by Carrie | Build Your Skill
You Don’t Need to Stop Using Photo References to Become an Original Artist I posted on Threads that “you do not need to stop using photo references to become an original artist.” While most agreed with me and talked about the extensive records across art history of...
by Carrie | Build Your Skill
Moving Beyond Copying and Tracing: How to Grow as an Artist A Brief History of Copying and Tracing in Art Before we even begin, I need you to understand something: copying and tracing have a long history in art. They are not new, and they are not inherently wrong....
by Carrie | Style Study Session
Artist Strong Style Study Session: Alice Neel How to Study an Artist’s Style (and What It Can Teach You About Observation, Humanity, and Artistic Voice) How do you create portraits that feel alive? How do you move beyond simply recording what someone looks like...
by Carrie | Build Your Skill
Using References Beyond Realism It’s so easy to get stuck on copying photos. Often they already have a lovely composition, strong contrasts, a balance of colors we find appealing. So, halfway through, when we see it coming together, there’s reluctance to lose the...
by Carrie | Develop Your Unique Artist Voice
How to Rekindle Your Creativity as an Artist In a recent video I talked about the rules and expectations we have around drawing or painting from imagination. And I got this lovely response from someone in the community: And it got me thinking about the importance of...
