Create your class project!

ASSIGNMENT

Choose at least one of these tips and apply it to your artwork - see the entire list of tips below.

DELIVERABLE

Explain which tip you chose to use. Share your process behind it as well as photos of what you've done or created.

50 TIPS

1. Draw something every day. Create a small sketch or have one drawing that you work on every day. When you allow yourself the time to improve, over time you will see results naturally.

2. Keep a sketchbook and use it as much as possible. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes - they aren’t meant to be perfect.

3. Draw something new. Try something you’ve wanted to do before.

4. Embellish your paintings.

5. Keep a list of ideas from when you’re inspired to reference later on when you don’t know what to draw.

6. Add backgrounds. Sometimes it’s easy to forget to do this. This will make your art look more finished.

7. If you like to keep a color chart in your sketchbook, make it so it folds out so you don’t have to flip back to see it.

8. Seal your pencil sketches with watercolor. The gum arabic in the paint holds the graphite and prevents smudging & transferring.

9. Draw/paint from photographs.

10. The best way to learn to draw is to start drawing; don’t overthink it.

11. Experiment with different mediums.

12. When drawing a portrait, take a photo and flip the image. This way you’ll notice any proportional mistakes that you couldn't see before.

13. Try to finish all your artwork, even if you think it’s not good.

14. Instead of just drawing the object, build the object. Break the image down into parts.

15. Plan your artwork. Sketch quick thumbnails. This will get rid of the fear of a blank page and you can easily visualize the end result. Sketching thumbnails forces you to focus on the larger aspects of the painting such as the composition.

16. Use masking tape to create a border around your paintings. This will also help to avoid the paper from warping. Remember to stick the tape to your clothes first to avoid ripping when you remove it.

17. Create a color palette for your paintings. Swatch different colors together to see what look you want your painting to have.

18. Try to take your time with line work. Think of this as the foundation of the piece. Once you have clean & solid line work, the rest of the process will be easier, rather than going back & forth tweaking smaller parts.

19. Don’t be too focused on art style. Instead, focus on mastering your skills and paint or draw things that you like. When you keep doing this, your art style should come naturally.

20. Don't be afraid to make mistakes. You can’t practice anything without making mistakes at first. The more you practice the less you make them - that’s because you learn from those mistakes.

21. For ultra-fine lining, make sure you’re keeping your pencils sharp throughout the drawing.

22. When working on any art piece, keep The Five C’s in mind. Composition, creativity, craftsmanship, content, and color. If something’s not working in a piece, look back on these and see if one of them is weaker than the others. How are the shapes arranged in your piece? Are they pleasing to the eye? Is your artwork pushing the boundaries or original enough? Does your drawing look clean or put together? Do all elements of the artwork match each other? Do your colors work together and have a scheme?

23. Use a white gel pen for highlights and details that you want to be bright white. I love using this for eye drawings as it creates a glossy effect.

24. Use graphite to transfer your drawings onto a canvas or other types of paper.

25. Take a break from your work and come back to it with fresh eyes. When you’re working on something for a while, you’ll create an over-familiarity with mistakes.

26. Learn color theory and how to properly mix your colors when painting.

27. Take your time. Don’t rush your work when you get an idea.

28. Try sketching with a pen. This will force you to keep drawing even when you think you’ve made a mistake.

29. When sharpening a pencil by hand, turn the sharpener rather than the pencil; this will prevent breakage, especially with softer pencils.

30. Mix your paint before actually painting. Get the colors right so the painting process will be smoother and consistent.

31. When working with watercolor, keep two cups for water. One is used for cleaning your brush, the other is used to add more water to your paint without muddying the colors. The clean water is also an additional second rinse for your brushes.

32. Study visual storytelling. (Color symbolism, symbolism in general, composition, motion, etc.)

33. If there’s something you want to make artwork about, research the elements of it to learn how it looks at different angles and in different lighting.

34. Test different supplies together, such as ink with watercolor. See which inks smear and which don’t.

35. When adding more layers to a watercolor painting, work quickly and smoothly. Avoid too many strokes in order to avoid reactivating the previous layers.

36. If you make a mistake, see if you can make it work with the piece. It might lead you down a path you would never have thought of otherwise.

37. Choose a subject and draw it over and over to engrain what it looks like in your head. Once you really know the elements and shapes of something, you’ll be able to draw it without needing a reference.

38. Use paint brushes to blend charcoal rather than using your fingers.

39. Place a piece of paper between your drawing and your hand. This will prevent charcoal/graphite from getting on your hand and leaving smudges on the drawing.

40. Adjust the values of your drawing to make it pop. If you have a light focus point, use a darker value to surround it and brighten up the highlights

41. When drawing with colored pencils, use an X-ACTO knife to create fine strands of hair.

42. If you’re drawing with graphite or charcoal and you’re using a colored reference, change the photo to black & white to better judge your values and contrast.

43. Use a colorless blender marker to blend out your colored pencil drawings. This will saturate the colors and fuse them together smoothly.

44. If you have a dark sketch it will show underneath colored pencils and watercolors. Use a kneaded eraser to lighten up the pencil just before you start adding color.

45. When painting with watercolors, keep your first layer light and preserve the highlighted areas because it will be harder to get them back later.

46. Similar to color palettes, create swatches of your graphite pencils to easily reference when choosing which ones to draw with.

47. Create your own watercolor palette to have easy access to your most-used paints.

48. Draw from life and do studies. Repetition and persistence is the way to improve.

49. Practice drawing in different styles to see how you work best and what you like the most.

50. Simply draw and paint things that you want. Don’t think about it too much and enjoy watching your art change as you develop over time.

Jade Perez

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