The Ninth Wave (1850) is a painting by Ivan Aivazovsky and is one of the most iconic seascapes in Russian art. It showcases Aivazovsky’s profound understanding of nature’s forces, especially the sea. The painting depicts a dramatic and emotional scene, filled with tension and awe. Its central theme explores survival, the power of nature, and … Read more
One of the most famous 18th-century painters, Giovanni Battista Tiepolo (1696–1770), is especially renowned for his expansive frescoes and striking use of colour. His 1743 painting, The Banquet of Cleopatra, is a wonderful example of how he combines fervour, drama, and sensitivity. The well-known story of Cleopatra and Mark Antony is depicted in this oil … Read more
Les Demoiselles d’Avignon (1907) is among the 20th century’s most groundbreaking and significant paintings. This masterwork, which was painted by Pablo Picasso, a Spanish artist, represents a turning point in both his career and the evolution of modern art. It not only questions accepted ideas of representation, but it also marks the beginning of Cubism, … Read more
One of the best things about learning to draw is this: If you can draw simple shapes, then you can draw anything! You just need to know how to put those shapes together to create an interesting picture. In this lesson, we are going to be focussing specifically on how to draw cartoon faces (using … Read more
Shape is one of the seven elements of art. They are the building block of every artwork. Without shapes, you won’t get very far in creating a piece of art. Shapes are not only helpful for people who create art, but also for the audience to help them understand an artwork! Shapes are two-dimensional objects … Read more
Robert Delaunay was an early twentieth century French painter famous for his geometric and bright colored artworks. He was one of the earliest known artists who delved into pure abstraction, which prioritzed bright colors over and above objects and form. Delaunay, along with his wife and colleagues, co-founded the Orphism art movement in 1912. What … Read more
Texture is one of the seven elements of art. Texture can be used in different ways to make an artwork look interesting, three dimensional, or just plain cool. Does the artwork look the same way it feels? Has the artwork got an interesting pattern repeated throughout it? All these effects that you can see and … Read more
Some professions strictly require you to have a degree in that field. Illustration is not one of those professions. If you want to a career in illustration, but don’t want to go down the conventional path of getting a degree, then fear not! We now have this thing called the internets! Full of many wonderful … Read more
Adobe Photoshop has many brushes, all with their own strengths and weaknesses. If you’re like me and get overwhelmed with too many options, then I recommend you just start with the most basic brush and give it a few tweaks. Woo! One of the best Photoshop brush settings for lineart requires a hard round brush … Read more
Graphics tablets are amazing. They are the bridge between artist and machine. They help move forward the careers of millions of creators around the world! We all remember the day we came home with our first graphics tablet, plugged it into our computer… Aaaand then realised that they can be pretty difficult to draw on. … Read more