind of drawing.

When you have really got the hang of this try doing a drawing of the same still life but doing a reduction in size. Still have a paper on the easel but do the same thing this time not life-size but reduced in size. Do this three or four times, if that works well try enlarging the image.

If you would like to gain some designer/drawing skills, at home at your own pace you can freely watch our online drawing tuition online videos. This series is free to stream from your internet browser.

David Savage is an Internationally recognized professional Furniture Maker and Designer with over 30 years experience. David runs a furniture designer making workshop in Shebbear, in the beautiful county of Devon in England. David can be contacted through his Woodworking Courses Classes website

Learn to Draw the World Map

2011-07-02T16:18:00.000-07:00

A World Map depicts the continents. And the countries. It also has the cities. And the mountains and rivers. And it also has the seas and oceans. It could all get a little too much. To start with, our world has countries. If you look at the World Map carefully you will find many countries and if you counted them, you will find that there are 193 countries in all. These are the countries that have been recognized by the UN. There are 10 more countries which are partially recognized by the United Nations.

Now it does seem to be a well nigh impossible task to learn them all lest alone to be able to draw them out. But if we approach the problem systematically, it is possible to learn to draw the countries on a World Map. Yes all of them. It is also possible to learn where they are placed exactly. We must follow a systematic approach. We will now break down the process of learning to draw the World Map here:

1. First look at the continents on the World Map

There is North America and South America joined by a small sliver of land
Move right across the Ocean and you will reach the map of
Africa and on top of it
Europe and adjoining them both
Asia and as you keep going right on the Asia map and look down you can see
Australia

2. Now take the continents one by one to learn the countries inside them

3. First take North America. Look at the shape. It is funnel shaped. And at the bottom end of the funnel a small pipe like attachment leads to a large continent on the map

4. South America is a large triangle going well and truly below the Equator largely in the Southern hemisphere in the World Map

5. Similarly you can simplify the different continents

Once the continents have been drawn simply, you now have to reckon the countries

Take each continent one by one and simplify the lines which form the borders between the countries into straight lines.

Once that is done, take 5 to 6 countries at a time and join their names by a system known as MNEMONICS

This way you will know the exact sequence of countries

I'll give you an example

"NOT SO FAST" to remember the Scandinavian countries: NORWAY, SWEDEN, FINLAND

When you remember "Not So Fast" you will never forget that Norway comes first, Sweden second and Finland last going from West to East

I have devised and done this two steps for ALL the countries on the World Map viz

simplification of the borders between countries so that it becomes easy to draw and
mnemonic sentences to mimic a particular string of countries

and this has been done for ALL the 193 countries.

For an example with graphics look at my blog:

http://memorize-maps.blogspot.com/

I love maps. World Map in particular. When you look at the World Map, there is too much information. Too many lines going hither thither. Information overload. Thus I have always been interested in simplifying it. So, I have developed this system by which YOU CAN ACTUALLY DRAW THE WORLD MAP AND ALL THE 193 COUNTRIES ON IT. I can even show you to draw the 10 partially recognized countries by the UN. They are Kosovo, Palestine, Northern Cyprus, Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Transnistria, Western Sahara, Somaliland, Taiwan and Nagorno Karabakh. If you learn my system, drawing these countries on the World Map becomes easy too. Thanks for stopping by. Sid.

Drawing For Kids: Learn To Draw For Kids Step by Step

2011-07-01T09:01:00.000-07:00

Learning while having fun is one of the most effective methods of education. For the best results in educating kids, it is imperative to provide them times in which they get fun.

Drawing is a fun activity for kids which educates and entertains at the same time. By encouraging kids to draw things they might be interested, you can help them learn something valuable. It is also an easy and quick way to keep your kids occupied.

Learn To Draw For Kids With Easy Drawing Projects

It is important to find some innovative ways to educate kids. Fun drawing projects are great for providing several benefits to kids which can be summarized as follows:

Entertainment: The process of drawing objects requires some imaging and creativity. It is entertaining to succeed to draw images which looks like the object itself.
Creativity: Putting images to paper requires some skills of creativity. The skill of drawing helps kids and adults alike to develop their creativity.
Education: Learning to draw helps kids to learn how to break down the shapes around them into easily. This information can be used for the rest of their lives.
Following Instructions: Being able to follow step by step instructions is very crucial in life for achieving success in almost any field. Learning to draw by following steps can be a great benefit for kids.

Parenting can be too tiring. Any parent need of some peace and quiet will enjoy this work. Because this way you can help a child to expand his or her creativity while they are entertained.

Learn Drawing For Kids Step By Step

Looking for easy things to draw for kids? Graphic artist Bonnie J. Martin has prepared a printable project which is a fun and educational drawing instruction eBook for children. You can now learn how to draw animals, people, faces, 3-d objects by following the step by step instructions. With this fun arts and crafts eBook with drawing instructions for children kids will learn to draw:

animals like duck, teddy bear, frog, dinosaur, dog, bird, rabbit, turtle
people sitting, jumping, standing, walking and faces
shapes like cube, cylinder and cone
learn colors with rainbow, color wheel and color mixtures.

Learning To Draw For Kids With Easy Steps

How to Draw For Kids eBook provides a fun educational activity and inspiring way to learn to draw for kids. It is something that can be returned to again and again. Because all the drawing instructions are in printable PDF format that is easy to download and use. It is great for parents who are looking for a good time killer and easy things to draw for kids.

The eBook is 39 pages packed with fun drawing projects. It is very simple and easy to use. By following the steps and drawing exactly the same thing given in this step, it is possible to draw things like objects, animals and people. The steps are designed to be easy to follow and understand. It is possible to combine these animals, people and shapes into entire pictures full of life and action.

This eBook can be transferred to any computers that you own. You can download your eBook immediately after payment. It's fast and easy. This eBook comes as a regular PDF file that can be opened and printed with Adobe Reader or any similar program.

For more information on how to draw for kids eBook, visit my site to learn to draw for kids step by step

Learn to Draw - Teach Your Fingers Through Tracing and Copying

2011-06-30T21:57:00.000-07:00

Drawing isn't difficult, it's simply a skill that has to be learned. Admittedly there are people who seemingly are born to the pencil. These individuals seem to have been given a natural gift for translating what they see through the muscles of their hands and fingers onto the paper without any formal training. For the rest of us, we learn.

An important thing to know about drawing...we have to train our eyes to see and we have to train our fingers and hands to do what we command them. Both we can learn to do. Begin with tracing and copying.

For supplies:

pad of tracing paper pad of sketch paper a couple of drawing pencils [an HB lead is a good beginning pencil. "H" indicates hardness of the lead...and lighter shades; "B" indicates a softer lead and indicates a darker shade. HB is right in the middle] roll of masking tape or blue painter's tape a good eraser a Black Sharpie Pen

A light box is handy but not necessary. The goal of tracing is to begin teaching the muscles of the hands and fingers how to move. Muscles have memory...teach your fingers and hands how to draw a circle and they will remember.

Tracing is a practice valuable for the person who wants to draw but doesn't know how to start.

Choose a picture you'd like to copy. It can be anything - a photograph, a magazine advertisement...anything. Place one sheet of tracing paper over the image and tape down the corners so it won't move. Trace the outer lines of the image. If you have a picture of a tree, trace the outline of the trunk, the outline of the major branches that are easily seen and the outer contours of the foliage - like big circles.

Do several tracings of the same image until you feel you've successfully gotten a good outline of the image on the tracing paper. Then, choose several other pictures and trace them until you feel you have a satisfactory tracing of them.

Copying is a time-honored traditional way of learning to draw. What tracing does for the muscles in your hands and fingers, copying does for your eyes and mind. Tracing helps your fingers know how to make a straight line, how to draw a circle, how to connect various shapes and forms. Copying frees you from having to make creative decisions as to what to draw. Copying lets your eyes and mind learn to translate what you see onto the paper in front of you. You see a circle, you then draw the circle. Your fingers have already learned how to draw a circle.

Take a clean sheet of drawing paper from the sketch pad. Choose one of the images you previously used for tracing and copy only the parts of the image you had traced. If it was an image of a tree, copy the tree, but not in too much detail. Look at it. You see a trunk coming out of the ground and going up into foliage. You see that the foliage makes circular shapes [in most cases of deciduous trees]...you don't want to draw each leaf, just draw the form the foliage takes on the tree.

Draw the trunk of the tree, but don't worry about the detail of the trunk. Draw the main branches but let them disappear into the foliage shapes. Your goal is to draw a copy of the outline of the tree. You initially traced this outline as a way to allow your hand and finger muscles to learn the forms. Now you are copying this outline as a way to allow your eyes to learn to translate to your hands and fingers what you see.

A good second step to copying what you see is to set up a 3-dimensional object, like a coffee mug, and draw its outline. Looking at a 3-dimensional object is far different than a flat 2-dimensional plane. Our minds have to make decisions about what we see and will ask itself: Am I seeing what I think I am? Is that a circle or an oval? An oval or an ellipse?

The goal is not to draw a photographic reproduction of the mug, but rather to continue teaching your eyes and mind to translate what you see through the muscles of your hands and fingers to the paper by way of the pencil. Your goal is not to end up with a drawing that appears rounded like the actual mug...rather your goal is to have a drawing of the outline of the mug...as closely resembling the mug as possible in outline and from the view vantage point at which you've drawn it.

The easiest way to do this exercise is to put the mug up at eye level...use a box or stack of books to lift the mug to a height so that while you're sitting and drawing, your eyes are looking at the side of the mug straight on. Your outline will be of the side of the mug and its handle protruding from one side or the other. After you've done this view a few times, alter the height so that you draw the mug's outline showing a part of the top...that top opening will be an ellipse rather than a complete circle. Ellipses look very strange and "off," but don't let that bother you.

Try various types of simple objects for this exercise: vases, boxes, bottles, fruit like apples and oranges and vegetables like green peppers and carrots. Always remember that your goal is to continue teaching your eyes and mind to translate what they see and your hands and fingers to receive that translation. You are looking for good outlines of these objects, not photo reproductions.

Drawing has so many aspects including: perspective, foreground, background, texture, value, relative size of objects...all of these aspects are secondary to learning the basics of shapes and forms. Everything about drawing can be learned. Tracing and copying are valuable beginning drawing learning techniques.

Linda C Smith, Artist

I am a mosaic artist and home-business owner. I write an art blog at http://lindamosaic.typepad.com and I write a blog about business at http://intlnat.com

Learn to Draw Better - Drawing Tips For Kids

2011-06-30T03:52:00.000-07:00

Most kids I know love to draw. It's a great way to express yourself and have fun, and as an added bonus, you can use your drawing skills to make gifts for others. Who knows--one day, you may use those skills to make money, too. If you want to learn to draw better, here are some drawing tips for kids.

Practice makes better

You've probably heard the saying, "practice makes perfect." Well, that's a lie. Practice does not make perfect, but it makes better. No matter how good your drawing skills are now, you can still practice and get better. Even professionals continue to practice and learn, all the time.

So make it a priority to practice regularly. Every day is best, but it doesn't have to be for a very long time. If you can squeeze in 15 or 20 minutes every day, you will see a difference very soon. What's that--you say you are too busy? How about drawing when the commercials come on during your favorite tv show. You can easily get 20 minutes of practice in if you do that during the commercials of just one one-hour show.

Use size to indicate distance

The closer something is to you, the larger it looks. So if you have two objects on the page and want to make one look farther away, make it smaller than the other one. This works even better when you add a straight line, called a horizon line, going across the page. Erase the areas where your two objects cross those lines.

Draw closer objects lower on the page

If you are drawing two trees, and one is closer to you, draw that one lower on the page. This will make it appear to be closer to you. Even better, draw it lower on the page and larger than the other tree.

Now try adding a horizon line across the page, somewhere so it crossed the trees. Erase the line where it crosses the trees, because the trees will be in front of the line. You just did three things to make your drawing look more three-dimensional and real. That wasn't so hard, was it?

The next step is to apply these tips you've learned to your drawings. This will help them look more believable. Even if you draw cartoons and not realistic drawings, using size and foreshortening will make your drawings even better.

So if you want to draw better, take these drawing tips for kids and go use them. Practice them, put them in your drawings, over and over, and soon your new skills will be amazing everyone, including you. Remember to keep a positive attitude and tear up the page with your awesome creations! Happy drawing!

Want to get better at drawing?
Find more drawing tips at http://bestdrawingbooks.com/drawing-tips-for-kids/

Learning to Draw What You See

2011-06-29T14:51:00.000-07:00

The most common problem encountered by people when they start learning to draw is that they don't realize that they are not drawing what the see, but drawing what they think they see. This happens because your brain is made to recognize objects as a whole, and not the individual components they are made of. So when you want to draw an eye, your brain tells you that you are seeing an eye, not the lines and shading that really make up what you are seeing at the moment. The result is that you will not draw what you see. You will be disappointed, you will lose motivation, and in many cases it leads to the end of the learning process. It doesn't have to be like that! Don't let your brain fooling you keep you from exploring your creativity.

In this article I'm going to show you techniques you can use to draw what you see consciously so you can stay motivated throughout your learning process so you will be able to develop your inner artist through drawing.

You can try to focus on drawing your foot, with or without shoe, over and over. It is easy to draw because your foot is always with you, easy to look at, and you don't need it to draw, but it still has a lot of detail you need to capture. Focus on the lines, the contours, the shading of your foot. Don't try to draw it from different angles, just draw it from the same angle over and over. Look at your finished drawings and your foot, see what you can do better, and then improve upon it. You can also try doing this with your thumb.

You can also try to draw without looking at your paper. This forces you to really draw what you are looking at, and not on trying to correct what you already have on paper. The results may look like doodles, especially in the beginning, but you will be training your brain to draw the components, and not the recognized composite objects.

Another good technique is to draw without taking your pencil from the paper. This way you will train your brain and your hand to forget drawing the wrong way. Instead you will train yourself to make every line count. This principle can also be applied by drawing with a pen instead of a pencil. By drawing with a pen, you don't give yourself the option of erasing the drawing. Again, you're making every line count, and are teaching yourself to draw the right way. Try it for yourself, you will see an improvement.

To help you break up the components of any object you are drawing more easily, it would be a good thing to draw those objects either upside down, or in the mirror image, or even both. This will make it harder for your brain to recognize the objects as objects, and easier for you to notice the individual parts the objects are composed of.

One last thing you can try that will make you forget about objects altogether is to draw the negative space around and between the objects. This will make it a lot easier for you to draw the real shapes that you see. Drawing negatives spaces is an important skill that will be useful through your entire drawing experience.

About the author

Just like you, Jacob Neila didn't always know how to draw. Instead of giving up, he taught himself how and now he likes to share his knowledge with others on his website Learning to Draw.

If you want a some quick lessons on drawing, you can check out this list of drawing tutorials I set up, so that you can get started with drawing right now.

Learning to Draw Comics - Three Books to Help You Get Started

2011-06-29T08:27:00.000-07:00

Graphic novels and manga are gaining in popularity with every passing year. Maybe you have decided to try your hand at drawing comics but don't know where to start. Whether you already have a background in art or drawing or not, you can learn more as you go. If you are learning to draw comics, here are three books to help you get started.

You'll need to know what the heck comics are in the first place, and how to lay them out. You'll also need to know how to tell a story using a sequence of pictures. And unless you want it to be page after page of similar-looking frames, you'll need to know how to mix up the layout and look of your drawings to create interest. It's the same way a director changes the look of the different shots in a film.

You don't just have one long shot of two people sitting on a couch, talking. You might start with a close-up of one person's face, then move to a long shot with both of them sitting on the couch. Then another close-up of the second person, then maybe a shot of both of their upper bodies.

Drawing Words and Writing Pictures: Making Comics: Manga, Graphic Novels, and Beyond puts all this together into one comprehensive book. It is structured to work like a classroom textbook, which you can attack as if you were in a comic book writing class.

They discuss storytelling, character creation, layout, transitions, lettering, and more. All the basics on graphics and writing, with lots of examples to illustrate the points covered.

Making Comics: Storytelling Secrets of Comics, Manga and Graphic Novels discusses all aspects of sequential art, or how to make a series of pictures tell a story. It covers things like how many panels to use and what sorts of things make a comic stand out.

The difference between eastern and western comics is discussed. Manga originated in Japan, and its popularity has spread here. Finally, a lot of attention is paid to creating interesting characters, because without them, why would anyone want to read your comics?

If you already have a background in art or drawing but want to stylize your work to match a comic book style, then Simplified Anatomy for the Comic Book Artist: How to Draw the New Streamlined Look of Action-Adventure Comics! can help. Today's comic book characters have a more streamlined, edgier look. This book will show you how to reduce muscle groups and simplify anatomical features to get that look.

There you have three books to help you get started if you are learning to draw comics. So get brainstorming, then get planning, and get drawing. The world awaits your creations!

Want to see more?
For more drawing comic books and drawing books, go to http://cartooningbooks.net/how-to-draw-comics-some-books-to-help-you/.

Learning to Draw Online

2011-06-29T00:36:00.000-07:00

There are many drawing programs that have been developed keeping in mind the unique requirements of those who would like to fill up the canvases with their thoughts and creativity. The interface of the drawing programs is very simple and one can find help in the form of numerous websites and the portals, about the various options, where the users are discussing the tips and the techniques involved in drawing.

One can find tutorials related to different topics on the many of the portals where the bloggers or the players of the different drawing programs are guiding the people on how to use the options effectively to master the art of drawing. These tips can also be applied in the real life to improvise the skills of the players. This is the reason most of the parents prefer it for their children, which not only allows them to provide a healthy game option for their kids, but also enhances and hones the skill level of the children.

The children find these virtual drawing tools to be very entertaining as it allows them to bring to life on the virtual canvases the characters that they fantasize. They can select the interface tools and the options of the different programs to draw the action figures that can be chosen from the data base of the program itself, or use their own imagination to create their signature action figure. These programs have truly helped in providing quality entertainment options for those who are surfing the web in search of it.

The World Wide Web is a hub of free games, which provide effective tutorials to allow the people to learn and improvise their skills while playing or practicing these programs. Not only the kids, but the adults and the seniors, belonging to the various walks of life, try to alleviate their stress level and get a break from the hectic chores of life, by trying to create their projects using the various online programs without having to worry about payment of any sort.

The easy to use and navigate interface, allows the users to learn the tips and the tutorials about drawing while enjoying the comfort of their homes and following the stringent routines and the rules of attending classes, to help with the same. One only needs a personal computer and the access to the World Wide Web, to be able to enjoy the benefits of these programs. One can even make use of the video tutorials and replay them at any point in their project in case they find a particular item difficult to draw or paint.

Sketch Heroes' a new website for all of you who love sketching, drawing and just adoring art. On the website you can learn to draw anything you ever wanted, for instant how to draw manga, how to draw animals or how to draw cartoons.

Learn to Draw Or Fade

2011-06-28T01:01:00.000-07:00

All good golfers have one thing in common and that is the ability control the ball by being able to play a variety of shots. The most common and useful of these is the draw and the fade and if you can learn how to draw or fade a golf ball your golf will improve dramatically. In this article I am going to give you two easy steps to learn how to hit each shot.

But first...

You need to know what causes a draw or a fade. There are only nine possible golf shots that you can play and these are:

Draw
Fade
Straight
Push
Slice
Push Slice
Hook
Pull and
Pull hook

I will be concentrating on the first 2 only although it is useful to understand all of them.

The Draw.

Preferred and admired by most golfers. Somehow it just looks so good when you hit a sweet draw, and it goes further than any other shot because of the top spin. To hit a draw you must have:

An in-to-out swing path and
A square club face angle through impact.

That is all you need and both must be present.

Getting your club face square is the easiest part because you can adjust with the eye and practice until it is right. Sometimes you might think the club face is square at address but it might not be. Get a friend to stand behind and in front of the target line and also directly in front of you to check this.

The swing is a little bit more complicated and will need some muscle training through the use of drills to get out of old habits.

Simple drills repeated often are best. I said repeated often which means hours a day until they become natural.

Here is a particularly simple and easy to repeat one. It's called the Back and Under.

Description.

Take an appropriate stance with the club of choice and elevate it so the club is about 11/2 feet off the ground. Make a back swing that is not pulled quickly inside. Note the angle of the plane going back. Now make a forward swing in which the angle of the plane is under or shallower than the backswing plane bringing the club back to the ball on the ground - the point of contact.

Back and under - back and under. Repeat, repeat, repeat.

The Fade.

Popular for the ability to control the ball especially on landing as the backspin causes it to stop quicker than a draw.

Once again to hit a fade you have to have the following two things:

An out-to-in swing path and
An square club face angle through impact.

Both these elements must be present.

Getting the club face square is easy enough as once again you just make the visual adjustments till you get it right.

The swing for more than 95% of golfers should be easy because it is the same out-to-in swing that causes the slice. So if you fall into this 95% you only have to get your club face angle square through impact to land up with a fade.

If you are one of the 5% that do not fall into this category the suggestion is stay with what you've got unless you want to learn the fade for those times when you need it.

The drill for the backswing is called the Straight and Over.

Once again this should be done in slow motion at first.

Description.

Address your ball as normal using any club of choice and make a backswing making sure to take your club straight back along the target line. Note the angle of the plane going back. Now make a forward swing in which the angle of the plane is over or steeper than the plane as you return the club back to the ball on the ground - the point of contact.

If you have ever heard the term "casting" using in golf and never understood what it meant this drill might make the penny drop.

Straight and over - straight and over. Repeat, repeat, repeat.

As can be seen from the above it is not that difficult to learn how to draw or fade a golf ball if you know what to do. Take some time to learn what causes all the 9 different ball flights and it all becomes a lot clearer.

If you can you learn how to draw and fade the ball you will start shooting better golf as you use them to control distance and angle of approach whilst playing.

Learning to play better golf need not be difficult.

