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Visual Artists Should Learn to Love AI: Here’s Why
So no one (almost no one) really expected AI to impact on art and artists so quickly. In all honesty I have to admit that I was complacent about the impact and potential of these technologies for my own practice. Then I stopped using it to create photorealistic dogs in space helmets and started using it as part of my…
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Painting: Portrait of Finn
Around April time I started in earnest trying to cut down the time it takes to do an alla-prima portrait. My target was to get it into a three hour window. This one of those ‘training’ paintings. I started with blue acrylic underpainting and then used oil colour on top of that. You can see progress thumbnails below. Finn is…
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SCAMPER Your Way to Creative Excellence
Creative practice is pure problem solving. The process of taking an observation, thought or emotion and making it communicable to an audience is a problem to be solved. As visual artists we often lean into the intuitive to the detriment of process. This is a shame because there are so many great tools and techniques from other disciplines that can…
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Power Up Your Creative Problem Solving: Overcome Obstacles with Confidence
As visual artists, we face challenges every day that require critical thinking and creative problem solving. Whether it’s finding inspiration for our next project, dealing with the technical issues in our artwork or navigating the competitive landscape of the art world and the dreaded spectre of self-promotion. Despite all of this you might not recognise when you are problem solving.…
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Generate More Satisfying Art Ideas: How to Start Today
Are you a visual artist struggling to find ideas for a new piece of work? We have a five step formula for you that is guaranteed to get the creative juices flowing and kick-start your imagination in a meaningful way. Use this formula to generate more creative and satisfying art ideas from today forwards. Ready to beat the starvation of art…
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Ideation Drawing -The Route to Better Composition
Do you want to maximise the potential of your ideas? Ideation drawing is the answer. It involves quickly sketching out initial concepts for a project without worrying about perfection. The emphasis is on generating a variety of first concept ideas and exploring different compositional possibilities. I’ve learned that this method can lead to more fully realised and successful artwork. By…
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10 Personal Sketchbook Themes to Inspire New Artwork in 2023
The sketchbook is a versatile tool. I’ve seen individuals utilise it in countless ways. It’s crucial to recognise that there is no one “right” way to use a sketchbook. If you have honed your creative process, you may already have integrated sketchbook usage into it. If not, then this post aims to assist you in incorporating more productive sketchbook usage…
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How to Start and Finish Your Painting, Nine Practical Steps
Paintings often have no definitive end point. Deciding when a piece of work is finished can be a challenging task for even the most experienced artist. However, many paintings progress through similar stages. There are various techniques that can assist in guiding you through the creative process. In this article, I aim to address both how to get off to…
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Understand the Creative Process to Make Better Work
The creative process serves as a framework for the evolution of a creative project. There is no one “right” way to follow this process. You will encounter various slightly different definitions and terminology for the stages, so don’t expect to find a single, universally accepted version. Ultimately, you will tailor the process to suit your own working style. Begin by…
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How to Be More Consistently Creative at Art
Are you looking to boost your creative output and make more interesting artwork? By improving your process, you can increase your chances of producing better ideas and having a more fulfilling creative experience. In this article, we’ll explore six pieces of advice for improving your creative thinking and taking your art to the next level. So don’t wait – start…