From the yearly archives:

2007

Loving and Hating Corel Painter

I like to draw on the computer because it’s fast. Well, it should be fast and it certainly seems fast. Truthfully, though, I usually end up spending just as much time on a computer drawing as the normal pencil and paper kind.
I love the brushes in Corel Painter. They’re wonderfully realistic and yet can be [...]

Read the full article →

Texture Secrets

Some textures can be absolutely horrifying to even contemplate drawing! Honestly, a field of weeds can send an artist into shock if they’re not prepared.
The secret to drawing complicated textures sanely, is to break them down into steps. Here’s how.
Start in one small area and lay down a mid tone.
Now, lay in the large shadow [...]

Read the full article →

Book Sighting

I finished Drawing Made Easy: Getting Started in December of 2006, but it wasn’t published until January 2007. Yesterday, nearly an entire year after it was published and two years after I finished it, I finally spotted a copy at the local United Art And Education in Mishawaka, Indiana. A couple of friends of mine [...]

Read the full article →

New Drawing Club

I’ve been redecorating and moving the furniture around in my old Drawing Forum and now it’s a brand new Drawing Club! In the spirit of the new club theme, and to get things off to a good start, I’m offering a free drawing class to members with 25 or more posts. So, register and start [...]

Read the full article →

One Stroke After Another

I’ve been working on a commissioned piece for the last ten days. It’s taking longer than I expected it to, and I started to worry about if I’d have it done on time.
Here’s a handy drawing secret that I’d like to pass on to you: if a drawing is not going well, just keep working [...]

Read the full article →

With Pencil in Hand

I’ve been trying to create a smooth background for a drawing and was totally frustrated by all my attempts. I tried it with powdered graphite and every brush in the house, but it just didn’t look right or feel right. Finally, I grabbed a pencil and started laying in the background with a smooth hatching [...]

Read the full article →

Getting Things Done – An Artist Gets Organized

Sometimes there are just too many ideas in my head! I actually try to block some of them because I just don’t know how to manage them all. I’ve tried to set up a scheduling system that would handle all my ideas several times and I’ve had limited success with big projects, but I’ve never [...]

Read the full article →

The Calligraphy of Trees

It’s Autumn in Michigan and all I see around me are huge stands of trees turning bright colors. Oh, sure, there are other things to draw, but the trees really capture my attention. Now, as the leaves start to fall, the calligraphy of each tree is revealed. Limbs peek out, giving a glimpse of the [...]

Read the full article →

Online Classes – Basic Line Drawing and a New Class Opening Soon

Just wanted to remind everyone that the next session of Basic Line Drawing begins Oct. 29. You can register through the 29th. To keep the week of Thanksgiving as free as possible for everyone, the next session won’t be until Nov. 26.
I’m working on a new class. This one is a texture workshop that lasts [...]

Read the full article →

Creativity, Depression, and SAD

For all of you who suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) in the Northern Hemisphere , it’s time to get out your lights! For those of you who don’t know what a “SAD Light” is, it’s an extremely bright light that we SAD folk stare at for about 20 minutes each morning during autumn, [...]

Read the full article →

← Previous Entries