Whether it is your driving, your iron play, your short game or putting get the basics right and the game becomes easier. Its similar in a way to driving a car - at first there is so much to do and remember but after a while it becomes second nature.

The secret is to practice and practice the right things as Bob Eldridge and his team will tell you over at Pure Point Golf [http://www.playthelie.info].

Learn to play better golf [http://www.playthelie.info] and practice the right way! Hit 'em straight and hit 'em long.

Happy golfing!

How I Learned to Draw the Ball

2011-06-27T22:10:00.000-07:00

I started playing golf at the ripe old age of 27. I have never understood why it took me so long to discover the game. Born and raised in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) I played most sports fairly well throughout my childhood and adolescent years. Golf was fairly dominant in Rhodesia, even in those days, as can be seen from the successes of the likes of Nick Price and Tony Johnstone who are of the same era as me.

My golf started at the CMR Golf Club in Johannesburg South Africa. CMR (not to be confused with Crown Mines, another well known Johannesburg club) having once belonged to Consolidated Main Reef Gold Mine was well laid out and very well maintained. The club house was notorious for its social life and many was the time I heard that it had the highest divorce rate (amongst golf clubs) in South Africa!

The resident professional was Don Elmore ably assisted by his son Ron (also a professional), his wife and daughter whose names escape me. His daughter was in fact a distraction to any golfer walking past the pro-shop and I am sure Don was aware that her presence was responsible for most of the foot traffic that came into his shop.

Ron, the son, played the local winter circuit and I caddied for him one day. What an experience to be amongst such good golfers. This day is a whole story in itself.

Ron seemed to take an interest in me after that and one day when I complained about my uncontrollable slice he gently suggested that in fact it was a push slice, far worse than I had feared. However he also added that if I was prepared to work at it he would be able to get me to draw the ball. The offer was too good to pass up as I had suffered with this horrible affliction for a very long time and it had cost me lots of money in bets!

Ron gave me a few lessons and I was soon turning the ball over. I was delighted but he was not satisfied. He said that the correction was temporary and if I did not make it permanent it was merely a matter of time before I would be back to my bad habits. To make it permanent I needed to become a natural pull hooker and this is what we worked towards. Ron set me practising with instructions to come back when I had hooked at least 5 balls out of bounds during one round of golf. From memory CMR only had about 3 holes where there was OB so 5 balls was a tall order.

Amazingly the day that I achieved my allotted target of hooking 5 balls OB arrived far quicker than I thought - and I was petrified. I had gone from slicing the ball to pull hooking it beyond any sort of control! Ron was ecstatic and immediately started working on straightening me out.

To this day I cannot remember exactly what he did but I do remember for years afterward I could draw the ball as and when I wanted to. I had spin control, I had consistency and I had distance. I once won three out of four longest drive competitions in one sponsored event. I missed the fairway on the 4th one to narrowly lose out on a clean sweep.

The world was my oyster and CMR and later The Roodepoort Country Club were my playing grounds. Those were happy days.

Highlights of my golf career include a hole-in-one at the 6th hole at Houghton Golf Club (14.01.89) and a hole-in-one on the 7th at Roodepoort Country Club (01.07.97).

I have also got a diploma in coaching from the European Golf Teachers Federation in Auckland in 2002.

After my wonderful golfing years in Johannesburg I moved to Auckland, New Zealand so that my children could grow up in a normal society. However is it normal? New Zealand has a few records to boast about of its own and they are all great.

Firstly it has more golf courses per capita than any other place in the world. It also has more boats per capita than anywhere else. In my opinion it has more sheep per capita (Australia would be the other contender for this title) and it definitely has a great rugby team. Most of the All Blacks play golf too.

Being a keen fisherman and a golfer in New Zealand does have its drawbacks. Both sports are more suited to fine weather and it is often difficult to decide which one to do on a fine day. Golf is dirt cheap here so that often wins on the day.

The golf courses in New Zealand are fantastic and plentiful and it is not unusual to find outlying courses that still use sheep to keep the fairways in check. In this situation the greens are surrounded by some sort of fence (usually electric) to keep the sheep off. When the fence interferes with a shot or stance a free drop is allowed. It is quite simply very quaint.

My next golfing goal is to get my third hole-in-one here in New Zealand.

I honestly believe my many years of enjoyment of the game of golf has been enhanced by the ability to play a draw and I would advise to anyone who wants to master this game to learn all the different shots. The draw is probably the best shot to be able to play as it gives one so many more options.

What a great game golf is. I have friends for life and can still play a draw, it is a bit harder to control because of my arthritis but it is there.

Lee Trevino once said happiness is a long walk with a putter and I couldn't agree more.

Learning to play a draw is not that difficult. You probably just need a little help.

It all starts with the correct grip a good set up and a simple repeatable golf swing. Watch the pros to see how they consistently have the same pre-shot re and the same simple repeatable swing - with few exceptions.

Visit my website "http://www.makegolfeasier.com" and get a consistent repeatable golf swing today. Your game and confidence will improve within days!

Hit 'em straight and hit 'em long.

Happy golfing!

Learn to Draw a Car and Impress Your Friends

2011-06-27T14:50:00.000-07:00

Have you ever tried to draw a car and failed terribly? You should not let this discourage you from trying again. You can learn to draw a car if you have enough determination and will power to do it. When you learn to draw, you will realize that it is not so hard after all. You do not learn how to draw the perfect car in a day; you have to do a lot of practice.

What are you supposed to do in the learning process? Actually you will do nothing but a lot of drawing. Learning to draw a car is a step by step process. The first thing you have to know is how to draw the outline of the car. This means that you cannot rely on your memory at this point. You will need something such as a picture, another drawing or a car model to help you draw. After you are comfortably sure that you can draw the outline unassisted, you should start drawing other parts. Pick one part of the car at a time. Practice on it until you are sure that you can draw it well.

Once you have mastered how to draw the different parts of the car separately, the nest step is to draw a car with all the parts included. Always start by drawing a few rough sketches before you make your final drawing. As you draw the sketches, you can also practice shading and coloring different parts of the car. Within a few days, you should have polished your drawing skills and ready to draw your first real car.

When you draw a car following the steps and tips outlined above, you will surprised at how perfectly your car will come out, and even your friends will be impressed.

Looking for tips and tips on how to Draw Cars? Visit our website at drawcarsecrets.com to learn how to draw a car.

Learning to Draw Cartoons

2011-06-27T06:06:00.000-07:00

Cartoons are the first love of the child when it comes to entertainment as most of the toddlers are amazed by these colorful figures and the animations. Though our preferences in the cartoons shift as we grow older, most of us do not seize to love these fabulous creations and enjoy watching cartoons whenever we get time. However, there are others who would like to sketch and animate the characters that they watch on their television sets.

This might require one to take classes, as the art of sketching and drawing the cartoons is different than traditional drawing in many aspects. But, gone are the days when one has to squeeze in time in order to pursue their hobbies as with the advent of the World Wide Web, those who are looking forth to be able to draw and animate their favorite cartoons can do so, while enjoying the comfort of their abodes.

In order to provide the guidelines to the hundreds of people all across the globe who are aspiring to become the cartoon artists numerous websites have been designed where the professionals are disseminating information and useful tips related to this topic and mentoring the people from all around the world with their projects and creations. Not only this, but, most of the websites and the portals designed for this purpose have cohesive video tutorials which can be played at any time by the individuals who are facing problem at some point in their projects to get assistance.

The individuals can learn to sketch and color the favorite cartoon characters like the Spiderman, the Batman and other action heroes or other characters that they fantasize or can create their own characters using the tools provided on the online cartoon sketching programs.Not only this, but the individuals can also animate and move around the sketches they have just finished, by making use of the animation options of the various online cartoon programs and experience for themselves the joy of successful invention.

The artists who learn to draw the cartoons through the online programs and games will be able to avail the most from the video tutorials, bloggers tips, community guidelines and much more without having to worry about any sort of payment at all, as there are several websites and the portals on the World Wide Web, which are extending these services for absolutely free.This is a healthy hobby as it allows the individuals to express their feelings and thoughts through the fictional figures and alleviate their stress levels to keep their body, mind and nerves refreshed.

Learn to Draw Cartoons Like a Professional

2011-06-26T00:10:00.000-07:00

The art of drawing is one of the oldest in the world. Think of the extraordinary prehistoric paintings discovered in the Cave of Altamira and you won't need any more examples. Drawing is still among the most popular hobbies nowadays because it is not only inexpensive (anyone can grab a piece of paper and express his or her feelings by handling a simple tool like a pencil on its surface) but also challenging. When you start drawing you don't always know what the final result will be like.

In the past few decades, cartoon characters have been number one among children's attractions and many of our children, particularly fond of one character or another, have tried to copy them, recreate them on paper to keep these colorful idols closer to their hearts. Of course, not all these 'kindergarten fans' turn into famous cartoonists, but many such artists started their career in front of the TV screen and most of their 'creations' probably looked like monsters for some time.

Cartoon characters are sometimes more vivid than real ones in a film, thanks to technology which has been given such a tremendous boost in recent years. However, all this cartoon industry began with a pencil and a piece of paper plus inspiration and hard work. Though it may look simple to those who have never tried it, drawing cartoons is not a joke. You need a lot of talent to make a character come to life with some lines, circles and curves. Shades play an important part in this and so does the colour choice.

Life without a computer is inconceivable nowadays. This intelligent 'tool' has taken over most fields of activity including drawing. The simple paper and pencil tandem has been replaced by the graphics tablet and stylus, not to mention the fantastic software that allows you to modify your work in myriad ways. However, this is only a means of materialising your ideas and saving your work more easily and accurately; the basic rules of drawing are still the same.

Programs like Corel Draw, Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, Quark Xpress and many more are used by designers to perfect their ideas and make their work easier. It takes some time to become an expert, but with a little patience and basic knowledge of the software, anyone can do it. For novices, Adobe Photoshop is the perfect choice. Children use it successfully and so does the film making industry. There is nothing you cannot do with Adobe Photoshop, what you need is good knowledge of its options - the rest is piece of cake.

There are many cartoon makers you can use to create funny cartoon characters, personalized cartoons of your friends or add a sketch effect to a cartoon photo; some of them are free. It is very easy. You only have to load a high-resolution photo and your caricature is just a click away. Such programs are widely used to create greeting cards, several types of announcements and of course to illustrate books and newspapers. Caricatures look great on T-shirts, mugs and other kinds of gifts; many people use them to improve the appearance of their websites and make them unique.

Learn how to draw cartoons and find out how to become a cartoonist.

Learning to Draw Ducks and Water Fowl

2011-06-25T21:04:00.000-07:00

Lots of ducks are famous in the media, Daffy and Donald not the least of which. I myself take a different approach to cartoon ducks and water fowl, and this is a great critter for kids to start with. They are really basic shapes and easy to put together. This is a really forgiving body type for people who struggle with art as well. Try some of these easy ideas with your kids or class and see what they come up with.

1. The Graceful Swan- Almost always depicted in female form, it can be difficult to keep a male Swan from looking girly just because of that fact, and the Swan trade mark is the S shaped neck, making it even harder to make a "boy Swan". The black markings on the orange beak keep the swan, girl or boy, from looking like the Silly Goose. Try to give the Swan graceful elegant curves, and remember small eyes and no eyelashes for boys.

2. The Silly Goose- Bright shiny eyes and a rounder beak on a gray body give the Goose its distinctive look. Keep that neck a little shorter and thicker than that of the swan, and turn in the webbed feet to give the animal that look of a waddle even in a still picture. Geese should look comical and lighthearted, and few appear alone in any kind of media. If you are drawing a flock of Geese, try to give them all different personalities and see how they turn out.

3. Ducklings Galore- Ducklings almost always come in groups, you really have to be tight size wise as it will look wrong to have five of them all different sizes. Start with just one, and most of them have ridiculously large heads, I like mine a little more realistic looking so play around with it and see where you get. Ovals and circles, that is all there is to it.

4. Water Heron Extraordinaire- These guys always look so snotty and rude to me, kind of fancy and crabby. Small eyes, extremely long legs, and sharp angles. That is what these guys are built on. They are very vertical and have immense wing spans when allowed. Feathers make fingers when needed, and you can get very human in your gestures because of this. Cranes and even Pelicans follow similar rules to this.

5. Drake Breed Differences- Mallards are the most popular choice of wild duck; domestic white or grey geese are usually what you see. But that doesn't mean you can't get creative with some of the lesser known animals, like Canadian Geese, or the Loon. Give a few a try and remember the small head big body rule. Your bird must show it's persona, be it silly or snooty or serious. Add little touches of realism, like correct colors to the plumage and minimize exaggerations if you can, the cartoon will be more believable and a little less like Daffy.

If you're just a duck nut check out some of Sarah's other articles on ducks:
TV Ducks
Rubber Duck.

Learn to Draw & Paint - How & Where to Study to Be an Artist

2011-06-25T19:22:00.000-07:00

The answers can be complex and confusing. Search the web for the phrase "art school" for millions of choices. If you go to the web and Google (search) "learn to draw" you get to choose from 4,880,000 web sites (at least that's what I found while writing this article). By the time you try it, there will likely be more.

If you do a web search using Google for the term "learn to paint" Google showed 854,000 web sites in the light blue bar at the top of the page under the "Google" logo.

There are degree granting and non-degree granting art schools, art schools with classrooms and online art courses. Some non-degree art courses give "Certificates of Completion."

Finding an art school course to learn to draw and paint that suits your personal needs, budget and available time is a challenge.

Here is a list of some of the options:

Option 1: A way to learn drawing and painting is to go to an art school, college or university like Pratt Institute (campuses in Brooklyn and Manhattan in New York City, USA where I graduated and later taught). Two issues for many people are the time and money needed. The Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree I took at Pratt now costs over $100,000.00 USD for the four year degree program. Of course, this web article is viewed by a worldwide audience. To see the great art schools around the world, there is a very good listing of them on the Saatchi Gallery web site page titled: "Art Colleges around the World: Universities, Visual Arts, Fashion and Design Institutions." The Saatchi Gallery Art Colleges page web site address is listed on the links page in the resource box at the bottom of this article.

The Saatchi Gallery list includes the college I graduated from (Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, New York City, USA) and art schools in many countries all across the world. The Saatchi Gallery art school listings had 57 pages with thousands of art schools listed when this article was written.

Option 2: Take a local art course either at a private art school, a local high school, secondary school or college. Of course, some localities don't offer that option and the skills of the teachers are important, so you need to get recommendations and check these teachers out before you enroll. You can Google these choices, ask neighbors, friends and teachers in schools near you. You might also get recommendations from art clubs if you have them in your locality. Some artists give private art classes to individuals or groups. I used to give private group lessons in the basement of my home.

Option 3: Just pick up a pencil or oil paints and start drawing and painting. This works for some people like Grandma Moses (Anna Mary Robertson) who taught herself how to paint starting at age 81. See the article about her on Wikipedia (address of Grandma Moses article on Wikipedia is listed on the links page in the box at the bottom of this article). Grandma Moses had no art training and her paintings, originally priced at $5.00 to $10.00 USD, now sell in the $10,000.00 to $60,000.00 USD range and her annual income was said to be $500,000.00 USD in the late 1950s. Grandma Moses died in 1961 at the age of 101.

Option 4: Buy some art books and/or video tapes on how to draw and how to paint at Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble online or at your local book store and learn to be an artist. I once had a teacher who said take a few weeks in art school learning the basics (which end of the brush to use, etc.) and paint 200 pictures and you'll be an artist. This works for some people.

Option 5: Online distance learning art courses are for students unable to attend on-campus classes. Online art courses provide flexibility as to when students study and practice and when they complete lessons. Some offer degrees and some hobby courses issue certificates of completion. Some consist of totally online step-by-step how-to lessons the student follows to teach themselves. Others send the students art textbooks, art supplies and lesson plans. The student reads the art textbooks and follows the recommended drawing and painting practice sessions. Next, the distance student completes and mails their assigned drawing or painting to their school. An instructor at the school draws or paints a critique with comments of each of the student's assigned picture and mails the student's work and critique to the student.

Option 6: There is a new kind of art school using the web to interactively teach drawing and painting.

A digital camera is included in each student's sign up kit along with art textbooks and art supplies. Students who have their own digital camera deduct the cost of the digital camera, usually supplied with the course, from the tuition cost. The kit is mailed to the newly enrolled student. The student works at home, reading the art textbooks, practicing, and then doing the assigned lesson artwork from the assignments they get in their personal web folder on the school web site.

The student takes digital photos of their completed lesson artwork for each lesson and then sends those photos as email attachments to the school.

The art teacher at the online art school draws or paints a critique of the emailed student's lesson artwork with comments on how the student might have better understood the lessons taught in the art textbooks and supplemental on line mini-lessons. That painted or drawn critique of each student's submitted artwork is posted to the school website, a personalized how-to-do-It-better critique for the student to see 24/7/365. The student's submitted drawings or paintings and the teacher's critiques are shown on in the student's personal web folder at the school's web site.

Subjects covered are drawing, form, composition, color theory, perspective, still life, landscape drawing and painting as well as drawing and painting the figure.

This school offers a "Certificate of Completion" and a CD with all of the student's submitted work, all of the critiques by the teacher and suggestions for continued growth as an artist on completion of the full art course.

Links to web sites mentioned in the article above can be found at:
http://www.interactiveartschool.com/linksEzine.html

My online interactive art school is at:
http://www.interactiveartschool.com

How to Learn to Draw the US Map From Memory and Its States

2011-06-25T18:34:00.000-07:00

I am going to show you how to draw the US MAP and its 50 states. And remembering the 50 names itself may be daunting task, let alone be able to draw the us map from memory. But a method has been developed based on a memory technique called mnemonics. But first let us understand the nature of memory a bit.

Human memory is a wonderful thing. But still we suffer and wish we had better memory to handle all that the modern life throws at us. There are memory techniques and there are memory techniques. What is the secret. Is there one thing we may want to know that would lead us to the truth regarding improving our memory.

The secret is that we are poor at memorizing discrete, separate pieces of data. BUT, if we are able to string the data together in some sort of sequence, if we are able to give a structure to the data we want to memorize, it becomes immensely easy.

Here comes the method of MNEMONICS which tries to string together data into meaningful sentences which then helps us remember a VAST array of data. This is a proven technique and that which has immense scope for increasing our knowledge. Because despite the proliferation of the internet and its potential to deliver information to us, unless we have a inner structure in which to fit in these data, we would be at a loss. Here I am going to show you a method by which you can have a structure in which to fit in the 50 states of the us map.

For drawing maps, do we need to be artists. No, if we are able to simplify our task, we can accomplish the apparently impossible. The first step is to draw simplified lines. This is easier said than done. But with a little bit of gumption and creativity, you can do it. A map has wiggly lines. Although the US map has mainly straight lines bordering the states, still you need to simplify in order to do it all in about 20 lines.

Next you require to take a few states out of the 50 states of the us map and generate mnemonic sentences. And once you learn these mnemonic sentences, it all becomes quite easy and like a pro you can DRAW THE US MAP WITH ALL ITS STATES and remember EXACTLY WHERE THESE 50 STATES ARE LOCATED.

Learn more about learning to draw the us map and the states as also another technique to learn to draw all the countries of the world look at http://memorize-maps.blogspot.com/

I am Siddhartha Sinha, interested to leverage technology to make accretion of knowledge a simple process and have developed this unique method for drawing the world map and all the 193 countries from memory and now have also developed a method to draw the US MAP and its 50 STATES FROM MEMORY and also remember exactly where the states are located. You may learn more here

Cartoon Drawing - Why Should You Learn Cartoon Drawing?

2011-06-24T20:03:00.000-07:00

Well, everybody knows that there are very few hobbies that can come close to cartoon drawing when we consider the fun factor of it. At the same time it is very inexpensive to get started and to continue.

But that's not everything. Cartoon drawing is not about drawing funny figures being at the corner of the room and showing your creations to a close buddies. In fact it can make you popular and famous. And on the top of everything it can make you sizeable money.

To be very frank these days we are really starved for good cartoon makers. It is not to say that the art of cartoon making is not that popular any more.

Is quite the opposite: Actually demand is so high...!

Everywhere you can look at you can see application of cartoon Art. And every day more and more usage areas are being opened for this art. As an example drawing cartoon tattoos are really getting hot these days. Even the body painters and face painting artists are using cartoon forms to add an extra dimension in their work.

Drawing cartoon figures and forms are not difficult at all. In fact you get lots of freedom while drawing cartoons which is unimaginable in the field of realistic figure drawing. What is important is having new and unique ideas. And today's youngsters are filled with that to the brim.

Major user of cartoon art is TV cartoon channels. Learning cartooning can open the door of that glamorous world to you.

Books magazines and newspapers are not to be left behind. These Medias are using cartoon arts in various new and refreshing ways. And the bottom line is, as you can imagine, ever increasing demand for decent cartoon artists.

Full-length cartoon movies, cartoon wallpapers cartoon games and numerous websites across the cyberspace that use cartoons for decoration and conveying messages in an unconventional way are pushing this demand through the sky.

And this is a trend with no end in sight. You can look at the fun and frolic others are having by sitting tight at the shore or jump in it wholeheartedly.

I will suggest grab a pencil and a piece of paper and get started to demand your share.

Do you know face drawing is the most difficult part of cartoon drawing? Check this tutorial to learn simple steps of face drawing. Also do not forget to check this popular cartoon drawing course.

Learn to Draw a Rose Step by Step

2011-06-24T13:51:00.000-07:00

I want to talk more about how you can learn to draw a rose step by step. You might want to learn to draw a rose step by step because you would like a rose for a tattoo or you might want to learn because of a particular drawing your doing. Whatever the reason you would like to learn to draw a rose step by step the first you need to do is get an idea in your head about what you want to achieve in the drawing.

