The Only Way Out Is Through: Zen, Art, and Doing It Yourself
A personal reflection on how Zen philosophy influences my creative process. I explore beginner’s mind, letting go of perfection, and why doing your own work—your own way—is the only real path to growth in art, writing, and life.
New Masters Academy Drawing Foundations 1: weeks 2–5 progress notes
In my last post Why I Joined New Masters Academy and chose the Illustration Track, I covered Week 1 of Drawing Foundations 1. This update picks up from there, with progress through Weeks 2–5. While most of the material so far is review, I’ve found that each week holds at least one useful reminder or […]
Why I joined New Masters Academy and chose the Illustration Track
Curious about New Masters Academy? Here’s why I joined, how I chose the illustration track, and what Week 1 of their structured art program is really like.
Navigating the future of illustration (and my own)
I fell off the illustration bandwagon this week while working on a novel. But I did manage some drawing practice, learning “Weight Drawing,” and had a realization while reading Heller’s The Education of an Illustrator about how AI is just another evolution in the industry, much like photography and digital tools were.
How the Loomis method makes me a better artist but steals my soul
In this week’s SketchAwesome challenge, I explored the Loomis method for sketching heads. It improved my technical skills, but I found the sketches lacked expressiveness.
Overcoming little struggles and rediscovering how tech can be good
This week’s progress in my Illustration Quest came with some challenges, like tackling flash pose drawing and rethinking my routine.
How to layer gouache: my third week with SketchAwesome
This week, I faced my challenges with gouache in the SketchAwesome program, navigating tricky color mixes and layering techniques. Though it’s not my favorite medium, these exercises offered a welcome break from structured practice and helped me find joy in creative exploration, complementing my ongoing Illustration Quest.
Exciting beginnings: my self-taught art journey, week 1
My first week on a self-taught art journey has been filled with unexpected challenges, inspiring discoveries, and a renewed sense of creative freedom. Join me as I explore foundational skills, face new trials, and uncover what it means to truly learn the art of illustration.
Sketching scary sea life for SketchAwesome week 2
Check out this fun sketching session of a scary looking shark and a goldfish that looks like it’s been spooked!
Creating a flexible ‘map’ for my illustration quest
Check out my plan to boost illustration skills: improve drawing, composition, and storytelling. Learning at my own pace with no pressure!
The start of a new journey
When I retired, I thought I’d finally dive into art, but despite tutorials and new supplies, I felt stuck. I realized I needed guidance, not just inspiration. So, I’m creating a self-taught course to grow my skills. Follow along as I document my journey and share insights for fellow creatives!
Can soluble graphite be used like watercolor? SketchAwesome week 1
SketchAwesome has started, and week 1 is all about experimenting with watersoluble graphite. It’s an interesting media that has a learning curve.
SketchAwesome: a new sketchbook habit?
I’ve given up on an online business. But there’s one thing I’d like to do: make sketching a daily habit. SketchAwesome might help with that!
How to make a good art composition: start the right way!
Before making thumbnails, even before making decisions about what you want to include in your drawing, the most important thing a beginner can do to improve a composition is to ensure that the drawing will be made in the same proportion as the reference or view that’s being drawn. A viewcatcher makes this easy.
Art is wine: metaphors, AI and a book review
Do artists have an advantage over AI? In this post I look at metaphorical communication and try an experiment with an AI image generator.
15 tips for staying safe while urban sketching
One of the best ways to learn is by making mistakes. In this post, I talk about how I self-critique when my art fails.