I recommend you do a loose sketch first before you start. Drawing loosely does have its advantages when learning to draw a rose step by step or learning to draw anything for that matter weather it be a rose a car or a building.

First off when you learn to draw a rose step by step look at what you are drawing take a rose in your hand and feel it look at the shape, this is really important because you need to get it locked in your mind.

Start with a plain piece of paper and begin to do a loose rough sketch. At this stage your drawing does not have to be perfect in anyway. Think of it as if you were a writer, all your doing is putting down your rough ideas first then this will eventually form the basis of your letter, book or stories. It's the same with your drawings.

Once your loose rough sketch is done and you have it down on paper you can then start to develop things even further and begin to put shading into your drawing. I always draw my pictures on A3 size paper first, this way I can do small thumbnail sketches of what I intend to draw and then rework and improve the original drawing if needed.

So when you learn to draw a rose step by step you start buy drawing a loose sketch of the structure and just as a sculptor would you need to flesh out the drawing and include things like the thorns and leafs and stem and you will start to see the drawing come to life.

This process shouldn't be skipped in anyway in any drawing you intend to do as you will find you can create lots of drawings this way, drawings that you probably wouldn't of come up with in the first place if you didn't do loose sketches.

For other ways of getting good ideas for your drawings and more importantly to learn to draw even better I have found a grate site that I think will benefit you or any one who is interested in learning to draw. You can click the following link [http://www.learntodraw.biz]

5 Surprising Reasons Why You Should Learn to Draw

2011-06-24T12:17:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wanted to learn how to draw?

Would you like to be able to create fantastic cartoons or sketches like in the Simpsons, Family Guy or Futurama? Or a portrait of a friend?

It is not as difficult as you think...

Whether you're looking to make a career as a freelance artist, or you're in business... or you're just interested in a fantastic hobby... learning to draw delivers huge rewards.

Here are 5 surprising reasons why you should learn to draw:

1. Your powers of observation can dramatically improve as you learn to see things the way they actually are.

2. You will learn to communicate with more clarity as you develop the skill of discernment - learning what to leave out! A vital life skill...

3. Your ability to problem-solve will increase as you learn to proportion objects correctly in relation to other objects.

4. Your confidence will skyrocket as you learn new ways to express yourself and finally beat down the 'I can't do that beast...' (Don't worry - it exists within all of us!)

5. You will learn to become more flexible as you develop new skills and overcome hurdles.

So what does it take to succeed?

Well of course you need to have some desire to draw. That's because (like anything else) drawing is a skill that takes at least some passion to learn. If you can't bring that to the table, look for another hobby.

You need to find a fantastic teacher who has the ability to draw and teach. These are not one in the same thing - many skilled technicians are hopeless when it comes to communicating their skills.

How do you know when a course will deliver?

3 Tips For Finding The Right Drawing Course

1. Trust your gut when it comes to the right teacher - look for experience in the craft itself and teaching ability.

2. Look for a course that is well structured and delivers lessons in a variety of ways including audio, video and text.

3. Many offline courses are both time consuming and expensive... trust me, I know many people who are still paying off their University debts. Look for a course that fast tracks the process (as much as possible) and delivers the required skills in the shortest amount of time possible.

If you are at all interested learning how to draw, the best thing to do is to take the first step while you have some momentum up...

As a starting point, why not access 5 free lessons from one of the best drawing teachers on the planet by visiting [http://thedrawingcourse.com]

Learn to Draw the Ball

2011-06-24T07:17:00.000-07:00

Are you tired of slicing the ball? Or do you want to learn to draw the ball whenever you need it? If you do read on! I'll give you easy tips to incorporate a draw into your swing that also helped me out!

As you know Golf is a very mental game and trying to draw the ball is no different. When you're on the tee, or an approach shot to the hole, the first thing you want to do is pick a target to the left, then find a spot to the right of your target. Now imagine your shot going on that line you created. It may sound to easy, but like I said earlier, Golf is very mental. By visualizing your shot curving towards your target, it will incorporate into your swing.

When you want to set up for a hook, the best thing to do is narrow your stance just a tiny bit. After you narrow your stance, start bending over more during your setup. When you bend over like this, it will allow a much more neutral hit, and eventually will "tell" your clubface to close more during impact, which equals to the ball curving to the left.

The biggest thing to check though is your grip. By having an improper grip, you wont get the hook you want. To make sure you don't slice the ball, adopt a strong grip, and make sure that both of your hands rotate to the right of the shaft. When you squeeze to hard on the grip, more then likely you'll slice it. So make sure you have a strong grip but not to strong!

If you want more Golf tips, visit my Blog. It has Ebooks, Training Aids, and DVDs. http://changeyourswing.com

Gregory

How to Select the Right Books to Learn to Draw

2011-06-23T03:23:00.000-07:00

There are a set of diverse methods to get initiated in the process of how to draw. You will discover books, DVDs, workshops and drawing coaching or you can get private lessons from local artists.

I arranged for these options by hiking price. The more costly choices are inclined to be better. But what counts most is quality!

So it is a worthy idea to begin with 1 or 2 excellent books. It is only a little investment or yet a free method to learn how to draw, if you find some good books in your local library.

This provides you the opportunity to do your initial steps and make progress to more wide-ranging (and high-priced) later, if you find it sensible and suiting your budget.

But what should a good "study how to draw book for beginners" educate?

The first ways of learning how to draw

Many of us have by no means learnt how to really watch what we are trying to draw. Despite the fact that you may have a tea set in front of you, you will almost certainly draw the basic tea set that you have stored in your memory in place of scrutinizing the actual tea set you will go for it as this is far easier to start with. So many exercises you'll find in beginners how to draw books are merely ways of negating your memory so that you can practice carefully to watch the object set before you.

Also you will be trained to observe outlines, tones, sizes and negative areas.

Exercises for watching outlines often include tracing things with your pencil in the air before you or on paper again and again. By practicing such exercises soon you'll be able to transfer even complex shapes and outlines effortlessly and correctly onto paper.

You'll be training yourself to see tones by trying to draw objects without using outlines at all. So you will be taught to control the tones you are sketching also. You can utilize it to shade areas of light and dark without producing dark outlines.

Then there should be lessons to learn how to see and reproduce proportions and relative position. An effortless way is to utilize your pencil or a ruler while holding it at arm's length to study different sizes of things and recording these relative sizes on your page, but this shortcut doesn't contribute much for your progress so rigorous exercises in this area are essential.

These are the most important topics in a good book you want to utilize to study how to draw. Consider this, go out, and check what options are available. Take an informed decision. Learn to draw. And most vital: take pleasure!

For more tips to learn how to draw visit us. Here you'll also download a free ebook to drawing instructions

You Can Learn to Draw People Quickly and Easily

2011-06-22T23:37:00.000-07:00

It may be necessary for you to draw people while in your drawing class at your school or just when you're drawing casually. And even, for students who want to appear in various drawing exams, it becomes crucial to learn how to sketch people. However, most of the kids and even elders find it very difficult to do among the easiest things - drawing humans. Most people are of the view that it can be highly complex to sketch people, and in addition they think that it's a highly time-consuming activity.

It may be required for you to sketch people while in your drawing class at your school or just when you are drawing casually. And, for students who want to appear in different drawing exams, it becomes important to learn to sketch. However, most of the children and even elders find it very difficult to do one of the simplest things - drawing humans. Most people are of the view that it can be highly complicated to sketch humans, and they also think that it is a highly time intensive activity.

If you are enthusiastic about people drawing, the first thing to do is to get all the equipment that would be needed for the purpose. The list of equipment will consist of pencils, drawing paper, pencil sharpeners, eraser and colors, preferably crayons.

First it is important to learn how to draw faces of kids and elders. First draw a circle or an oval that would act as the head. Keep the face-size proportionate to the age of the individual - a small face for a small child and a littler larger one for an elder. Next, draw a pair of semicircles on both sides of the circle in order to create the ears. In order to draw the eyebrows, draw horizontal lines of equal size. Then, the eyes are drawn by using a pair of curved lines that meet at the ends. It would take some practice to learn different figure drawing.

The nose can be created by drawing a curved down horizontal line in a C shape. Once the lips are drawn, a little shading is given at the point where the bottom lip stops. Another important aspect to learn to Draw People is to create the hairstyle. You can initially learn by practicing to draw hairstyles for both men and women by observing from pictures. This can also be learned by trying your hands at cartoon drawing, where the hairstyles are more general, and not as meticulous as in original human-beings.

It is equally important to learn to draw the lower part of the face. Men's neck should always be thicker as compared to that of women. When learning to people draw, keep in mind to approach a person's body shape as a rectangle. Hands can be drawn on both sides of the rectangle by drawing two lines that bend in order to form the elbow, and then stretching further to form the hands. Learning to drawing people and their hands is quite simple. However it is necessary that you study the hands along with the five fingers properly, and draw them in proportion to the size of the body.

When it comes to drawing the legs it is one of the most convenient parts of drawing people. Draw two vertical lines down from the main body, and then they are finished-off in the leg fingers. This process is repeated for the second leg as well. This will help you to get the basic structure when you want to learn to sketch people. In order to add details like clothing and more minute lines, you can learn by practicing manga drawing.

The easiest way to start learning to draw people is to practice to draw portraits or practice with cartoon drawing.

Are you interested in learning ways to draw people easily and quickly? Check out http://www.DrawPeople.org for proven tips and resources on how to draw people including drawing pictures, figure drawing, caricature drawing, cartoon and manga drawing, and much more.

Learn to Draw Caricatures - Tips for Beginners

2011-06-22T21:41:00.000-07:00

Caricatures are funny and at the same time appealing than just having a plain photo being drawn straight. Of course, it is also fun to learn to draw caricatures as well. Although caricatures may look easy to do because of its simple lines, it does require a little artist's eyes to make an exaggerated drawing still identifiable and recognizable.

But of course, you can learn this fun skill of drawing and distorting people's faces. Although there are just people who are good in making caricatures, not all can make good ones however. But of course, even if you are not that good in drawing, you can still learn to draw caricatures if you want to. T start to learn to draw caricatures, here are some simple tips and tricks that you might find useful.

- Learn to study the distinguishing features of a human face. You don't have to look directly into the eyes of a politician if you want to make a caricature of him, but use a photo instead. This is a good reference as this is stationary and of course, you can study it as long as you want.

- Know which part of the face is good to exaggerate. Most often, you can find the distinguishing features good to exaggerate, such as big lips, big eyes, mustache, thick eyebrows - these are the features that would seem to jump at you when you look at the photo. As this are distinguishing features, make sure to capture them well in your caricature.

- Start exaggerating those features. The most common ways to exaggerate the features of the face is to draw them bigger or smaller. You can adjust, make trial and error drawings on which best fits the face. You can also draw several caricatures with different features exaggerated so you can choose which of the caricatures have the likelihood of the original subject. Of course, it should have the likelihood of the person who are drawing, or else, you are not making a caricature.

-You can also start drawing your caricature with the exaggerated portion so you can make it your focus in drawing, but you can also do otherwise. There is no clear cut rule on where to start with your drawing for as long as you can still make it balanced.

- Play on the thickness of the lines in your drawing. Aside from blowing some features into larger proportions or making some features smaller, you can also make the lines thicker or thinner.

- Get some practice. With constant practice, you can actually master this skill and make it a fun hobby you can enjoy with.

- Keep in mind that a caricature must have these elements: likelihood to the person you are drawing and its exaggeration. Without either of these two, there is no caricature. Caricatures also convey a message about the character being drawn or a situation.

If you are interested to learn more, you can get a good guide or a tutorial t help you make effective caricatures and have fun with it.

Carolyn Anderson loves drawing, sketching and painting as a hobby. If you want a guide to learn how to make caricatures, check out learn caricatures. Also check out Creating 3d Cartoons, a video tutorial to help you make 3d cartoons like the popular cartoon movies you can find these days.

Learn to Draw Caricatures - The 7 Features You Need to Focus on to Be Successful

2011-06-22T10:19:00.000-07:00

Caricature portraits, which are simply hand drawn cartoonish pictures, usually exaggerate an individual's prominent facial features, and sometimes characteristics or mannerisms.

Most caricatures are merely sketches drawn in pencil or ink on white paper. More elaborate ones are done in color.

To learn to draw caricatures successfully, there are 7 facial features you need to focus on and concentrate on. In particular, notice and see facial features that are out of the norm or ordinary. Focus your attention on the following:

1. First take a good look at your subjects head. Is it round, square, or oval? Do they have a lantern chin or is it weak and recessed?

2. What about the shape of your subjects eyes-are they round or oval, large or small?

3. What about their eyebrows - are they thin or heavy. Do they have a beetle brow?

4. Notice their mouth and lips? Are the lips full or pencil thin? Is their mouth large or small?

5. Notice their ears . Are they small or large like Dumbo the elephant? Are their ears next to their head or do they stick out?

6. What about their smile and their teeth? Are there any missing teeth or gaps between their teeth? Are their teeth straight or crooked? Abnormally small or huge? Do they have vampire teeth?

7. And don't forget the hair. If they're vain about their hair, make sure that this is a prominent feature in your caricature drawing.

As you learn to draw caricatures and train your mind to look at people through the eyes of an artist, you will begin to "see" their outstanding features easily and quickly.

Once you learn all the "insider secrets" of how to draw caricatures, you'll be amazing your friends with your new talent and ability. Everyone will be seeking you out, imploring you to draw their picture. You'll love all the attention!

To help you learn how to draw caricatures quickly and easily, I have found the best learn to draw caricatures instruction available.

Learning to draw caricatures has never been easier. To learn more please visit

http://learntodrawcariatures.net

Learning to Draw People

2011-06-21T10:12:00.000-07:00

Everybody at some point in their life wanted to learn to draw and paint. Just by watching children, you could see that these skills are one of those that entice them during their early years. However, not all people decide to take this goal seriously, especially when adulthood comes around. Nevertheless, if you do want to develop this innate skill, it is still possible. Here are some of the basics that you have to know.

Drawing human figures is considered to be the most difficult for artists to do. This is because there is no generic way of drawing it. The human figure is unique for each and every one. Hence creating a replica via pen and paper could be complex. Nevertheless, with some practice, you can still learn to draw people.

Learn Proportion

One of the most common mistakes when drawing people would be the proportion. You should take note of this when drawing. The ideal proportion would be 7 heads tall for a man figure. Here are some of the other important proportions to take note of, all of them are 2 heads long:

1. From the kneecap's middle to the foot's bottom

2. The femur's head to the whole kneecap

3. The elbow's size to the extended fingers' tips

4. The collarbone down to the belly button

5. The chest width from each shoulder's end.

Observation

Other than mastering the skill of proportioning, you should also learn how to observe. You can have a perfect drawing if you learn how to closely observe faces and people. Being able to observe and view correctly could be helpful in your artistic improvement in the long run.

Ask yourself questions such as: Were you able to see the correct outline of your model's eye? What is the thickness of the outline? How about the eyebrows? Is the chin's positioning at the right place? Did draw the neckline curvier than it should be? Take a look at your drawing. Is it a real representation of what your model looks like? Did you miss something? Take a look again.

Precise observation is needed if you really want to draw people. For you to do this, take some caution when observing.

Express Emotions

For your work to be appealing, it should also express emotions just like real people do. Remember to give extra effort with your figure's eye brows, eyes, and mouth. These are the 3 areas that you'll be utilizing to express your character's emotions.

For instance, if you'll be drawing eyes, remember that the eye surface is moist and that it reflects light. To achieve this kind of effect, try to add little white dots on the black part of the eyes. Doing this would make your character more appealing and lively.

Start Out Big

The trick to drawing precise figures is that you should start out big. Try to draw the gross parts of the body first. In this way, proportion could be secured. After you've drawn the bigger portions of the body, this would be the good time to add the details. So, eyes and other intricate features are to be added on the later part of your work.

Be Environmental

You should also take good note of the environment that your character is in. For instance, if your figure would be beside the window, then you should take note of how light falls upon the body. The lighting would definitely make a difference, especially on the shadings of your drawing.

You should also be able to establish the environment. Is it an indoor or outdoor scene? If it's indoor, then add some indoor furniture or accessories. If it's outdoor then place a figure that resembles the outside world, like trees or lamp posts.

M.t.a. (Alan) Mckinnell

[http://www.affiliatenewbiesfastcash.com]

How to Learn to Draw Easily

2011-06-21T08:01:00.000-07:00

I love art and I love to draw and I am drawing for the past twenty three years. Now I want to point people in the right direction whom are interested in how to learn to draw easily. It is important to realize first that what I am about to learn you here is not as hard as it may seem right now maybe you think and feel that you could never or cant draw?

Well you are wrong, in my opinion I feel that anyone regardless of age or experience can and will learn to draw if you follow my easy to read and follow tips on how to learn to draw easily. The way I learned myself to draw is so easy that even a child can learn to draw and brilliantly every time with a little practice.

When I started to learn myself how to draw I was only five. I loved comics and cartoons that much I wanted to be able to draw them so that's exactly what I did! I simply copied the cartoons I was watching and the comics I was buying. Now I never traced any picture in my life and I advise you not to it simply wont learn you anything on how to draw and its silly you should learn to draw freely just by looking at something be it a picture or a physical item what ever the case may be this is the whole point of this exercise after all.

So with all that in mind let me explain further how you or anybody can learn how to draw easily and quickly all you need here is a pencil, paper, patience, time and the willingness to learn to draw, still interested? Good continue reading so.

Its as simple as this all you need to do to learn how to draw easily is follow some good instruction and follow it well. My believe is to learn how to draw and become a great artist is to start with drawing simple cartoons. There are many popular well known cartoons out there on the internet that have step by step instruction showing people how exactly that picture is started and finished.

Now my dream is a reality thanks to this excellent publication. "HOW TO DRAW CARICATURES QUICKLY AND EASILY".

Learning how to draw Caricatures has never been as easy as this publication shows you. I would at least recommend you have a look to learn more on this subject, it truly has made me a better artist and i owe this author my deepest thanks and gratitude.

If your are drawing for a while and have experience drawing and would like broaden your talent as i have then you may be interested in this website too you have nothing to loose just a great talent to gain so come on in and have a look click on link below.

http://www.squidoo.com/how-to-learn-to-draw

Learning to Draw on the Right Side of the Brain

2011-06-21T01:22:00.000-07:00

Introduction:

Three or four chapters into "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" by Betty Edwards, I was challenged to try her upside down drawing assignment. I smiled a wry smile as I read her claim that I would be pleased with the result of my effort. I started copying the upside down picture and about forty minutes later I was finished. I turned the drawing and the picture right side up for comparison. I was amazed at the results. I wanted to close the book and just start drawing everything I could get my hands on.

Betty must have sensed this because she offered a second challenge that was a little more difficult. Not much, but just enough to convince me that I'd better stick around and read a few more chapters at least. She went on to explain the phenomenon of what I'd just experienced. What I learned is that it's important to understand three things about your brain. First, the left side of your brain is very good at what it does. Second, the left side of your brain is in charge most of the time. Third, the left side of your brain doesn't like to waste time. I also learned that these are good things most of the time but they can hinder the performance of tasks, such as drawing, that require access to the creative power of the right side of the brain.

The Right Brain for the Job:

Let's conduct a little experiment to show just how good the left side of your brain is at what it does. The letters in the following sentence are all mixed up but I doubt you'll have any problem reading it: The wlord wuold be a bteter pclae if we all just lneeard to darw. I find this fascinating! It clearly demonstrates the power of the brain to solve simple puzzles quickly and efficiently freeing us up to move on to other things. Besides solving puzzles, another thing your brain is good at is assigning symbols to things.

For example, as far as the left side of your brain is concerned, the human head is an egg shape, the eye is an almond shape with a small circle in the middle, a wheel is a circle, the sun is a circle with triangles around it, and so on. When you try to draw any of these things, the left side of your brain, assuming that you want to perform this task as quickly and efficiently as possible, rushes in with the appropriate symbol. The right side of your brain, which may have been getting ready to help, retreats. And that's just the way the left side of your brain likes it. Get the "job" done and move on. But what if you wanted to shift to the right side of your brain because you agree that it's better suited to accurately draw the picture? One way you can do this is to present something to the left side of the brain that it doesn't understand. Something like the upside down picture.

Who's in Charge?

The left side of your brain might like to think it's in charge but it realizes that YOU are in charge. When you decide to perform a task, it assumes you want to do it in the most efficiently and effectively manner possible. When you sit down to draw a human face from memory, the left side of your brain believes that it has your best interest at heart. "Come on, good buddy", it says, "I got all the symbols you're gonna need for this here project!" So you start with the head. The left side of your brain has a symbol for that; it's called an egg. In fact it also has a symbol that represents the nose, the mouth and every thing else.

Imagine a photograph or drawing of several men of equal height on a platform waiting for a train. Who appears tallest? The man in the foreground appears tallest. The man who is furthest away appears tiny in comparison. The left side of your brain is allowing you to see what you believe to be the truth. Use a ruler to measure the height of each man and you may be stunned to learn the truth that each man is the same height. Measuring is a great way to deny the left side of your brain its place at the drawing table when the right side of the brain is clearly the better candidate for the task. After all, even the left side of the brain will acquiesce in the face of empirical data.

If you can convince the left side of your brain that it is not the authority that it thinks it is, it will give up and let the right side of the brain take over. Are there other ways besides turning the picture upside down that will facilitate the shift over to the right side? Certainly; avoid calling things out by name as you act upon them. Instead of thinking "nose" when you're drawing the curves of the nose think in terms of the curvy line that you are drawing that starts halfway up the page and is exactly x number of inches from the weird curvy thing that I was drawing just a moment ago (don't call this body part it by its real name either).

Why it's OK to "Waste" Time Sometimes:

As I pointed out above, the left side of your brain hates to waste time. After all its main purpose is to take you where you want to go, based on the information that you've provided it, in the shortest amount of time possible. "I want to draw a wheel", you tell it and Wham - in five seconds you have the circular symbol for a wheel ready to apply to a sheet of paper. You look at your pathetic little wheel and acknowledge that while it certainly represents what you wanted to draw you see absolutely no reason to sign your name to your miserable masterpiece. The key here is to quiet the left side of your brain long enough to get the right side of your brain involved. One way you can do this is do deprive the left side of your brain access to its database of symbols. But how do you do this?

Turning things upside down is one way to get the right side of your brain involved. (This may not work in the case of a wheel because an upside down wheel doesn't look that much different from one that is right side up. The left side of your brain will detect your attempt to deceive it and will conjure the circle symbol every time.) The left side of the brain considers this task, for which it doesn't have handy symbols to speed it along, as useless so it gives up allowing the right side of the brain to take action. It views this as a waste of time and it goes into an idle state ready to spring into action once you've come to your senses and begun to pursue a more meaningful task for which it is more suited.

Conclusion:

We now know that the left side of your brain is very good at what it does, that it wants to be in charge most of the time, and that it doesn't like to waste time. We know that, as hard as it might be, there are times when we need to quiet the left side of the brain when the right side of the brain is the better resource. We now know that we can quiet the left side of the brain by simply tricking it into thinking that the task is a waste of time, or convincing it that our data can't be invalidated, or by convincing it that the right side of the brain is better for the job (which to the left side of the brain means the task is a waste of time). The good thing is that your brain works for you. You tell it what you want and it works to get it for you. The only problem is that you have to be careful what you ask for.

Roland C. Bonay is an engineer in New Jersey with a passion for writing and drawing. He started reading comic books at an early age and soon discovered he had a flair for telling stories of his own. As he grew, he dreamed of following in the footsteps of his idol, comic book legend, Stan Lee. His passion ebbed and his dream faded as it became necessary to pursue a more traditional lifestyle in order to raise his growing family. The dream was rekindled in early 2009 as the youngest of his four children blossomed into young adulthood. Roland worked feverishly to create the popular Learn to Draw Cartoons Online website which contains a collection of his works as well as practical advice for aspiring comic book artists, cartoonists, and writers. Roland's vision is best summed up by his motto; "the world would be a better place if we all just learned to draw."

Visit his blog at http://easytodrawpictures.net

Learn Caricature Drawing

2011-06-20T04:20:00.000-07:00

Some years ago, during my 23 year career with AT&T and while residing in New Jersey, my wife and I packed our bags, herded the kids into the car, and headed to Atlantic City to immerse ourselves in the fun and excitement of the shore and boardwalk.

One of our very memorable experiences of that mini-vacation was sitting for a caricature portrait in which Judy and I were transformed into the "hottest couple on the beach" - sort of! That humorous snapshot of a younger, more energetic time of our lives still retains an honored piece of wall space in our home, some 30-plus years later!

I share that story with you because I recently discovered a program in which one can learn caricatures drawing for fun and profit. Now, I'll admit at first, as I contemplate my fondness for art, drawing caricatures may not claim much, if any, of my philosophical thinking time. But, of course, upon further reflection, I recognize that it deserves its due and I happily grant it. After all, humor is healthful, in addition to just plain being a lot of fun.

Perhaps caricature drawing is an art niche of interest to you, too, or could become so. Can you relate to any hilarious incidents involving caricatures or cartoon drawing? Could learning to draw caricatures be the missing link that you want or need to launch a fun new art hobby or even bridge your artistic interests into profitable activities? Do your art creations at present, however accurately that term describes them, tend to have a somewhat cartoon bent to them?

Imagine... being able to find out the secret formula to caricature drawing success, learning from someone who has built a solid career over the past 30 years as you share in his secret ways to learn to draw caricatures and make a little money, if you wish, as a caricature artist.

Imagine... having the skills to draw caricatures that most people will not believe you could do!

Imagine... the way you are going to feel when you uncover an income stream from art work that is constant, consistent and shows no sign of going out of demand anytime soon!

Imagine... making extra money for drawing funny faces that is really easy to do!

Well, if some or all of that appeals to you, then I urge you to investigate further and get all the details. Just click on the links found below in my Resource Box and get the help you want and need!

James Nelson is currently President of JuJam Enterprises Incorporated, owners and operators of multiple websites covering numerous topics. To get full caricature drawing details now, please Click Here or visit our art-focused website at http://www.CherArts.com/.

Why Would You Learn To Draw Over The Phone?

2011-06-19T14:54:00.001-07:00

What holds you back from drawing? Probably some shame lingers from humiliations in the past. You might have learned that your efforts were wrong or unworthy. So you've remained wounded, limited by old fears. Sometimes ignorance is bliss, when you're too busy to open to new possibilities. What you don't know can't hurt you. . . or help you either.

How do you jump the hurdle of learning to draw, without exposing yourself to others in the class watching ? Sure you'd like to learn to draw, but not at the risk of being shamed all over again. Learning to draw in a live class is just a hotbed of possibilities for more humiliation. Who needs a teacher standing over you ? Or, other learners watching your stumbling efforts ? Yuk ! And how do you find a class nearby ?

So how can you possibly learn to draw over the phone? Seems absurd, a compromise at best. Or so I thought until I tried teaching heart-centred drawing by teleclass. It blew our minds wide open !

Your goal is to draw things that look real, right? Trouble is, by putting all your focus on the end product, you can't experience the process. Even if you take part in spite of all fear of ridicule, the end result still overshadows you. So how can you learn to draw with heart if you don't look at the results?

By allowing space to focus all your attention on the process, you aren't ignoring the results, you're just postponing judging them. Sitting alone, unwatched, guided only by the teacher's voice, you can go deep inside, connect with your heart, and let the process flow. Still trusting your heart, you will see the end results differently.

Most first time drawers from within are totally surprised. This arm's length guidance, allows you to get closer to your true self in privacy. Doors will be opened to possibilities like you've never imagined.

Take your new drawing while you're still stunned by it, scan it or photograph it, and put it up on your monitor. Wow ! There it is, front and centre, all framed, lighted, and focused. Your critical mind will have to admit that your results look pretty darn amazing.

You'll know that you couldn't have reached these results had you tried with your "doing" mind. Your heart has shown your judgmental mind what it never knew before - the magic of putting the creative process first. It feels good too and it's fun. As well as learning to draw with heart, overcoming fears unleashes powerful creative energy, and awakens countless possibilities for deeper personal growth.

About the Author

Hello, I'm Celeste Varley and it is my passion to work with people to discover, uncover, and recover their wild artistic potential. You can learn to draw with heart like you've never imagined ! If this article speaks to your heart, you may want to see more ?Fresh Horses? articles on my website. Check it out and see if it's right for you.

Celeste Varley
http://www.heartsongstudio.com
Discover, uncover & recover
your wild artistic potential!

Learn to Draw and Paint at a High Level

2011-06-18T14:15:00.000-07:00

Everyone, at some time in their life, wants to learn to draw and paint. Really watch children and you'll soon see that this skill set attracts and entices them during their developmental years. However, not everyone desires to draw well or become a good artist. Not everyone takes their own artwork seriously. And, as adulthood draws nearer, even fewer follow the call of the pencil and paper. Even so, should you wish to develop any innate artistic skills, it's very achievable. Here are a few of the basics that you must know in order to succeed:

Drawing vs Painting

An important element, one that people don't always understand is that drawing and painting are not the same. Thus, should you desire to learn how to draw and paint, you'll be required to learn and develop two separate skill sets. Drawing is more often than not characterized as rendering a subject by the use of lines. Then again, painting constitutes the art of covering any surface with paint (oil, water, or acrylic) for artistic and/or functional intentions.

Therefore, the medium you use plus the process itself will become the main difference. Even so, these two disciplines are all the same associated and very often combine to make a work of art ... work. Much of the time, though not always, drawing is a prerequisite to painting.

Drawing Basics

In order to expand on any inherent drawing skills, one needs to constantly exercise the hands and eyes. This can be accomplished by sketching for a set amount of time each day. Sketching in perpetuity comprises the best way, maybe the only way, for you to accelerate the "learn how to draw" process in a more artistic and professional manner.

Recall that drawing skill develops via ceaseless practice using both your hands and your eyes, your ability to observe. Such a skill does not improve by merely reading a book or acquiring a plethora of available book-based knowledge. Thus, practice your hand to draw and practice your eyes to see. Be ever attentive to your surroundings. Try sketching inanimate objects or people during any idle time. Taking this approach can turn a worthwhile hobby into a well-paying job in the future.

Copying, replicating someone else's work, is an important stepping stone in the drawing process. Acquire a model or small mannequin and copy it using pencil and paper. It's quite all right to make mistakes and eraser marks. It's exactly what erasers were invented for in the first place. Likewise, eliminate the opinion that you need professional materials only in order for your work to look professional. Hogwash! A simple sketch pad plus a number two pencil with an eraser will work just fine.

Painting Basics

To the contrary, painting does entail making use of professional-grade materials so your finished work is of a high quality. A painting project requires a couple of different sized brushes. Such a task also requires a variety of colored acrylic paints, and, most importantly, you'll need your primary colors, black and white, in tubes larger than any of the other colors. However, should you not want to buy a black tube, you can simply create your own by combining all the primary colors. For all intents and purposes, investing in a large tube of acrylic black paint, if you can afford it, will be the easiest solution.

Starting with Acrylic paints is the best option because, being water-based, they are the easiest with which to work. That said, the pervasive stages of painting development are mastering acrylics first before aspiring to acquire the necessary skills for either oils or water colors. Also, this kind of paint mixes easily with water. All that's necessary is a glass of water used for thinning the paint and cleaning the brush. Water can also be utilized to moisten your paints while working on your project since acryllic paints have a tendency to dry up rather quickly. Also, a pallet on which to mix your paints is also quite handy. Should you not have one, you can easily improvise using a paper plate covered with aluminum foil.

Before you begin painting, you must first sketch an outline of your proposed work on a piece of canvas. Lightly sketch your subject and other particulars of the picture's surroundings. Following this, start adding color using your paints. Practice blending Keep on practicing by choosing different subjects. Also, try to experiment with the colors you've got.

Make full use of your pallet to mix paints creating various color shades. Continue sketching and painting on a regular basis and your skills will develop quickly.

An artist at a young age, Eric Weeks always emphasized the importance of practice if he hoped to learn how to draw [http://learn-to-draw.info] and draw well. Though Eric no longer draws, his brother Lee is a Marvel comics artist known to draw Spiderman [http://www.learn-to-draw.info/learn-to-draw-comics.php] and other popular action heroes. Lee learned his craft via constant, ongoing practice and hard work. Study this article and others to determine what you must do to draw at a very high skill level.

Use Learn to Draw Step by Step Illustrations to Take Leaps and Bounds in Drawing

2011-06-16T12:54:00.000-07:00

Many people are visual learners, or they pick things up more quickly by seeing them, and one prime example of this comes in the form of using learn to draw step by step illustrations. These illustrations not only show you how to mimic the work right in front of you, they allow you to see the beginning steps or framework which a drawing must have before you go any further.

Beyond allowing you to drawing the same picture, this form using learn to draw step by step illustrations teaches you the artist how to build your own drawings from the ground up. There are a number of resources which showcase this feature.

One of the most impressive resources is the new all inclusive "Royal Drawing" book. Not only does it have hundreds of learn to draw step by step illustrations which you can draw along with, it takes on an entirely revolutionary and scientific approach to the art of drawing. It even delves in great detail into the methodology and practices of some of the most famous artists of past and present.

It's written by 35 year art veteran William Collins who sets out to teach you the exact same things that you would learn in an expensive art school but for a fraction of the price and in a way that's easy to comprehend and learn from. This affords you the option of learning and going at your own pace. It also sets out to do it much quicker so that you track immediate results. On top of the hundreds of learn to draw step by step illustrations, he shows you the different stages of mass drawing.

Make giant leaps and bounds in your artistic abilities in a number of ways. Visit http://yourreviewsite.com/learntodraw/index.html to see for yourself how easy it is to progress with this comprehensive book.

Learn to Draw by Drawing a Lot and Always Having an Empty Sketchbook at the Ready

2011-06-14T09:36:00.000-07:00

I hate to tell you. The advice is the same advice you'll hear over and over, especially in the realm of the arts: You've got to do it, a lot. You've got to try and fail and try and fail and get better. Eventually, you'll be good.

If you want to learn how to draw, go out and buy thirteen (why thirteen? It's a magic number.) sketchbooks. In the next couple of months, draw on every page. Fill the pages with drawing. Draw on both sides of the page. Draw, draw, draw. Look at things and draw. Look at pictures and draw. Draw from your imagination. Draw symbols. Draw ideas. Draw.

And draw figures. That's the hardest. If you can get a model, great. If you have to resort to pictures, well, I have a suggestion of where to go for that, for lots and lots of pictures of naked models. (Get virus protection for your computer.) The pictures may be erotic. Well, the figure is basically erotic anyway. I have to say, drawing figures with the clothes off (the figure, not you) is more difficult. Draw yourself in the buff. Draw from pictures, of people with clothes on and clothes off. If you are an artist learning how to draw, draw nudes. If you have a problem with that, get over it.

Draw from photos. Draw from life. Both are good, photos and the real thing.

Let's get back to those thirteen blank notebooks. My grandmother, who was a terrific watercolor artist, collected blank notebooks. I swore to myself, when I was a kid, that is, I promised myself, that I would not leave any sketchbook of mine unfilled. I could not believe that she would have these wonderful little sketchbooks - she did miniatures; many of the sketchbooks were small - and she did not fill them to the brim. Still, she was a remarkable watercolorist and she drew a lot. But those blank sketchbooks.

I want you to remember that image, of the blank sketchbooks and the kid wanting those sketchbooks to be full. Maybe she didn't have enough time to fill them. She did have other things going on. As do I. I shirk the other things sometimes. Okay, a lot of times. And work in the sketchbook. Or I write. Hence you are reading this article. At least here I am creating traffic to my site, or can justify my activity that way. Can you justify filling sketchbook after sketchbook? Maybe not. But you'll have to fill those sketchbooks with a flurry of drawing - and not scribbling! Well, a page or two can be scribbling, but that's cheating. You have to put something in there. Not junk.

You really have to try to draw. All the pages need to be filled up with your efforts, and they have to be efforts, not halfhearted ones. I get this from my master in Tae Kwon Do. The master tells us that every move has to be done with 100% of yourself in it, 110, actually. You have to put your heart in every move. So you have to put your heart into every attempt to draw.

Are there tricks? Sure. You will learn them as you draw. Tricks of perspective... The best way here is learning to draw from drawing paintings, that is, looking at a painting and drawing what you see, and from photographs - from stuff, basically, that's already been scrunched down from three-dimensions into two. Do that as much as drawing from life and from your imagination. You'll get better. Believe me. You will.

And it will be worth it, if you want to be appreciated as an artist. When someone sees that you can draw, they become believers. Anybody can call himself an artist. But not just anyone can draw well, and rare is the individual who can draw incredibly well. You have to work at it. So few of us do. Even fine artists. Same with other arts. Anyone can sing, but not just anyone can sing well, and few can sing incredibly well. To do that, you must practice and really work at it, and not just in the shower, though that is as good a place as any to begin. I, personally, like to practice singing when I am alone driving in my car.

Thirteen sketchbooks filled to the brim with honest effort, in two months... Are you kidding? Okay, twelve, then, for the twelve apostles. Was I just sacrilegious? I don't mean to be. Only to suggest that you have to regard this activity with the same fervor and devotion you would your faith, whatever that faith is.

Religious fervor. Now that's a topic for another article. Let's stick with learning how to draw by doing it a lot. Twelve sketchbooks - you probably won't go for that, either. How about TWO? One to fill up, and the other one because you know you need to fill up the first one so you can get to the second one. Try always to have an empty sketchbook on hand at the ready, waiting for you to finish with the one you're working in.

Beau Smith is a professional multi-media artist who creates human-sized copper frogs. He also paints, writes, makes music, and designs for the web. His site is at http://www.beautifulfrog.com He also produces a podcast called The Science of Originality. The podcast is available through his website. He also produces a Make Art Make Money newsletter, available through his beautifulfrog site.

An Easy Trick When Learning To Draw

2011-06-12T18:25:00.000-07:00

Do you wonder if it is ok to trace when it comes to learning to draw?

Different artists have very different viewpoints on this subject. I think it's fine to trace, so long as you don't do it mindlessly!

If you are struggling with drawing a horse, go ahead and trace it. Watch your pencil moving over the outline. Observe the form. Try to work out where you are going wrong when you draw it freehand.

Observe the shape that transforms into your drawing subject and get a feel for that subject. Then, draw the horse again, freehand. This is how I learnt to do it when I couldn't get the shape of an animal right.

Notice that you will only achieve satisfaction with your drawings if you do them freehand.

Tracing will help you to "see" what you are drawing. Once you conquer drawing what you see, you'll be able to draw almost anything. You can buy art books that have tracing paper included. So, tracing is encouraged in some areas.

There are a lot of ways to learn to draw. Just try everything that you think will work for you and go with it. Every one of us has a different technique. There is no mould, no set way to learning to draw. Providing you don't get dependant on tracing, I feel it can only help you to learn to draw. Just remind yourself that tracing isn't drawing. Tracing and drawing are very, very different.

Keep experimenting to find what suits you. Copying simple line drawings is the simplest way to kick

off your drawing experience. Remember, we learnt the Lord's Prayer by repetition. Tying shoelaces or reading and writing, are all learnt by repetition. You won't learn or master drawing unless you put the time in practicing. If you enjoy drawing as much as I do, that won't be a chore!

Anyone can trace! Don't limit yourself to tracing, use it only as a learning tool.

Author Kerry Godsall is the webmaster at http://www.allaboutdrawings.com where you'll find plenty of easy pencil drawings to copy. You can join my free newsletter to get more drawing tips and techniques.

Learning to Draw - Do You Have to Have Natural Ability

2011-06-11T13:12:00.000-07:00

Many of us think that we have no ability to draw and we never try. However, drawing is a skill, like many others, that can be learned. In this article, we will explore why drawing is difficult for some of us and how we can get started learning to draw.

My friend Jenny called me the other day and said that she was very embarrassed.

"Why are you embarrassed?" I asked Jenny.

"Well," she responded, "my kids are in a drawing class and they wanted me to show them how to draw some cartoon characters. The problem is that I have no natural ability for drawing and have never been able to do it. How on earth can I help my kids with their drawing?"

Jenny's problem is not unique at all. Like many parents, we get asked questions by our kids and struggle with how to answer and we fear that our almighty omniscience as parents may come into question.

But, like many with many skills, the ability to draw is often one of those that can be learned. True, many people exit the womb with some innate talent for drawing. The rest of us have to learn it. I have many friends who are great pianists who once thought they had no aptitude for playing the piano. In a similar fashion, the ability to learn to draw can be conquered through some genuine study and then lots of practice.

So, where can we begin this process of drawing?

Here is how I like to approach this. Let's say, as in the case of Jenny, we want to draw a cartoon character. As I am like many of you, I am not one with a natural ability to draw. However, I have worked on it and one of the ways I got started was drawing cartoon characters.

Rather than doing any studies first, I looked at a picture of bugs bunny and then tried to draw bugs bunny naturally. To say my drawing looked ridiculous is an understatement. It was horrific.

However, this provided a baseline from which I could see drastic improvements quickly. I then went on the internet and looked for techniques and videos that I could use to improve my drawing. In fact, I found someone who actually illustrated how to draw bugs bunny.

I then sat down with these new drawing techniques in my mind. My second rendition of bugs bunny was a marked improvement over the first. In looking at it, you might have even said that I had a natural ability to draw.

The moral of the story: Even though you think that you could never learn how to draw because you have no natural ability, it is a skill that can be learned and you even can get quite good at it.

For more information, view my page entitled How To Learn How To Draw, which presents lessons that will have you learning to draw in no time at all. The author, Richard Tyler, is an investigative journalist and editor focusing on sports, technology, fashion, culture and everything else that is of interest.

Learn to Draw Step by Step & Develop Your Personal Drawing Style

2011-06-09T14:03:00.000-07:00

You will perhaps find that as you learn to draw gradually, you will mature your own drawing style in a natural way. Your individuality is unique, you watch things with a different eye to how others work and your hand muscles are dissimilar from others. So in a sense you might not be able to avoid developing your own style.

Honing you Own Drawing Techniques

If you feel that you don't have your own drawing style then try experimenting with a variety of styles, techniques and media until you find a style or a combination of styles that fits you.

You can read cases of other artists' drawing available on the internet or at the library. As you think less and less about your style and you arrive at the juncture where you can just draw you will hone up you own method with little efforts.

Though, it is essential to be flexible as an artist so you should aim to have a plethora of multiple styles in your gamut. Do not get yourself limited to only one style as this may make it difficult to get commercial drawing work and you will perhaps get uninterested.

It is important not to compare your manner of drawing to that of different artists, as there will always be somebody 'superior' than you and somebody 'worse' than you. Be inspired by others, but don't compare.

Developing versatility in drawing

Besides for developing an own drawing style, it is always nice to be flexible in your drawing to help boost up your motivation and to ensure that your job is worthy to be marketed should you desire to draw from a commercial point.

There are different methods to bring more versatility.

First is inspiration: You should acquaint yourself to as many diverse drawing methods as you can by glancing at art books and screening exhibitions amongst others. You could in addition try taking lessons from numerous teachers as each teacher has their own style of drawing and teaching which they will pass on to you.

You may well also be your own drawing trainer and set yourself different jobs with different purposes, aimed at different audiences. For instance you could assign yourself a project in which you illustrate a nursery rhyme, or design an art exhibition poster, or create a book cover. This will provide you with practice as well as material for a collection if you do want to move into commercial drawing.

You must make sure that you test yourself on a continuous basis by educating to draw diverse themes, using different media and different techniques. Possibly browse through websites and organizations that promote illustrator works to notice what clients want so that you can build up your expertise in the correct direction.

Each one of these joint approaches will finally provide guidance to you to learn step by step your own drawing style. So do not hesitate any longer - begin right now! Begin following these steps and drawing tips, improve your drawing abilities and develop your personal drawing style. Begin today and soon you'll see: results are rewarding.

Want to succeed and get more material to learn to draw? Visit us, to download more stuff and even a free ebook to learn to draw

Learning to Draw With Basic Drawing Techniques

2011-06-07T12:03:00.000-07:00

Drawing is a lot of fun, and my life would not be nearly as enjoyable as it is now if I didn't know how to draw. Learning to draw is not as hard as some people make it out to be, or as your own experiences might have told you. The key is to start out with the basic drawing techniques. Picking up and eventually mastering these simple techniques will form the foundation of your entire drawing adventure.

So here are the basic drawing techniques you will need to learn if you want to start out with drawing.

First, it is very important that you stay mentally focused. Teaching yourself to draw naturally means you are training your brain to understand how to draw, and this is a mindset that can only be developed through practice, practice, and more practice. So keep at it and do not give up. Keep yourself motivated, don't throw any of your drawings out, no matter how bad you think they are. Being able to look back at your older drawings as you are learning is a fantastic way to stay aware of the progress you have made.

Doodling, as silly as it may sound, is actually a great way for you to start developing your skills. Doodling allows you to start putting lines on paper and not worry about the outcome, this is the beginning of training your brain to think differently when it comes to drawing.

Similarly, sketching is a great way to keep your brain free from what it thinks drawing is. Contrary to doodling, with sketching you do focus on the outcome, but not on the particular way you make that outcome real. You just freely draw what you want to draw. Again, what it eventually looks like does not matter, only that you are training your brain to draw.

Once you've got the hang of getting some of your creative thoughts on paper, even if it's not exactly what you want, you are making progress. It is then that you should consider moving on to slightly more advanced techniques, such as:

Contour drawing: Contour drawing means that you only draw the outlines of the objects you are drawing. Not the details, not the shading, just the outlines. You can take an entire scene, the very room you are now in, for example, and just draw the outlines of the objects you see. This is an easy way to train your brain to see the individual lines an object is composed of, and not the object as a whole.

Another technique to use is hatching. With hatching, you just draw the shape of an object with straight parallel lines, usually diagonally. Like contour drawing, hatching allows your brain to focus on the shape of an object, rather than identifying what the object is, which is what your brain normally wants to do. You can take this one or two steps beyond and add depth or additional detail by using the proximity and/or thickness of the parallel lines to determine tonal value. To get even more advanced, you can use crosshatching, which is to say that you create multiple overlapping layers of lines crossing eachother to create even more depth and detail. Crosshatching by itself is a commonly used shading technique.

To get used to shading and lighting, you can apply tonal drawing techniques. By only drawing the darker values of the object you are drawing, and therefore accentuating the lighter values, you are getting used the the concept of depth, and lighting. Tonal drawing means that you do not use strong edges or lines. Drawing the shades is easily accomplised by blurring the areas that are darker. I would suggest using a blending stump instead of your fingers, as your fingers leave an oily residue that can damage the drawing over time

One last essential technique you have to know and conquer is perspective drawing. Look at how the lines of an object converge as they approach the horizon. The point at which they converge is called the vanishing point. You can train yourself to draw in perspective by starting out with simple geometric shapes, and moving on to more complex shapes as you get the hang of it.

Combine some or all of these techniques, and learning how to draw will become an easy and very satisfying experience for you.

About the author
Just like you, Jacob Neila didn't always know how to draw. Instead of giving up and quitting, he taught himself how to draw like a pro and now he likes to share his knowledge with others on his website Learning to Draw.

Learn to Draw Online Anything You Want to Draw - Using These Rules of Composition

2011-06-05T11:30:00.000-07:00

A high-quality composition makes the distinction between a average artwork and your appealing, attention-grabbing illustration. So once you find out online how to draw, it is vital to learn some fundamental ability about composition and its guidelines.

Principle 1: Balanced Pictures

A good quality way to make sure that your composition is balanced is to consider your drawing as a scale. If there is a bit on the right, you must have something to bring equilibrium on your left. If there is a lot going on in the top half of the picture, you need something to balance it in the bottom half of the picture.

If you can not balance your composition the eye of the viewer will be focused out of the picture, as compared to being into the picture. As an artist you want to maintain the viewer looking at your work for as long as possible.

You can apply objects, or tone, or color to balance your drawing. If you include dark areas, lighter areas must also be used to balance it; large objects in a drawing can be balanced by slighter fine objects or by similarly large objects.

Another way to bring balance in your work is to make certain that you do not have the major objects in your drawing too near to the edge. On the other hand, always putting the main focus in the centre can result in an uninteresting composition.

You can get symmetrical balance (top and bottom or left and right are equivalent - resembling a mirror image) or unsymmetrical. Symmetrical balance is easier to achieve, but asymmetrical balance is more interesting.

Principle 2: Find Pleasing Compositions

There are a number of methods to craft lovely compositions but you will probably find that as you gain experience, creating a pleasing composition will become second nature. You will have learnt then to alter any picture's composition with ease.

While beginning to learn to draw, you can discover and re-create pleasing compositions with ease rather than creating them from scratch. One of the most helpful tools in creating a lovely composition is a view finder.

Cut two L-shaped pieces of cardboard and hold them together to form a rectangular frame. Then hold that frame between yourself and the scene you will be drawing and move it around till you get hold of an appealing and pleasant composition.

This is the drawing equal of 'zooming-in' when capturing a photograph and it will help to make sure that you do not incorporate too many details in your drawing. You can also use the viewfinder to make sure that the format you use (landscape or portrait) matches the subject matter of your drawing.

Principle 3: Craft Pleasing Compositions

If you are qualified with experience it is logical to try to create scenes to have a pleasing composition.

So you can put together scenes having some depth, i.e. scenes that include a foreground, middle ground and background. Cover some of the objects to highlight this depth. An odd number of objects is often more pleasing than an even number, like asymmetry is generally more appealing than symmetry.

You could try using the 'Rule of Thirds' to ensure that your composition is not extremely static or uninteresting. Using an assortment of shapes and textures and noting negative space ( the space around your item/s) will also ensure your drawing from being dull and static. In addition be careful of objects that seem to just touch as this can be distracting. Objects should overlap or there ought to be a space between them to prevent this kind of distraction.

For more tips to learn to draw on the web visit us. Here you will also download a great ebook to learn to draw online

Learn To Draw Simple Stuff First

2011-06-04T07:08:00.000-07:00

What is going wrong with my drawing?... Why Can't I draw?

Here are 2 questions that are asked by people who think they can't draw.

Do you know something... "Yes, you can draw"

And, what's more you can draw anything you want to draw... Landscapes, Portraits, Cars, Cats and Dogs. Its easy when you know how... But first learn to draw. Learn to draw 'simple' before you try complicated stuff.

Watch a professional artist draw a portrait... An artist puts in the simple framework first with light pencil marks. Then the artist looks again at the subject in front to make sure that everything is right. Only when satisfied does the artist move on towards the finished drawing

A professional artist is careful about preparing properly before working towards a finished drawing. "So, how can you expect to learn to draw without equal care?"

The artist makes simple marks to learn about the subject... To get the idea of form. To understand the function of the object. To feel the sensation of texture.

"Do you really think you can learn to draw expertly without keeping it simple first?"

Imagine you have a bowl of fruit on a table... 2 Apples, 1 Pear, a Bunch of Grapes and a Banana. You want to draw a picture. It is a simple still-life study. But, you will make a mess of it unless you see...

The Apples are almost circular

The Pear is 'Pear-shaped'

The Grapes are round but smaller than the apple

The Banana is long and curved

The top edge of the circular bowl looks like an oval (a squashed circle)

The straight lines of the edges of the table sides seem to want to join somewhere in the distance

All of this is obvious to you... Yet, unless you see the key words in the list you can't start to draw well. The key words are... Circular, Pear-shaped, Round, Curved, Oval and Straight lines.

Here's a 3- part challenge for you before you try to draw anything... Learn how to draw lines... Practice drawing circles... Discover how to sketch with curves.

Even if your lines aren't perfectly straight your drawing will improve. Even if your circles aren't exactly round your drawings will become better. And, when your curves are drawn loosely and freely your own individual drawing style will be released.

Transform your drawing skills... Learn to draw simple stuff first... Draw Lines, Circles, Arcs and Curves.

Get your Free Drawing Lesson [http://www.paint-and-draw.com/free-drawing-lesson.html] and discover how simple lines and circles help you create a Moonscape Drawing.

Michael Dale is the author of 1- Color Is Best (the quick and easy way to learn to paint watercolor) and 3- Colors Are All You Need (mix any color you want fast using only 3 colors). Contact http://www.Paint-And-Draw.com to find out more.

Learn to Draw - Where to Begin a Drawing?

2011-06-02T06:13:00.000-07:00

Recently I was asked a question that seems common among beginning artists who just start to learn drawing: "how and where to start a drawing?" Don't be mislead into believing this is easy and impractical question. Although the reply may seem clear, I've seen a lot of artists that are unsuccessful because they don't pursue these principles.

Once artists approach a new drawing unorganized and unstructured they risk failure. Not that I believe much in structures and strict rules. Follow some really simple and obvious rules when starting a new drawing will make your work much easier.

What urges you to draw?

First ask yourself not only what you want to draw but also why do you want to draw it? What is the idea you're trying to give the spectator? Knowing the idea you're trying to put across to your viewers is a vital first step. For example, envisage that you want to draw an image of a dog and then ask yourself why? Is it to demonstrate how attractive he is? Is it to illustrate how skillful a hunter he is? To demonstrate how unsafe he is? Is it in reminiscence of him?

Having understood what to communicate the next step is to consider how you can use the elements and techniques to convey it. You can utilize perspective, dark and shadows, colors, composition, add different details, use diverse drawing techniques etc.

After this you should attempt to figure out where your picture is going by making lots of small thumbnail sketches. Try numerous ways to create the drawing, see what actually looks good and what doesn't. Draw these sketches very fast. The belief is to put the whole composition into place, so you don't need to spend time adding a lot of niceties on them.

It's from time to time very tricky, even for professional artists, not to jump ahead and start on the final picture before things are really contemplated upon. But this scenario often ends with that attempt going into the bin once you've realized that your first idea didn't work the way you'd first thought. So it's an extremely good idea to use the initial steps when starting a drawing as it will prevent a lot of labor in the long run.

Getting started drawing

You have finished sketching your artwork you like to translate in a full-blown drawing? Then it's time to get going. This time it's not speed but beauty you want to strive for. And there are some instructions that will help you to make the beautiful drawing you want to make- without too many attempts going to waste.

It's all related to the order in which to come up to the different parts of your drawing ideally. All in all there are just two simple rules:

Start with light tones, proceed to darker tones

This allows you to fix small mistakes you've done early in the beginning as the darker tones can hide any of your mistakes.

Start sketchy and get detailed later

In the majority of cases the drawings get waste by indistinct size, perspective and composition. Now start first by arranging the total drawing without details just in faint lines. This makes certain you'll bring in all errors in perspective and proportion at the start of work. If something goes really wrong then, you can re-start without losing too much labor. And all smaller blemishes still can be rectified without difficulty as there are only pale lines and no details in position.

Even if you are knowledgeable and sketching for years, it won't hurt to think about these tips once again. Actually I'm forgetting these guidelines too often - and make errors into my drawings that may possibly have been thwarted. And you'll see these guidelines are even more useful, if you've just started to learn drawing.

This is one of many articles you find on our site in full. There you'll find more help on how to draw. Here you can also get more articles to learn drawing.

Six Reasons to Learn Observational Drawing

2011-05-31T18:04:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be able to draw but were reluctant to learn how? Maybe you'd change your mind if you were aware of the benefits of learning to draw. Here are six reasons to learn to draw that will impact all aspects of your life in a very positive way.

Observational drawing teaches you to slow down and to take your time. This is a skill that will improve the quality of everything you do.
Observational drawing teaches you to learn to really see. Have you ever seen the arrow in the Fedex logo (hint...it's between the E and the X)?
Observational drawing teaches you to notice details. "Is that a new hairdo, honey?"
Golfers take notice; observational drawing teaches you to realize that improvement comes with practice.
Observational drawing teaches you that it's OK to make mistakes as long as you can correct and/or learn from them.
Observational drawing teaches you to have confidence in yourself when trying new things. Imagine how you'd feel when someone praises your drawing ability especially when you were convinced that you were unable to draw. Once you see that you can learn to draw you may be inspired to try sky diving.

The easiest way I've found to learn to draw is by reading Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards. You don't even have to read the whole book. The exercises in the beginning of the book will enable you to learn to draw in as little as one hour. Click here to try one of the exercises. This book is available at most public libraries.

Roland C. Bonay is an engineer in New Jersey with a passion for writing and drawing. Roland's vision is best summed up by his motto; "the world would be a better place if we all just learned to draw."

Visit his blog at http://easytodrawpictures.net

Keeping Motivation and Overcoming Fear When Learning to Draw

2011-05-30T06:15:00.000-07:00

The biggest challenge most beginner artists face: the fear to make mistakes! Even expert artists struggle often with their lack of self-confidence. At last these feelings are causing most artist's blocks - sometime the artist is aware of this, sometimes not.

Most probably you experience the same problem. But no need to worry, you can prevail over this main difficulty for your drawing success.

You and Your Drawings

Well, to be truthful it's not that effortless. Your first step should be to relax and to make yourself clear: there's no need to fear failure! You won't have to prove anything to any person. Your drawings are for you as long as you don't want to show them to others. Before reading on, take some minutes and instill this thought in your mind!

Ok, what's your conclusion? Perhaps you see now, that you are fearing most to fail before yourself? For this case I can show you a recipe later.

Avoiding Drawing Failures

The next essential advise to follow: when starting your drawings, reduce your risk of failure. Follow these two vital steps:

Easy subjects are the one to choose! I know it's tempting to start drawing difficult subjects - a portrait of an adored person or beautiful sceneries you saw of late. But this will inevitably lead into failure unless you are an unusual genius. You need time and practice to develop your drawing skills. So start with simple subjects. Copy other drawings, photos or simple still lives (if necessary). Prefer subjects consisting of straight lines over complicated curved shapes.

Simple techniques are the one to choose! Don't use colored pencils right from the beginning. Don't aim for drawing photo-realistic pictures right from the start. Start small and simple, first capture only proportions and outlines of your subject. Concentrate on simple parts and leave all the advanced stuff like shading, texturing etc. for later.

Ensure Constant Progress

Third you must ensure your progress is constant and regular. Two tips for achieving this:

Drawing a few minutes each day helps more than drawing through the whole weekend. I myself fail to follow this advise too often, but I learned it the hard way. So find a few minutes every day for drawing.

Don't be afraid to repeat! Something went wrong? It's the best reason to repeat this drawing and starting over again. But avoid overdoing it until you get bored by drawing. Instead find a new approach each time. Try different angles, light conditions, interpretations, compositions etc.

Silence the Art Critic Within You

And now the most important trick. Your fear of failure is most probably to a large extent your fear to fail before yourself. So you need to silence this small little critic every one of us has within oneself.

Actually it's a bit tricky to silence this critic completely. It's easier to deflect him using this trick:

Always when you want to start to criticize yourself, every time you feel your critic trying to spring into action, tell him: "Later!". Store the drawing away and have a look at it some months later.

When you take your drawing again and begin to criticize, it is some months old. Usually you'll see it isn't as bad as you thought. And if it was not that perfect, it cannot hit your self-confidence. When you followed these tips, you know: during the last months you improved that much there is no need to worry about failures you made months ago!

Learn Drawing Faster

Silencing your critic works best if you can really make sure your progress is regular and continually. Besides the tips I showed you, you can additionally boost your progress by getting a some good exercise books or practices on DVD.

This article is part of a 6 part series on learning drawing. Read the next part to get more tips about how to learn drawing. There you can also get a free ebook on learning to draw and more drawing instructions.

Learn to Draw Caricatures and Be the Life of the Party!

2011-05-28T10:36:00.000-07:00

Yes you too can learn to draw caricatures quickly and easily and astound your friends with your new found talent. Even though it may seem to be a bit difficult and daunting if you've never tried it before, all you really need is some good instruction and practice.

Caricatures often exaggeration a body feature, such as the eyes, ears, nose, lips, chin, hair, etc. It's this cartoonish feature that makes a caricature so special. For example, in a David Letterman drawing, you make his ears huge in comparison to the rest of his face. Or you exaggerate the gap in his teeth. In a Jay Leno caricature, you draw a huge chin.

Your caricature could also portray a situation or personality trait that you want to highlight or draw attention to.

All you really need to get started are some good sketch pencils and a sketch pad. Then study your subject or picture, and make a statement with your caricature that people will notice. It's not a hard process, but you'll need the proper instruction and practice to get it right.

Just remember to have fun while drawing your caricature. It doesn't have to be perfect, but does need to resemble your subject.

Once you have perfected your technique, you will be a hit at every party and social gathering. People will love to be around you, for you will cause them to laugh and have fun. And who knows, you could even supplement your income with your new skill, or even embark upon a whole new career.

And all this can be possible in just 7 short days with the right instructions.

To help you learn how to draw caricatures quickly and easily, I have found the best learn to draw caricatures instruction available.

Learning to draw caricatures has never been easier. To learn more please visit
http://learntodrawcariatures.net

Can I Learn to Draw and Learn to Paint If I'm Young, Old Or Have No Art Training?

2011-05-26T16:12:00.000-07:00

People who want to take art courses ask:

Can I learn to draw and learn to paint if I'm young? Children take art courses all over the world at all ages. Everyone is different. Some learn just simple things never to do art work again and others go on to professional art careers.

Can I learn to draw and learn to paint if I'm too old? Many students start to learn drawing and painting late in life. Best example is Grandma Moses who started painting in her 70s and died at 101, still painting. Also one of my favorites in terms of age and art was Teresa Bernstein. She was born around 1885 to 1889 (her date of birth is not well documented) and died in 2002. Teresa died at somewhere between 111 to116 years old. At her death it was reported that she was still drawing every day. She had her first one-woman show in 1919 about eighty years or so before she died.

Can I learn to draw and learn to paint if I've never studied art before? Lots of students start with no art background. Hard work, good study habits, focus and time devoted to studying and practicing are what work best.

Can I learn to draw and learn to paint? There is no way to absolutely predict or promise success in learning to draw or learning to paint. To some people it comes easily ... some people have to work harder. There is an old joke all New York City residents know well. A visitor to NYC stopped a native New Yorker and asked: "How do I get to Carnegie Hall?" (Carnegie Hall is the most famous musical concert hall in New York City). The New Yorker answered "Practice, practice, practice." If you ask: "Can I learn to draw and learn to paint" ... the answer is find a good art school and: "Practice, practice, practice."

My online interactive art school is at:
http://www.interactiveartschool.com

Links to people, images mentioned in article are at:
http://www.interactiveartschool.com/linksEzine.html

How Learning to Draw Can Make You a Better Writer

2011-05-24T17:09:00.001-07:00

Once you learn how to draw you will be able to draw cartoons of the scenes in your story. Once you have drawn the scenes of your story you should arrange them on a wall. Take a few steps back and take a look at your scenes. Try to tie it all together using your minds eye. Do the scenes make sense? Do they seem right? Does the plot make sense? Does it flow? Are the characters in the right places? Are there any that are out of place? Rearrange the scenes and "talk" the story out loud.

Once you have your scenes in the best possible order, you can start writing the actual text of the manuscript or screenplay. I've discovered that if you draw a scene you can act it out in your head while you're drawing it. This will also help you to write compelling dialogue. This process engages the right side of your brain and allows you to taps into your creative well spring. The story will begin to develop and grow seemingly on its own. In many cases you will envision plot lines that will provide you with countless variations for your story.

You will discover different paths that your main character can follow on his or her journey. You will learn much more about your characters when you are able to draw them. If you collaborate with artists on your writing projects you will become a one man (or woman) wrecking machine. You will forever defeat writer's block when you learn how to draw. Whenever you encounter writer's block you just find something to draw. Then you simply describe, in words on paper, the scene that you've drawn, add some dialogue, and you're moving along again. It doesn't matter what you write. Learning how to draw will help you write better. You can learn to draw in about an hour. Not only will you write, you'll learn how to see everything in a whole new way.

Visit his blog at http://easytodrawpictures.net

Cherry Tree Sketchbook

2011-04-27T16:11:00.000-07:00

Spiral-bound, hard-backed 8" x 11" sketchbooks invite artists to get their ideas down on paper. 60 sheets high-quality blank sketching paper. Ages 3+

Price:

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Manet: the Inventor of Modernity – review

2011-04-26T16:22:00.000-07:00

Musée d'Orsay, Paris

Manet, at the Musée d'Orsay, starts with a shock: a dead toreador laid flat upon the ground, crimson paint seeping from one shoulder like blood. His body fills the frame, clad in black silk and white satin. From his gleaming shoes to his spreading pallor, the painter has summoned his presence so superbly, and so closely, it seems as if you could stroke that soft hair.

So close, and yet so far beyond reach. The portrait is overturned. To see the face you would have to be nearly upside down, a vertigo abetted by the extreme foreshortening of the corpse. This is not how the toreador must have looked, fatally gored by a bull. The body has been moved; the diagonal declares the artifice.

Manet has positioned his hero to invoke the suddenness of fate, the upright body instantly felled (and by implication the opposite, so that you may imagine him rising again). It is a tremendous performance, this pictorial laying to rest. You want to applaud.

This was emphatically not the contemporary response. In his short life (1832-83) Edouard Manet met with continual rejection and scorn. His silent trio on their famous green balcony; his naked Olympia staring laconically from her chaise longue; his barmaid among the glittering lights of the Folies Bergère, doubled, and estranged, in the mirror behind her: all were mocked by the press and refused by the Salon.

As for Le déjeuner sur l'herbe, that riddle of a picnic with its inexplicable nude, exhibit A in any standard version of modernist art, its reception was the very caricature of a Paris scandal.

All these paintings (except the barmaid) are in Manet: the Inventor of Modernity which opened last week in Paris. Modernity, you notice, and not modernism with its slippery definition and advanced aesthetics; this is a show with a biographical thrust. It gives you Manet the urban intellectual, friend of Baudelaire, Mallarmé and Zola, portrayer of artists, politicians, models and prostitutes: heroic painter of modern life.

This approach sets up a useful momentum for such an ever-changing artist, tilting through 200 of his works from the early solo figures and crowd scenes, to seascapes, history paintings and portraits and on to the late still lifes. It also helps, somewhat, to camouflage the absence of masterpieces such as The Railway and Woman With Parrot, which are presumably now too priceless to travel.

And if it stints on Manet's icebreaking modernism it scarcely matters, since his originality is there for all to see in this exhibition, the first in almost 30 years.

No superlative seems sufficient to describe the clarity, directness and power of Manet's art. The paintings confront you, suddenly new again after a thousand reproductions. Take Le déjeuner sur l'herbe, with its studio-lit nude turning amiably towards the viewer from among the trees, the size of life and fully as strange.

Everyone knows she is Victorine Meurent, Manet's redheaded model, in a reprise of past paintings by (among others) Giorgione. So far, so well-established. But where exactly is this ambiguous place? Why are her male companions dressed when she is not? And why is she apparently the only one with eyes for us?

A professional model taking a pause from posing, she is in a different reality from these self-absorbed men. And all around them the picture emerges in disparate vignettes – the food, the glade, the spectral bather at the back – variously crisp and vague. The whole painting goes in and out of register, cohering and then floating adrift. Like all great Manets, the scene is unfixed.

Victorine appears again in the next painting, got up as a toreador, and in the next as a chanteuse with a guitar and a faraway gaze. The fluid drapery of her taupe costume is held together by Manet's distinctive black drawing, a line so suave and versatile it can as easily indicate a single eyelash as hold a whole figure firmly in place.

Victorine Meurent is a recurring presence. But is she really a character in an extended novel, as the writer Philippe Sollers claims in the catalogue? It is true that one can deduce a close circle of friends and family from the paintings, and that they exist somewhere between fact and fiction like the characters in Proust. But this is no serial narrative.

What Manet invents is a way of portraying people so that there is a sense of separation between their public and private selves. Victorine may hold a pose, but she is conscious of doing so; and at the same time free to inhabit her own inner world.

That is part of Manet's supreme tact. These images don't declare powerful attractions or private feelings, at least not directly; Manet doesn't impose himself upon his sitters, he simply offers some stage directions. One senses his reticence in Fantin-Latour's portrait of the artist, silk-hatted and self-contained. And one senses it in the paintings too, so intelligent and enigmatic.

Among the familiar faces – Zola, Meurent, Mallarmé, the painter Berthe Morisot – is a blond-haired boy who gradually grows up in Manet's art. You see him first in Boy With a Sword, a homage to Velázquez. The top half is all 17th-century sword and collar, the bottom is school shoes and shorts. The boy poses with his unwieldy prop, trying to hold still, to follow Manet's directions; and this effort is part of the picture's content. Between the child and his role lies a most poignant distance.

Leon Leenhoff was the boy's name. Manet eventually married his mother and may even have been his father, though there is some suggestion that the real parent was the painter's father, Auguste Manet. But half-brother or son, this is not quite (or not wholly) a portrait of the person it depicts. Identity is never just a question of appearances for Manet.

Every great survey throws up something new. This one presents Manet's copy of a Tintoretto self-portrait in which the eyes, as Sartre wrote, resemble "two black suns". Immediately one notices that Manet often paints eyes as darkly glowing discs. Perhaps this is one reason why it is so hard to tell what is going on in the many portraits of his friend/lover Berthe Morisot – with veil, behind fan, or on the balcony.

Morisot is immediately identifiable behind the curlicued barrier that insists on your distance. The others are real too (including Leon inside), but the scene is conspicuously unreal, an image above all else. You might say these people are taking part in something – a conversation, a group portrait – except that they are not. Each appears separate, alone, lost in thought. Not so much sitters as people in a modern world.

Georges Clemenceau, bristling with nervous energy inside his silhouette; Baudelaire's mistress receding behind her stupendous white gown: Manet's picturing of people remains startlingly radical, and it even embraces objects. The heavy lemon, king of its own small picture; the dying peonies ceremonially laid out like the toreador.

As for Manet's celebrated flatness and concision – the supposed link between illusion and abstraction – I do not think it has been exaggerated at all. Nothing quite prepares one for the jolt of seeing The Fifer, that life-sized figure arriving out of thin grey air. So crisply cut, the pose apparently derived from a tarot card, the boy stands perfectly contained in Manet's outline; a thing of paint, for sure, and dazzlingly so with his exquisite undulating stripes and rounded forms. But a real boy too: lively as a firefly, sounding bright notes on his instrument.

The Fifer doesn't just look ahead of its time, it appears almost futuristic, flashing up out of space. "I do not believe it is possible to obtain a more powerful effect with less elaborate methods," wrote Zola in amazement. Anyone who thinks that this is old-fashioned hyperbole should try and get to Paris, see this show and be amazed.

Laura Cumming

guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

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Compact & Portable Sketch Folio

2011-04-25T22:09:00.000-07:00

Compact & Portable Sketch FolioThis convenient sketching set comes inside of a fold up folio. The folio closes with velcro to keep your supplies snug. Inside there are individual slots for pencils in one half and a large slot for sketch books erasers and sharpeners on the other half. Included with the soft vinyl folio are: One 20 Sheet Sketch Pad Graphite Pencils in hardness 2B HB B H 2H and F; Soft Medium and Hard Charcoal Pencils one HB Woodless Pencil and one each Sanguine and Sepia Sketch Pencils.

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Faber Castell Sketch Pad Artist Draw Creations Pencil Children Paper Images Pictures Adults

2011-04-25T03:49:00.000-07:00

Are you a person who is passionate about drawing? Well, if you like to draw or sketch then the Faber Castell sketch pad is the perfect place to make your thoughts come to life. Draw, sketch, and explore various coloring techniques in this sketch pad. This sketch pad is made from the finest quality. A truely must have for artists of all ages!

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Art-On-The-Go! Travel Kit with Drawing Pads Pencil Set & Travel Bag

2011-04-24T08:39:00.000-07:00

This terrific value pack has 3 items that blend perfectly for the dry media artist! Included in this pack are: 8.5x11 inch hardbound sketch book 9x12 inch heavyweight sketchbook 9x12 inch drawing tablet 9x12 inch travel sketch book an 18 piece sketch / drawing pencil set all tucked into a 12x15 inch art supply bag with a big 2-3/4 inch gusset! It is a super travel set complete with your drawing pads 8 graphite pencils 3 charcoal pencils 2 charcoal sticks a pencil sharpener a charcoal sharpener one kneaded eraser one white plastic eraser one sketching stick and a sturdy rip stop nylon bag for carrying.

Price: $59.95

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Guardian Camera Club: Louise Holgate on spring photography

2011-04-23T13:05:00.000-07:00

Louise Holgate participates in the spring photography assignment

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The 10 best watercolours

2011-04-22T16:57:00.000-07:00

As Tate Britain reviews the history of the watercolour the Observer's art critic selects her 10 favourite paintings in the medium

1 David Hockney Self-Portrait with Red Braces (2003)

Leaning in close to the mirror, peering over the top of his glasses, Hockney stares so hard at himself his eyes are nearly glazed with looking. He is painting himself literally in the act. The brush, which he cannot see at this precise moment, is forming a line out of the very watercolour from which it is made. A blot of black has escaped. Hockney, virtuoso draughtsman, great technician in every medium from oil to print to coloured crayon, is challenging himself with quick-drying, no-corrections watercolour. The picture is almost life-size. Hockney is putting himself on the spot.

2 JMW Turner The Burning of the Houses of Parliament (1834)

Turner's sequence of watercolours, made as the Houses of Parliament burned down right before his eyes, is one of the great wonders of the watercolour world. An immense conflagration lighting up the sky, reflected in the Thames below, struts, towers and windows fleetingly visible among the flames, it's all dashed down in the heat of the moment. A contemporary described Turner 'pouring wet paint on to the paper till it was saturated, he tore, he scratched, he scrabbled in a kind of frenzy.' The brush movements are violent, the colour contrasts sudden: it's action painting, with the trickiest medium, long before the 20th century.

3 Arthur Melville The Little Bullfight, "Bravo Toro!" (c1892)

The Scottish painter Arthur Melville was one of the supreme watercolourists of his age, specialising in wet-on-wet paintings in brilliant melting colour. But sheer range may have stymied his reputation. Venetian nights, desert days, cabbages in Greenock, he moves widely in both subject and style. His quickfire watercolours of Parisian cabarets presage abstract expressionism, and here he focuses in and out of the scene like a cinematographer. High detail in the audience fades to a lacuna where the frenzy of death is taking place. Over and again, Melville seems like a real one-off.

4 William Blake The Judgment of Paris (1811)

The Trojan prince Paris is forced to judge a beauty contest of goddesses. Fatally, he picks Aphrodite over Hera and Athena. Blake shows the moment at which he hands her the golden apple. Eros streams into the air, apparently elated, but above him black Discord unfurls with flames in his hands. The bodies are lithe, liable to levitate with their transparent limbs. Shape-shifters, sky-divers, wraiths, Blake's figures are always superhuman. The look is strenuous, yet each figure is airy, a figment of outline and wash that lives in the page. This is a rare watercolour; most of Blake's images became prints.

5 Eric Ravilious The Greenhouse: Cyclamen and Tomatoes (1935)

Any watercolour by Eric Ravilious deserves its place here, but this one shows what a world the medium can make in and of itself with transparent colour and a sheet of paper. Ravilious's greenhouse has the atmosphere of a dream. Everything is in perfect order, yet there is no sign of a gardener, unless perhaps God? Door opens on to door, on to door. The perspective is pristine, the painting so clear, light and symmetrical in both form and content, the white paper burning through the foliage like sunlight. It is the greenhouse from paradise. Ravilious is the lost genius of British art: his plane crashed over Iceland during the second world war. His body was never found.

6 Alexander Cozens A Blot: Tigers (c1770-80)

Colour suspended in water: potential for endless accidents as the water seeps or spills or the brush is overloaded. Alexander Cozens found form in these mishaps. Out of accidental blots, random images would begin to emerge which Cozens would then develop using grey or brown wash. Mostly these messes resolved into imaginary landscapes, but here he saw powerful animals, crouching, dormant, their force momentarily contained. Others might have seen something else. The power of Cozens's art lies in its inchoate shapes and energies, its multiple possibilities. The artist was said to be the illegitimate son of Peter the Great.

7 Samuel Palmer Cornfield by Moonlight (c1830)

Palmer's "moonlight" paintings all look as if they must be visions, with their radiant moons and glimmering stars, but in fact they are intensely particular about reality. The man with the smock, dog and staff is pausing among avenues of sheaves cut sharp as straw, with the rolling hills around Shoreham in the distance. Light is the main protagonist, binding landscape and man snugly together, and the atmosphere is reverential; look close and you will see a tinier world of detail praised in the rich surface. Palmer was inspired by Blake, among others, and founded an early avant-garde movement known as the Ancients.

8 John Sell Cotman Greta Bridge (c1807)

Cotman had been staying at Rokeby Hall (once home of Velázquez's Venus). The bridge across the river Greta was in one corner of the park, and Cotman drew it over and again. But in watercolour he gives it an almost ethereal beauty. Everything is held still and in perfect equipoise – the sky above, the river below, the bridge a pale platonic ideal over the silver water. Nature as abstract, geometric, all detail omitted, the painting is a feat of control and tonal delicacy. Cotman's colours got brighter, and he would later enrich them with rice paste, but this picture, made when he was 25, is surely his greatest work.

9 Gwen John Girls in a Church (c1920)

Gwen John moved to the village of Meudon outside Paris in 1911. There she began to go to church services at a local convent. The watercolours she made of children and nuns, and of the relationships between them and the words of the service, are some of her most sensitive and private paintings. This one is a hazy moment of youthful concentration, the girls as soft and mute as the air around them. John usually sat at the back sketching in pencil, washing in the paint afterwards in the studio, but this one is entirely formed of watercolour. She painted in this church for 20 years.

10 Isaac Oliver A Man Against a Background of Flames (c1600)

What a concept: the living man against a wall of death, his mind (and desires) on fire. The sitter's identity is not known, but his character is all there in the acute face, the tousled locks, the shirt open to the waist as he presents his locket, and his feelings, in the heat of passion. Painted by the French-born Oliver on a piece of vellum no bigger than a baby's palm, using squirrel-hair brushes delicate enough to describe the finest stubble, this watercolour is far bigger than its scale. A fiery keepsake, condensing portrait and love poem, it's the equivalent of an Elizabethan sonnet.

The date of Samuel Palmer's Cornfield by Moonlight (c1830) was corrected on 11 April 2011

Laura Cumming

guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

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Odilon Redon: Prince du Rêve - review

2011-04-21T20:52:00.000-07:00

Grand Palais, Paris

Odilon Redon still haunts French art, ghost-like and entirely foreign to the world of Impressionism in the 1880-90s. His dreamy work pursues goals quite contrary to the constant concern for reality that characterised both Monet and Degas. Of course the main reason for comparing him to a phantom is that they were his favourite subject matter.

His appearances were rare, for contemporary exhibitions were at a loss to know where he fitted in. His most recent retrospective in Paris was held in 1956.

So Odilon Redon, Prince of Dreams, at the Grand Palais (until 20 June), is long overdue, with 180 works divided into two parts. The black-and-white charcoal drawings and lithographs are upstairs, the colourful pastels and oils downstairs. This divide corresponds to Redon's career, because he only started working with colour when he was over 50.

Redon was a late developer. He was born in 1840, a year after Cézanne, six months before Monet, but his first publication, an album of lithographs, Dans le Rêve, only came out in 1879. At this point, five years after the first exhibition by the Impressionist group, Monet had been working for 15 years and already embodied a new departure in painting.

Meanwhile, Redon was prey to doubt, hesitating between the countryside near Bordeaux or Paris, between Corot or Gérôme, drawing or writing. His family was wealthy and his life resembled that of Frédéric Moreau in A Sentimental Education: travel, an interest in art and a vague desire to be creative. But he gradually realised that something was building up in him, and in 1872 he moved to Paris. His father died two years later, a serious blow to his prosperity. He drew more and more, on paper and on lithographic plates. But he never touched canvas and his subjects were never contemporary. It was as if he did not see the streets, railway stations, ballerinas and boaters.

In his own private time warp, he stuck to a conception of art shared by Baudelaire and Delacroix, operating in an imaginary world of myths, symbols and chimera. So naturally he dedicated his first album to dreams and the second, published in 1882, to Edgar Allen Poe, who had been translated into French by Baudelaire. Several other sets of prints followed. Impossible figures started to appear: weird flowers with eyes, strange beings part horse, part snake.

Redon had an extraordinary ability to make the creatures of his imagination credible. He realised they should be not be too precise, apparently suspended between light, from which they were born, and darkness, which swallowed up the superfluous or perhaps ridiculous.

His compositions – often a single figure in the middle of a leaf – fitted into intimate pictures. He avoided virtuosity and made no attempt to soften the stiffness of his archaic, almost primitive style of drawing. He was a great admirer of Gauguin. Both artists had the same advocates in Huysmans and Mallarmé.

For about 20 years Redon worked with charcoal, ink, black pastel and lithographic crayons, superimposing and rubbing out successive layers, to get on to the paper images every bit as convincing as dreams yet manifestly just as absurd. He was not only one of the greatest artists of his time, but also the precursor of Dada and surrealism.

From 1890 onwards, prompted by critical recognition, interest from dealers and collectors, but also the desire to prove to himself that he was an "all-round" artist, he started adding pastel colours to his drawings. He started painting with oils too, producing bunches of flowers and even large decorative panels. He made increasing use of rare colours, sometimes to excess.

The second part of the exhibition focuses on this side of Redon's work and the last 20 years of his life. You may skim through this quite quickly, whereas in the first part you should linger long before every drawing or lithograph and allow their spell to take hold.

This article originally appeared in Le Monde

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Tiger Sketchbook

2011-04-20T22:58:00.000-07:00

Spiral-bound, hard-backed 8" x 11" sketchbooks invite artists to get their ideas down on paper. 60 sheets high-quality sketching paper. Ages 3+

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DM Creations Art 101 106 Piece Sketch Art Set

2011-04-20T00:58:00.000-07:00

Draw. Sketch. Color. Let your imagination take control with the Crayola® Twistables® Pencils Sketch 'n Shade Set! Its 27 brightly colored Twistables® pencils and big 40-page sketchbook let you create vibrant images - without ever having to stop to sharpen points or peel back papers. Set comes in a handy go-anywhere case for easy transport and secure storage. Recommended for ages 3 and up.

Price: $24.99

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Etch A Sketch Electronics ETO - Plug and Play Drawing System

2011-04-19T05:46:00.000-07:00

Remember Etch A Sketch' The Etch A Sketch Electronics ETO brings a favorite of generations past into the high-tech present. This "plug and play" version of the classic toy plugs into your TV for drawing, painting, slide shows, games and animation. Three different modes allow kids to draw, animate their artwork or create their own maze game. Includes clip art, sound effects, templates and backgrounds to spur the creativity of your child's inner artist. Unit comes with 8-foot A/V cord and plugs into any standard TV. Adult supervision recommended. Requires 4 "AA" batteries (not included).

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COPIC Set of 12 Sketch Markers

2011-04-18T12:06:00.000-07:00

COPIC Sketch Markers- Set of 12...This set features 12 best selling COPIC Sketch Marker colors. It comes in a handy clear plastic box that has a slot for each marker. A perfect way to start you collection of COPIC markers! COPIC markers are made in Japan. The sketch markers are double ended- one end has a fine point flexible brush tip; while the other end is a multi purpose chisel tip. COPIC were designed with comic book (manga) artists in mind- but they are perfect for artwork of all types! Permanent non-toxic colors.

Price: $77.88

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Go Green! Recycled Paper Sketchbook with Colored Pencils

2011-04-17T15:56:00.000-07:00

Recycled paper is used to make this 144 page wire bound sketchbook that includes a dozen colored pencils that are also made of recycled paper! 6-7/8" x 7-3/4"

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British art schools: Class dismissed

2011-04-16T18:23:00.000-07:00

The art schools that trained students from Tracey Emin to MIA are heavily targeted for cuts. What effect will that have on tomorrow's artists?

It's just after eight on a wet Wednesday evening, and a police van is hovering outside Sotheby's in London. Several dozen protesters are staging a mock auction beside the entrance. "Who wants our education system?" shouts a man dressed as a slick auctioneer. "Sold to the highest bidder!" Another protester stands in an empty picture frame held by two women in silver wigs. "Arts against cuts!" the crowd roars, as the two policemen come forward to move the auctioneer gently but firmly away.

This protest – mounted recently by art students, artists and anti-cuts activists – raised burning questions about the future of art education in the UK. What do the cuts to higher education funding, announced in the wake of an extensive review by the former BP chief Lord Browne, mean for art schools? Arts and humanities subjects will be particularly badly hit – Browne's review recommended replacing their teaching grants with higher student tutition fees, leading Paul Thompson, rector of London's Royal College of Art, to say that the government had "swung a sledgehammer" at arts teaching.

Art schools are the lifeblood of Britain's arts scene, training painters, sculptors and conceptual artists, many of whom, like Damien Hirst (who studied at Leeds College of Art, and London's Goldsmiths) and Tracey Emin (Maidstone Art College and the Royal College of Art), go on to have major international reputations. Others – from Keith Richards and the Clash to Malcolm McLaren, Franz Ferdinand and MIA – channel their artistic education into other areas, such as music. "The experience of just being at art school gave me a lot to draw on – Pulp's most famous song [Common People] is about something that happened there," says Jarvis Cocker, who famously studied film at Central St Martins in London. "But on a deeper level I was taught to think about things in a non-lateral way."

"The great thing about art schools," says Patrick Brill, aka artist Bob and Roberta Smith, who studied at Reading University and Goldsmiths, "is that they're like the room Virginia Woolf talks about in A Room of One's Own. They give people the space to grow up and work out what art they want to make."

So what knock-on effects might these changes have on the artists of this country? Inside art schools, there's considerable anxiety. Of the four I contacted – Goldsmiths (part of the University of London); Chelsea College of Art and Design (part of London's University of the Arts); Cardiff School of Art and Design (part of the University of Wales Institute); and Leeds College of Art – only Chelsea was happy for me to visit. "Emotions are running high," explained Cardiff's dean, Professor Gaynor Kavanagh. University funding in Wales has been cut by 12%, and the school has already announced plans to scrap four undergraduate degrees (in interior architecture, media and visual culture, and two music technology courses) from next September, and to reduce student numbers from just under 1,400 to 1,000.

Chelsea have no plans to scrap courses or reduce numbers – yet. Nevertheless, dean David Garcia is concerned about the government's funding decisions. "I do think they fail to recognise two things," he says. "One, the importance of this sector to GDP, and to national wellbeing. And two, thinking that art courses are inexpensive to run. If our students are to continue to contribute to leading-edge art and design, we need the right kit – like looms and digital printers. And it is not cheap."

In one of the college's workshops, I watch these looms in action: a small group of third-year undergraduate textiles students are weaving deftly, sending multicoloured fabrics spilling from their machines. Their tutor, Lorna Bircham, has taught at Chelsea for 30 years. "Replacing equipment is a major issue," she says. "The old looms aren't really good enough – it takes a long time to learn on them – but new ones cost between £8,000 and £10,000. The other issue is time – this isn't a subject that can be taught en masse; it has to be one-to-one. Over the years I've taught here, I've seen student numbers creep up, while the staffing has decreased. I can't take a day off sick. I pedal harder and harder, but there will be a time when the chain will break."

Several of the textiles students tell me that their finances are similarly stretched. Like all English students, they currently pay £3,290 a year towards their tuition, but on top of that they have to find the money for all their materials and equipment. "There are lots of costs on top of the fees," says 21-year-old Nichola Schofield. "The other day, I spent £64 on six digital prints for a project. Every day, you have to make decisions – like if I make those prints, can I afford to eat tonight?"

Carey Ellis, 21, shows me a series of photographs she's taken of street graffiti, pinned to a board above her desk; she plans to turn these into fabric designs. She voices the warning – shared by many of the student protesters, some of whom picketed the Turner prize-giving last year – that a hike in tuition fees, whether to the £6,000 recommended by the government, or the maximum of £9,000, could put many students off going to university. (Chelsea, like other art schools, has not yet announced its fees for 2012-13, but a spokeswoman tells me that they are expecting to charge "in excess of £6,000".)

"If the fees go up," Ellis says, "it's going to stop a ridiculous number of people from coming. It's already affecting my own decisions about the future. I want to do an MA. I'd rather get more experience in the industry first, but if I delay going by a year, the fees will have gone up, and I won't be able to afford it."

In an adjacent building, a group of third-year graphic design students are hunched over their laptops, working on short films based around the Sky Arts logo, which they're planning to pitch to the channel. Craig Sharp, 21, shows me his film, in which the camera pans across a dense web of trees until settling on brass letters that spell the word "arts", embedded among glossy leaves.

"My parents discouraged me from going to art school," he tells me. "I pay for everything – fees, rent, food – with loans and grants, and the money I've earned doing freelance graphic design. If the fees had been as much [as £9,000], I would never have been able to come."

At the Sotheby's protest, I meet Deborah, an 18-year-old foundation-year student at Camberwell College of Arts. "I really think that if the fees were kicking in during 2011 and 2012, I would be on a different life path," she says. "My family are African, and they really disapprove of the idea of me getting into debt. I think if I went to them and said, 'This course is going to cost me £9,000 a year,' they would laugh."

The government recognises the possibility that less well-off students could be put off applying to university, and has a number of measures planned to address this – from maintenance grants and bursaries, to university-run schemes working with state schools in deprived areas. As under the current system, students won't have to pay fees upfront, but can take out loans which they will then begin to replay once they're earning more than £21,000 (admittedly, a wage which is a remote possibility for most artists). But in art schools, the issue is particuarly pertinent. Unlike mainstream academic institutions, they have always drawn in a high number of students from working-class backgrounds – from John Lennon to David Hockney. Of the undergraduates currently at the University of the Arts London, for instance, 92% are from state schools who can ill afford the estimated £36,000 of debt resulting from a three-year course.

So what will happen if poorer students are unable to afford to go to art school? Could a body of art students drawn predominantly from wealthy backgrounds actually lead to a change in the nature of the art we see produced? "The possible effect," says David Burrows, an artist and lecturer in fine art at the Slade, "is that the sort of art we will see being made will be narrower, a lot less interesting, and a lot less vital and relevant to people."

Bob and Roberta Smith takes this idea even further. "What you'll get," he tells me firmly, "is art made by the very wealthy for the very wealthy, becoming more and more disconnected from real culture. The question is, do we want a culture comprised solely of wealthy artists? Or do we want to see artists coming through like Emin and Hirst, who have an axe to grind? Isn't their art much more interesting than what's produced by the privileged few?"

Laura Barnett

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Birds & Tree Sketchbook

2011-04-15T21:26:00.000-07:00

Spiral-bound, hard-backed 8" x 11" sketchbooks invite artists to get their ideas down on paper. 60 sheets high-quality sketching paper. Ages 3+

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Dragon Sketchbook

2011-04-15T01:34:00.000-07:00

A traditional, spiral bound sketch book with high quality paper, this beautiful book by Eeboo comes with an attractively illustrated cover making it ideal for the young artist. Illustration by Kevin Hawkes.

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Exhibition puts women's football on the map - in pictures

2011-04-14T07:10:00.000-07:00

Timed to coincide with the launch of the Women's Super League, Moving the Goalposts exhibition charts the rise and fall of women's football

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Joan Miró: The Ladder of Escape - in pictures

2011-04-13T08:51:00.000-07:00

A look at the first major Miró exhibition in London for 50 years

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Pentalic Sketch Book, Wirebound, 8-1/2-Inch by 11-Inch

2011-04-12T11:52:00.001-07:00

Black Cover Spiral Bound Sketch Books...Classic sketch books with 160 pages/80 sheets of bright white acid free 70 lb paper. Textured black embossed cover. These classic books are spiral bound and will lay flat when opened. (Please note that the image shows several sizes for comparison only; price listed is for ONE book!)

Price: $13.99

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How You Can Create a Professional Logo

2011-03-30T18:37:00.000-07:00

Do you want to discover how to craft a pleasant looking logo? Below will show the process of building a logo.

The Brief

Before you start sketching your logo for your client, you have to get the brief from your client. You ought to understand what your client is looking for. Know this company's products, services and history. You should have a full insight of their corporation to represent it. Don't be afraid to ask inquiries to your clients during this stage. Getting the right information will reduce the changes of your logo being rejected from the client during presentation.

Research

Once you have the brief, it is time to move on to the research phase. You will require to do some research on this stage. Understand more about the company products and the way it works. Let's say, if you are working a logo for snow boarding products, you will have to understand more about snowboarding. You'll get inspirations and concepts during your research. Write down key terms or anything which may be related to snow boarding in your sketchbook. It will eventually give you ideas on the next phase.

Conceptualization

Now it's the stage to turn your ideas into sketches. Draw a bunch of sketches according to the research you've done. Play with shapes and lettering for various variations and effects. Study logo design books to get more ideas of latest logo effects. Scan the 3 most potential logos that represent this company the most and save it to your computer.

Prototyping

To make the prototype, you will have to own a vector program. A great vector program to use is Adobe Illustrator. Vector logos look great on print and can be scaled to any dimension. For this reason it is the popular program for drawing professional logos. Place it in Illustrator and begin tracing and coloring it. Play with various color schemes and decide the best type that reflects the tone of the company.

Presentation

Once you have three logos all set, you can present it to the client. Reveal the concept behind each logo. Give details what each element or item in your logo represents. It makes you look more professional and the client will love it. When the final logo is approved, you will send the eps file along with a jpg.

By completing this process, you should have a professional logo in your portfolio!

Recommended Art Links
Adobe Illustrator Tutorials - This site contains tons of great vector tutorials and free lesssons on illustrator course for beginners.
Vector Art - Download tons of great vector graphics for free!

Artificial Intelligence Software Needed to Turn Pictures into Sketches

2011-03-30T14:27:00.000-07:00

Often the best programmers of Artificial Intelligence need a new concept to work on, something which will challenge them, make them think, and hopefully once completed lead them to a place of better financial position. The other day, I was discussing with an acquaintance his hobby of sketching. Interestingly enough, I have sketched for years off and on. But his sketches were really good, I mean the kind you might frame and put into your living room quality.

Later I thought; what if a computer could do that too? And why not, computers are just as good as humans at many things, some much better. Of course, the creativity of a human is most impressive. Well, I asked him; "Can you design a program which takes pictures and makes them into sketches?"

Consider if you will a $19.99 software package, buy it online, or have Adobe Photoshop buy the program and concept to add in to their product once the software was complete. What would that be worth to them? I bet a lot, as in how about a half million dollars? Think about how great this could be for folks who write eBooks, do blogs, etc. - it's definitely needed.

What if the software would allow the user to add things in, then they could take a photo of running bulls and one of the streets of New York and put the bulls on Wall Street, or outside the White House put a sketch of elephants from a clip art picture for instance. Why should someone develop this software you ask? Well, not everyone can draw, but soon everyone will be toting a digital camera on both sides of their smart phone!

Not only that, but it would be great for advertising and marketing, or companies which do publicity, public relations, or offer branding services. With all the folks doing eBooks these days, boy it sure makes sense. And it may not be as difficult as we think to produce such a software add-on package.

In the future, there will be more folks telling stories with visuals and multimedia, rather than with literature and writing, that's the direction we are headed. So, whereas, I am sure English Teachers don't like this future, there is no way to stop it. This new software will be just one more tool to help those who want to tell stories with fewer words and more pictures, not to mention augmenting their blogs with cool graphics, sketches, and drawings.

Whereas the FotoSketcher's Program is one decent attempt at this, I bet we can take it a step further with AI and go from video to sketches, TV to sketches, screenshots to sketches, and even 3D to sketches. Anyway, indeed, I hope you will please consider all this.

Lance Winslow is the Founder of the Online Think Tank, a diverse group of achievers, experts, innovators, entrepreneurs, thinkers, futurists, academics, dreamers, leaders, and general all around brilliant minds. Lance Winslow hopes you've enjoyed today's discussion and topic. http://www.WorldThinkTank.net - Have an important subject to discuss, contact Lance Winslow.

Salvador Dali in Barcelona

2011-03-30T10:23:00.001-07:00

Although there's plenty of things to amuse you in Barcelona you don't have to venture far from the city to find exciting and interesting activities and sights to explore. Catalan is full of surprises and within the hour you'll be able to climb mountains, flavour the vineyards, run along beaches, and be awestruck at the monasteries and ancient Roman remains.

In the north-east, close to the French border, you'll find Salvador Dali hanging out - just as much a part of Barcelona as Pablo Picasso and Gaudi. There are a few landmarks open to the public that pay tribute to Dali and his unique sense of art. Figueres is the small town where Dali was born and buried, home to the Teatre-Museu Dali it was previously the town theatre and is the place where most of his creations can be seen - even the kids will love it here as it's so surreal.

The design of the museum is just as fascinating as the artworks with gigantic eggs balanced on the towers and masses of yellow loaves on the outside walls. It's quite remote but you can get there by train which takes an hour or so, otherwise take a tour bus or hire a car.

Inside the museum the displays are centred around themes and include pieces from his early years as well as his Impressionist and Cubist periods. You'll also be able to discover abstract art, pieces from his classic period, oil paintings, graphics, photographs, sculptures, and a huge archival library.

The main items the public come to see of course are the immensely popular surrealist art which he is most famous for, including Portrait with I 'Humanite', The girl of Figueras, Port Alguer, Napoleons Nose, Basket of Bread, The Spectre of Sex Appeal, and Soft Self-Portrait with Fried Bacon.

Check out the 3-dimensional Mae West face that takes up a whole room by itself, actually created from furniture it includes a lush red sofa for her lips and is part of a series designed specifically for the Theatre-Museum along with the Rainy Cadillac and the Wind Palace Room.

If you want to know more about the life of this interesting figure then your next stop whilst here on holiday is to follow the Dali trail to Cadaques, a very quiet and remote area that was a favourite with the artist from his youthful days when he spent summers here with the family. Nearby in Port Lligat is the home he built, attracted to this location for the landscape, peacefulness and open spaces. He lived and worked here creating bizarre rooms and fantastic creations for years, the delights of which can now be seen by the public as it has been turned into The Portlligat Museum-House.

The building is similar to a labyrinth which starts at the Bear Lobby and leads off in all directions down narrow corridors, up and down stairs, and along dark passageways. Packed out with a multitude of objects and mementoes of the great artist, each area has been made into a comfortable area with carpets laid, walls whitewashed, dried flowers and velvet upholstery as decor, and antique furniture. Every room has windows of different sizes and shapes but all look out onto the beautiful scene of Portlligat Bay.

The Castell de P?bol Dali bought for his wife Gala to live in, after she died he decided to move back into the house and stayed here until his death. Built in the 12th century the original plan was that he would also be buried here, however things changed when his relationship with Gala broke down. In urgent need of renovation when he bought it he used the cracks and deterioration as a form of art and, not attempting to fix or hide them, he simply incorporated them into the restoration. Inside you'll discover replica architecture, extravagant textiles and antique furniture which lend the place an air of secrecy that promises romance, mystery and total privacy.

If you're only in Barcelona for a short time but really want to see some of Dali's art then there is a permanent exhibition displaying some of his most important works in the Real C?rculo Art?stico building in the Gothic district. This private collection of sculptures are created from wax and based on a number of themes including eroticism, mythology and Don Quixote. The collection also holds over 600 sketches and drawings completed by the artist along with lithographs and photographs. Book yourself into an apartment in the city centre and use it as a base to get around all your favourite sights.

Mathieu Quintart writes articles for Cocoon Barcelona, home to some of the finest artists, culture, wine and cuisines. The vibrant city has plenty to offer everyone, and why pay more for a hotel when you can stay comfortably with appartement Barcelone. In any location Barcelone you desire, let Cocoon Barcelona help you find apartments in Barcelona that will suit your requirements and budgets, so you can enjoy your holiday in this beautiful Catalonia city even more.

Car photography competition winner

2011-03-26T18:14:00.000-07:00

Louise Clements of the Format International Photography festival, Derby chooses her favourite image from February's competition

Louise Clements, curator and the co-founder of Derby International Photography festival, judged this month's competition and chose Luis Santos's shot of Motorway Skies.

Louise says: "This image contains layers of information. It plays with our understanding of perspective and place. It offers an alternative point of view that leaves you wondering where the photographer was and how this image was achieved. It is a photography that evokes a sense of vertigo, where we are dealing simultaneously with the collision of looking down from above but ultimately gazing up in to the depths.

"The layer that is the reflection of the sky acts as a membrane that separates the driver/car/road from the tangible and the everyday. The glass that holds the reflection almost takes on the qualities of water which adds to the elusiveness and confusion initiated by the image. These qualities are good because they provoke you to look closer, think and read the image. It also has humour – the driver, almost literally, has his head in the clouds."

February's assignment proved a popular and accessible subject matter. There was lots of diversity and thinking outside the box for a single subject. A lot of submissions consisted of car details but here Gethin Thomas's entry has a good feeling of space.

Others shortlisted included Fred Hale, whose lights had a tremendous subtlety and proved how often less is more.

The shiny paintwork proved irresistible to many members but Matthew Price's Columns was the most successful set of this style.

We should give an honourable mention to Sam Newson's bus submission for causing much debate and contention on the Flickr group discussion.

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Does Richard Prince's work reflect the creativity or cynicism of modern art?

2011-03-26T13:39:00.000-07:00

A court has ruled that Richard Prince's appropriated art is a copyright infringement. Is he betraying modern art?

I would probably feel more generous towards the famous artist Richard Prince, who has been ordered to destroy a series of works found to have infringed the copyright of photographer Patrick Cariou, if it were not for the fact that I happened to spend yesterday looking at the founding masterpieces of modern art – at Manet's Olympia, and the enigmatic vegetable form of Rouen cathedral painted by Monet – in the Musée d'Orsay in Paris. Modern art started as such a great experiment, such an awakening of the eye and mind. And it has come to this?

Wait, before you reject this as a conservative rant. I am aware that it is lazy to dismiss contemporary art out of hand. Think yourself into a black mood about it and the next thing you know, some genuinely brilliant video installation will come along to prove you foolish. The art of today abounds in interest. But ... it also includes Prince, which has to be a point against it.

Let us examine this news story. Prince and his gallery, Gagosian, have lost a case in which he was accused of taking a fistful of photographs published by Cariou, adding various daft decorations to them, and selling them as his own original artworks. He and Gagosian made millions of dollars from these "Richard Prince" works, which may now have to be repaid.

None of this will damage Prince's art-world reputation. Appropriation is what he does. He was one of the original wave of American postmodern artists who questioned the very ideas of originality and authorship by taking images directly from popular culture with only minor reworkings. He revels in a piratical, bad-boy reputation, and his response to this court ruling will be the equivalent of a cheeky grin, or indeed an actual cheeky grin.

The sophisticates will shrug it off, sighing at the cultural illiteracy of judges who do not understand the tradition of the readymade going back to Duchamp. Meanwhile, grumpy champions of "proper" art will see further evidence of the cynicism of today's art scene – but who cares what they think when it is fetching such prices and attracting such crowds and will continue to do so?

Here is the horrible truth, which suits neither the stick-in-the-muds nor the champions of all things new. It is not in comparison to some supposed lost world of "proper" art that this episode is so unsettling. No. What is truly difficult to stomach is a comparison between the Princes of the contemporary art world, and the promise of modern art itself.

Look at the revolutionary art that changed the world, from the 1860s when Manet was painting Olympia to the 1960s when Andy Warhol was portraying Liz Taylor. Aren't you a tiny bit disappointed with the production, or appropriation, of today? Yet we tell ourselves all the time, in limitless coverage of the newest, shiniest, craziest stuff, that contemporary art is almost beyond criticism in its cultural value.

Why are admirers of contemporary art always on the defensive? Avant garde art is not going away. It has huge strengths – the strongest being that it actually is contemporary; when you look at it you are looking at a picture of now. Even the most troubling aspects of the art market, such as the prices paid for these works, can be defended as a portrait of where we are, who we are (we are the culture that values Richard Prince).

But sometimes – especially when you have been looking at Manet – you have to allow yourself a grumble. Critics of contemporary art are wrong to dismiss it all sweepingly because of stories like this. But it is the kind of tale about today's artworld that should make even its biggest fan wonder for a moment if we are perhaps playing a big joke on ourselves for the entertainment of posterity.

Jonathan Jones

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Samantha Cameron: business exec, political wife – and artist?

2011-03-26T09:49:00.000-07:00

The prime minister's wife has drawn Downing Street cat Larry eyeing the infamous rat for charity. But is it any good?

Is there no limit to Samantha Cameron's enviable skillset? She has now turned her attention back to art – in which she has a degree from Bristol University – in order to sketch a postcard drawing of the new Downing Street cat, Larry, eyeing up the residence's infamous and ill-fated rat. The postcard is being auctioned today in aid of the Winnicott Foundation, which supports neo-natal units at two London hospitals, so Cameron's charitable intentions are beyond reproach. But the vital question remains: is her drawing any good?

The Guardian's art critic Adrian Searle thinks not. "Most rats have more personality, more style, more rodent cunning than whoever drew this has given them," he says. The Observer's Laura Cumming also thinks there's room for improvement. "The cat shows wit," she says, "with its head cocked, and its tail poking around the door. But the house, without the visual aid of the No10 on the door, could be any building in Mayfair. And, most importantly, the rat looks too much like a mouse. Its tail should be longer – and where are its whiskers? I'd give the drawing five out of 10."

Artist Rob Ryan awards Cameron the same mark. "Although she's attempted to inject some comedy into this piece with the quizzical-looking cat," he says, "I feel she's really missed a big opportunity, considering the visual ingredients she has to work with. She has done a beautiful job getting the portico and lantern right – but she has let herself down with the rat. They do have legs, you know."

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Crayola Neon Explosion Toy Story

2011-03-26T06:48:00.000-07:00

Get ready for an explosion of the neon variety! Crayola® Neon Explosion Disney Toy Story lets kids create vivid, neon images on brightly colored paper. Each page features unique, licensed images and content for an exceptional play experience.

Price: $11.99

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Crayola Supertips Marker Sketch 'N Color Set

2011-03-26T01:52:00.000-07:00

CRAYOLA SUPERTIP MARKER SKETCH 'N COLOR SET - Portable set for coloring and drawing. Includes 20 Super Tip markers, 4 Silly Scent Markers, 2 Erasable sketching pens, one 40 page 9 x 9 sketch pad.

Price: $13.99

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Bienfang R230742 14-by-17-Inch Pad of Drawing Paper, 50 Sheets

2011-03-25T22:07:00.000-07:00

Giant Drawing Pad, 55 lb., 14x17, 50 Sheets

Price: $19.74

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Canson Universal Sketch Pads, 100 sheets, 9" x 12"

2011-03-25T17:32:00.000-07:00

100% recycled sheets are acid-free with a rough surface suitable for pastel, pencil, pen and other dry media. Sheets are micro-perforated for a neat clean edge. Pad is double wire-bound with an extra-heavy chipboard back for stability.

Price: $7.98

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Canson 100% Recycled Heavyweight Sketch Pad 5 1/2 in. x 8 1/2 in. 100 sheet

2011-03-25T12:48:00.000-07:00

Acid-free white paper. Each pad has 100 sheets with "micro perforation" down the spine so you can tear the individual sheets out of the pad with minimal damage. 100% recycled fiber. Clean white paper has enough tooth for use with charcoal pastel pencil and ink. 65lb.

Price: $6.95

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Project Runway Rockstar Style Compact Fashion Design Sketch Portfolio

2011-03-25T08:58:00.000-07:00

The Project Runway Rockstar Style Fashion Design Sketch Portfolio lets girls create the perfect look for their favorite musician or their own future rock band! Use the stencils to start the design. Then, follow the instructions for inspiration and how to shade the design to make it look like it was done by a professional. Its compact size is perfect for on the go & fits perfectly into a book bag or backpack.

Price:

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Getting Started: Complete Manga Drawing Kit

2011-03-25T05:53:00.000-07:00

Everything you need to learn how to draw Magna characters and backgrounds, create scenarios and develop Magna layouts. This package contains one Manga 7x9in sketchpad (six pages of practice figures, six pages of 4-scene drawings and notes, six pages of sample page layouts and six pages of sample grids), a 28 page instruction booklet, one Manga stencil, one Manga Mannikin, one PITT artist brush pen black #199, one PITT artist brush pen grey #272, one PITT superfine artist pen black #199, Faber-Castell Graphite HB pencil, pencil sharpener, an eraser and a reusable storage box. Artist pens are all acid free, archival safe and waterproof. Recommended for both teens and adults.

Price: $24.99

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Dm Creations Art 101 Artist Studio Box Set

2011-03-25T01:28:00.000-07:00

Price: $24.99

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Strathmore Series 400 Sketch Pads 9 in. x 12 in. sheets pad of 100

2011-03-24T20:50:00.000-07:00

An acid-free general purpose sketch pad. Perfect for experimenting or perfecting technique with pen, pencil and a variety of other media. 100 sheets per pad. Spiral bound. 60 lb. 100 sheets.

Price: $11.75

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Royal Brush Keep N' Carry Artist Set

2011-03-24T16:18:00.000-07:00

Use these convenient artists' kits anywhere you go, at home, the park, camping, in the car, on the train, plane or even the boat. All of these kits come in a black canvas case with a zippered closure: 10-3/4" x 6" x 1". This Drawing kit contains twelve full sized colored pencils, 7" x 5" drawing pad an artist drawing eraser and a pencil sharpener. Contents conform to ASTM D4236. WARNING: Choking Hazard-small parts. Not for children under 3 years.

Price: $9.99

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21 Pc Sketch & Drawing Set W/pencils, Charcoals,erasers

2011-03-24T13:17:00.000-07:00

These quality drawing pencils are equally capable of producing quick sketches or finely worked drawings. Of all drawing media, pencils are the most immediate, versatile and sensitive.

Essentials pencils from Royal & Langnickel can be used for soft, delicate qualities or bold, crisp sharpness and the selection included in this set is perfect for artists of all skill levels.
Included in the set: ~ Sketch pencils in H, 2H, 4H, HB, B, 2B, 4B, 6B
~ Charcoal Pencils in Soft, Medium and Hard grades
~ 1 Woodless Pencil 8B
~ 3 Sketching Graphite Sticks 1/4" square x 2-1/2" long (2B, 4B, 6B)
~ 3 Charcoal Sticks 1/4" square x 2-1/2" long (Soft, Medium, Hard)
~ 1 white plastic eraser
~ 1 kneaded eraser
~ 1 double sharpener for pencils & charcoals
ALL Packed in a reusable clear plastic clamshell case

Price:

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Gold Birds Sketchbook

2011-03-24T08:44:00.000-07:00

Bright and lively cover is printed with gold metallic ink. Illustrated by Fumiha Tanaka.

Price:

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Strathmore 400 Series Drawing Paper Pad

2011-03-24T05:08:00.000-07:00

Particularly suited to line drawings and technical artwork because of its non-reflective and fine uniform surface. Medium surface readily accepts crayon, pencil, pen, charcoal, paints and markers. Spiral bound. There are 24 sheets per pad. 80 Pound / 130gsm paper.

Price:

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Pioneer Postbound Top Loading Page Protectors 5/Pkg, 12 Inch by 12 Inch with White Inserts

2011-03-24T01:33:00.000-07:00

Protect your favorite memories!

Price: $4.99

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Butterfly Sketchbook

2011-03-23T21:23:00.000-07:00

CRAYOLA SUPERTIP MARKER SKETCH 'N COLOR SET - Portable set for coloring and drawing. Includes 20 Super Tip markers, 4 Silly Scent Markers, 2 Erasable sketching pens, one 40 page 9 x 9 sketch pad.

Price:

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Fashionflat Sketchpad {Womens Collection}

2011-03-23T17:19:00.000-07:00

Our fun, functional and one-of-a-kind Fashionflat Sketchpad is the must-have tool for aspiring and professional fashion designers. This 40-page pad contains preprinted, proportional female croquis outlines that disappear on photocopying or scanning so you can effortlessly create professional, accurate flats of your imaginative designs. With the Hokey Croquis Fashionflat Sketchpad, you can design your prom gown, fashion portfolio, college application, or design project efficiently. Effectively. Gorgeously.

Price: $14.95

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A Day in Barcelona

2011-03-23T12:54:00.000-07:00

So you only have a day or two in Barcelona and don't know what to see first? Read on and get an idea of how you can create the perfect day visiting some of the best sights and attractions this Spanish city has to offer.

The first thing to do is book yourself into a city centre apartment so it's simple and handy for getting around the various attractions. Start your morning off by heading to Parallel metro station and catching the funicular to the famous museum, Fundacio Joan Mir?. Here you can soak up the wonderful paintings, sketches and sculptures completed by the artist himself, with over 14,000 pieces displayed including paintings, sculptures, textiles, ceramics, graphic works and drawings from the 1920s all the way up to the '60s it'll keep you occupied for hours. There are also other works of art on show contributed by contemporary, leading artists including Max Ernst, Marcel Duchamp, Alexander Calder, and Julio Gonzalez.

Once you've seen enough climb into the cable car and carry on up the hill to Castell de Montju?c where it's claimed the very first stone was laid in 1640. For a long time the castle represented fear as political prisoners were thrown in here and subsequently tortured, however these days it's a military museum with a striking display of ancient weaponry and future plans to transform it into a peace museum. The views from up here are great as the port can be seen clearly below and the surrounding gardens are charming and particularly attractive and lush in the cooler months.

From the castle make your way back down to the gardens, if you don't have time for them all then at least take a jaunt around Jardins Joan Maragall. Named after the poet they are landscaped and well-maintained - amongst the flowers, shrubs and ponds silently stand sculpted statues created by Frederic Maris, Enric Monjo and Ernest Maragall. Also on site is the Albiniz Royal Mansion designed in the '30s by Juan Moya for the 1929 International Exposition and with paintings added at a later date by Salvador Dali. No-one on holiday in Barcelona should miss out on these cultural and absorbing attractions.

Very close by is the Palau Nacional with an excellent exhibit of Romanesque art, the museum features a series of spectacular frescoes dating from the 11th and 12th centuries which were repaired in a succession of galleries after being liberated from Catalan Pyrenean churches. Check out the Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection and the Camb? Bequest, where you'll see famous names of Rembrandt and Zurbar?n amongst many others, and an assortment of works by Catalan artists ranging from the beginning of the 19th century up to the 1930s. By this point your feet are probably starting to ache, nearby are several places to sit with a cool drink or grab something to eat and catch your breath. If you are staying in the city centre then you can easily return to your apartment for a siesta before heading back out to see more of this amazing city.

Once you're refreshed take a stroll to the Poble Espanyol where you can discover the sculpture garden, a green open space with works in iron, marble and steel designed and sculpted by modern artists. The arts and crafts village is set in an open-air museum and a chance to see real artisans in their workshops making handmade items or still using traditional methods, amongst the crafts produced you can find ceramics, engraving, decorative painting, glass fusing, puppet-making, basket-weaving, musical instrument-making, and many more.

This is also a great place for families as everyone can get involved in a treasure hunt style game which is lots of fun, or watch the various shows, games and story-telling sessions held in the Village's streets and squares. There are no cars allowed and it is much quieter than being in the city center which makes it a pleasant area to sample Catalan cuisine, sit and talk, or enjoy live music in a place that oozes atmosphere.

From here you can walk back to your holiday apartments barcelona through the cobbled, historical city streets admiring the night scenes as you go. Barcelona is a place for all kinds of people and you will leave knowing you just have to return and see more.

Mathieu Quintart writes articles for Cocoon Barcelona, the best resource for the highest quality and affordable holiday apartments Barcelona has to offer. Cocoon Barcelona has a comprehensive database of appartementen barcelona that you can rent, whether you are looking for studio apartments, 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom, 3-bedroom or 4-bedroom location appartement barcelone, they have just the thing for you with prices starting from 25 Euro per person per night.

Utilizing Your Artistic Talent to Create A Career in Fine Arts and Visual Communications

2011-03-23T09:15:00.000-07:00

Imagine building your own videogame. Alternatively, imagine creating animated websites. Perhaps your interest lies in designing award-winning graphics for advertising. Flash, Websites, graphic design - they are all part of one of the hottest industries around.

Can you catch someone's eye or possibly capture his or her imagination with your particular artistic talent? Understanding how to draw an individuals eye to a certain part of a page, how to effectively use white space, and what fonts are most pleasing to the eye are all aspects that could actually help launch a career and keep it moving.

In today's' graphic industry, quite often traditional tools, such as pencils and markers for example, are still used to generate and explore ideas, while complex computer programs are used for the final product. Designers can sketch thoughts out on paper, use storyboards to illustrate the flow, and then use computers to render the final revamped and edited proof for the customer's approval.

All across the United States the demand for true artistic talent, be it traditional art or computer generated, is steadily growing. Professional agencies will almost always find permanent work for a talented, graphic art oriented individual through major companies within Corporate America, long-term assignments through placement agencies, or using them on a freelance basis. Salaries for graphic designers generally start at about $40,000 - $45,000 per year for a professional with a bachelor's degree. However, it is well documented that a professional without a college education makes far less money than someone with an acquired degree.

A search of job postings shows us that a bachelor's degree is always preferred, and a portfolio of work is an absolute necessity. A Bachelor's of Fine Arts in Visual Communications is an effective source to help you get started in this fast-moving and still growing trade. You can learn everything you need to know about this industry, from principles of design to color theory, learn computer graphics, animation, and illustration. You can build a portfolio while you earn your degree, learning and using the same programs that industry professional's use such as Photoshop, Dreamweaver, Illustrator, PageMaker, and Flash.

You can truly make a lasting mark on the world with Flash programming. More often than not, award winning designs for web and print have catapulted passive hobbies into highly successful careers by making that one final decision. Be THAT GUY or THAT WOMAN, the one who won the Flash In The Can Best Designer or Best Developer award, or Most Promising Student award. All this and so much more is within your reach. All it takes is making that ultimate decision, to actually take that first step and get started working on a Bachelor's of Fine Arts in Visual Communications. Make your ultimate dream your ultimate reality.

The author of this article has been publishing articles online since -06 as well as creating websites on various topics since -04. Check out his latest website found at School Grants which helps people find Florida school grants as well as other information they might be needing when continuing their education.

Basics of Animation

2011-03-23T05:50:00.000-07:00

Animation

Animation is an art of presenting a series of pictures or photos in a sequence rapidly in order to create an illusion of a motion. It is shown in either 2D, 3D or through a motion capture. Usually the animation was a series of images hand drawn by an artist movement by movement and are presented in a flipbook format or photographed each image and presenting them through a video program which is very painstaking method. Today with the advent of highly technical animation like motion capture which can be seen in the success of movie Avtar, the animation cannot be distinguished from the real world.

Principles of animation

Often considered as the bible of animation, the principles of animation are written by Ollie Johnston, and Frank Thomas in "The illusion of life: Disney animation". The twelve principles are:

Squash and stretch
Anticipation
Staging
Straight ahead action and pose to pose
Follow through and overlapping action
Slow in and slow out
Arcs
Secondary action
Timing
Exaggeration
Solid drawing
Appeal.

Till today after 30 years, still the principles are followed by the industry and consider as the basis of any animation.

In education

Animation is the best way to attract children. It creates interest in them and with the animated characteristics telling the stories and rhymes with music, it can be easily understood and learnt by children. Apart from children, it can be used in the higher education to design the complex models like the architectural animation, and for medical studies. It is mostly used in medicine to design the complex parts of the human body which otherwise is not possible to use and explain the students. It is also useful in teaching the surgical procedures which are always not possible to practically show.

Animation software

The industry has gone a long way with the advent of computer. Today with 2D and 3D computer animation it is often tough to find the difference between the real and animation. The computer animation often referred to as CGI, uses various software to design the graphics. Some of the commonly used software are:

Toon boom studio
Animationish
Flip boom
Flash
After effects
Pencil
Synfig
CreaToon
sWiSH
ULead GIF animator
3D studio max
Maya
Lightwave
Blender
Swift 3D

Animation techniques

The method of animation has seen many transformations since its entry in 18th century. Right from the traditional animation, the technology has developed rapidly and gave wings to the creativity. Today we have many techniques that create great movies, which are stop motion, computer animation, drawn on film, paint-on-glass, erasure, pinscreen, sand animation, flip book, character animation, chuckimation, multi-sketching, special effects, animatronics, stop motion. The stop motion is very creative in which live images are captured on a camera in a way that on broadcasting, the animation creates a moving images animation.

Extraordinary, Simply Extraordinary

2011-03-23T01:51:00.000-07:00

Being asked to make a federal brochure was an opportunity one designer's marketing firm took with pride. A usual day at the firm would mean working on by the book military projects, but now they get to express their creativity in the general services administration brochure. Even so, a company anniversary celebration brochure is still such an everyday thing.

In her office, the designer mentioned how standard of a project this one would be. Simply astonishing is how the GSA project should be described. Access for the handicapped became a requirement for federal offices and the brochure will honor the act. Finding an artist was the next step as they wanted to make use of drawings rather than photographs.

The brochure planned on incorporating the work of two artists after showing them to GSA officials. Half of the illustration duo was handicapped, she told them. No specific identification was made. After a car accident the designer's sister was paralyzed, her four oil pastel drawings drew much attention from the officials. After the accident, she stopped her 30 years of painting, these illustrations were done with much hesitation, her first attempt to work again. More family members enter the picture. Liable for the architectural barriers act was their father.

A hurdle for the project was getting the lady artist to sign on. After months in the hospital and in rehabilitation, she was adjusting to life at home and spending hours in physical therapy. Actually, the sister was waiting for her to say no. The wheelchair became the center of her entire life. The artist lived a life with serious nerve pain after figuring in the accident, she had no other choice but to also live her life in a wheelchair. Never did she get sick though. Her days are also spent running marathons, was spent running marathons, she says. There is no comfort in having to spend her lifetime in a wheelchair.

While attending to her physical therapy sessions in Connecticut, she was able to send some sketches to her sister. It took a day to get her to start working after receiving the GSA's authorization, not only did she have to skip her physical therapy class but she was also experiencing severe nerve pain at the time. Previously, the GSA presented one lady artist a design award for the brochure she created using her drawings.

Every image evoked a different emotion and this caught the attention of the judges, a team of nationally recognized design professionals, who also cited each one's vivid colors and technique. These lady artists, the sisters, did not see the award as the pinnacle of this project, it was only a bonus. Having such a project, according to one of the sisters, took her sister's focus away from her condition.

After finishing her first pieces after the accident, the artist will resume therapy first but she will start painting again come spring in preparation for the art show she will hold with her son, another artist in the family. She comments on how life can always turn itself around.

Further your knowledge on design at web designer India.Obtain further advice on freelance logo designers and the subject of design.

What Does It Take to Be an Animator?

2011-03-22T21:56:00.000-07:00

The animation career has similarities. 3 D animation jobs and the 2 D animation job skill sets are fairly close when planning and starting an animation project. The basic algorithms that both 2 D and 3 D animation based themselves on are similar no matter the tools or methods being used. The similarities are most clear when conducting work within a wire frame format. The computer animated 3 D environment is powerful, yet each skill relies on the other to get the desired effect.

Kinds of Animation

A perfect example is lighting. Both use the same concepts to create lighting effects. Another example is rendering techniques. Both use rendering techniques taught in 2 D. The differences start to show once the object or character after rendering has occurred. At this time the 3 D visual aspects break away from their 2 D cousin. In order to understand 3 D animation, it is critical you first master the 2 D aspect.

3D animation training and working with characters to bring them to life is not as easy as it seems. Yet with practice, anyone can create visual effects that can rival the big animation studios. Working with an in-depth knowledge of 2 D graphics and 3 D animation, you can easily create website, design products, and create video games that are polished and professional looking. To get to this level takes a good understanding of graphics and an even stronger knowledge of computer software.

High End Graphic Software

If you plan to use some of the high-end branded software like 3 D Studio Max or Maya, there will be a very large learning curve. Other skills that come in handy are those that make use Photoshop. Knowing how to manipulate 2 D drawings and photos come in handy for the animator. A person can easily gain this experience by taking a few classes at the many universities and trade schools which teach the subject. Usually all computer animation courses will start with a 2 D course work and work their way into 3 D animation or the digital arts. Another option is to find the animation information online. At no time in history has it ever been easier to find good solid animation education online. Give it a try to see what is available.

The Basics - What You Need To Know To Begin

1) Creation of primary characters by using the bouncing ball principle.

2) Understanding the anatomy of the character and setting models with the help of knowledge in proportions.

3) Color theory knowledge.

4) Bone structure and skin textures.

5) Color rendering.

Know These To Begin Competing Against Other Animators

1) Modeling the character and understanding the mesh tool.

2) Shading skills.

3) Sketching and rigging skills.

4) Computer software knowledge and making use of it.

Top Dog Skills - Advanced Hardcore 3D Animation Skills

1) Conceptualizing an animation along with facial features and creating full fleshed characters.

2) Making short animation movie.

3) Shading, lighting and rendering using layers.

4) Giving the last fluid effect. This is the art of using all the packages together along with sketching to get the perfect in 3d animation.

5) If you are lucky enough to master all the skills above, you may find yourself with an amazing job. Some of the top animators work for Disney, Pixar and DreamWorks, with a little hard work, you may one day work for one of the three.

Now that you have a little understanding of what it takes to secure the many 3 D animation jobs, you will want to click on this link http://makeyourownanimation.net to gain further information on animation software, news and tutorials that can help propel your knowledge forward.

If You Want A Great Video Marketing Advertisement, Then Design

2011-03-22T18:08:00.000-07:00

The designer of the advertisement is going to exercise his crafts or work with other people to generate the final product. In the event that product is going to be effective, it is going to standout among several other visuals with an allurement which beckons the audience take a look more closely. After the audience has centered attention on the advertisement, he will notice the parts which make up the total graphic appearance. If the parts have been laid out in a manner that leads the audience's eye to the product image and after that to written text which is carefully written and encourages the audience to purchase, the goal of the advertising campaign has been achieved.

When the designer of the advertisement is engaged in its development, he is engaged in the process of design. Advertising and marketing design is the work of an advertisement designer. This designer combines salesmanship with art in order to produce the product of his endeavor, the advertisement.

Marketing and advertising layout goes on in the same manner as any painter involved in the creation of a painting. The painter should have a concept (perhaps not clearly defined yet), or perhaps a hazy picture of what it is he would paint before he paints it. In marketing and advertising design, the designer needs to have a much more clear idea of the subject of the ad. Prior to entering design, the designer will become completely familiar with the product or service which is being sold to the audience. The merchandise or service would be the subject matter of any advertisement. The creator ought to know exactly what motivates a customer to buy such product or need such a service. The designer will know the merchandise's relations to its competitors, their disputes for or against the merchandise. The developer will know obviously the advantages of their goods and services over others. Advertising and marketing design commences with understanding how the product sells itself.

Advertising and marketing design is concerned with the organization of the advertisement and the selection of its elements. Design and style is found in most human constructions. It is the action of imposing form on what we refer to as raw material. The advertising campaign developer begins with a general drawing of the visual advertising campaign. This is the same when an artist scrapes out a sketch of an intended painting. It is the initial undertaking at design. In a drawing, form is primarily depicted by lines; the colors are not yet laid in. The developer will likewise sketch out the advertisement. What is sketched will not be automatically preconceived. The act of drawing the design and style will bring out one expression and the designer's concept would have been revealed to himself. Numerous artists sketch a theme several times, discarding one in favor of another. The advertisement developer must do the same thing. Each and every effort is going to play a role in the next, until, finally you identify the appropriate form for your visual advertisement.

As soon as sketched, the video marketing advertisement is just about to be completed. The parts the developer has prepared should then also be designed, in order that each part has its own order as well as intent. With purposeful as well as artistic layout, the advertisement will not simply be effective, but be considered a piece of wonder in itself.

Video Marketing is actually a scheme which facilitates and encourages people to pass along marketing video clips about services and products available. This could be successfully done by using Social Media Marketing, a great method that provides links, attention as well as huge numbers of page views by advertising your website or organization through social media channels.

Word Balloons As Art: Some Creative Tips

2011-03-22T13:37:00.000-07:00

Kids love comics, and so do adults! One of the appeals of comic book art is the vehicle that hold the words: the word balloon. This often round shape with a pointy tail is an exciting piece of graphic art: put words in it, and it actually POINTS to the personal who uttered its contents!

This piece of cartoon art is how people talk to each in comics: the balloon simply points to its speaker. But as we all know, we are capable of much more complicated emotions than those that result in words. That is, how can we represent three different feelings (say, fatigue, hunger, and anger) all in the same balloon? Answer: you make a complicated design in the word balloon that represents that complicated feeling.

Why should these bloated shapes that represent speech be limited to just containing words? Think out of the box (or out of the balloon, so to speak) and treat the word balloon as the frame of an illustration. Word balloons can be totally whimsical: just enjoy the process of drawing.

The Surrealists called it "Automatic Drawing". Automatic Drawing is actually with doodling is: it's drawing with the mind turned off. That is, the aim is the draw freely, in a way that doesn't allow the conscious mind to censor or edit the work. Once you feel relaxed enough, and you're able to persuade yourself that you drawing is just a sketch, the it's okay to "make a mistake": that's when your artwork will look the best!

But remember, we're not just drawing anything: we're drawing something very specific! So draw a word balloon--go ahead! But then go back into it and doodle all over it; through it, in it, around it...have fun with it! As you go back into your drawing, scribbling and doodling, you'll notice that your drawing will start to remind of things: mine reminded me of a turkey with its tail feathers sticking up.

So I started from a standard word balloon, and ended up with a turkey! And best yet, the turkey word balloon could still function as a word balloon -- just squeeze in some text in whatever space is left. But now, as your reading the text, you'll enjoy the refreshing experience of seeing your text share the page with your own squiggly line drawings! Drawing this manner requires that you view your art as a live and active process. You may recognize your starting shape (that is, the word balloon), but your ending picture will be a total surprise! Have fun with it.

Howard Salmon is an artist, writer, and art teacher who teaches at the college level. He draws "doodle comix" on his blog: http://doodlecomix.com