Artist Strong Blog
Enjoy interviews and articles about creative process and our inherent creative spirit.3 Tips for a Stronger Art Composition
In this feedback session on creating strong compositions (inside my course Self-Taught to Self-Confident) we talk about: (1) A quality tip from an en plein air artist about creating composition (2) How to use soft marks to layout your composition before you really...
How to use a Baseline Drawing to Improve Your Art
Who you should really compare your art to... In this video we are going to look at a baseline, or pre-assessment, drawing from a student inside my program Self-Taught to Self-Confident. I discuss: the purpose of a baseline drawing, how long a baseline drawing should...
How to Use Cross Contour Studies to Create Compositions
I encourage students inside my program Self-Taught to Self-Confident to explore different practice strategies to inform their original art. For example, musicians practice things like scales to warm up and develop tone, fingering, and other skills that improve their...
How to create smooth transitions in ink
I recently had this big “aha” moment where I realized for all these years of art-making I’ve always downplayed my drawing. In the back of my mind, drawing had to be for planning, idea development, and was ultimately a way to start a painting. This was despite the...
My process for acrylic portraits
There is a gift in studying the process of different artists: some of their techniques or strategies may add something special or new to your work. Today I will walk you through my process for my body of paintings called Anonymous Woman. In this video you will learn:...
How do you name your artwork?
Struggling to name an artwork? You aren’t alone. I’ve had quite a few people confess that their Untitled artwork is more about feeling intimidated or overwhelmed to choose a name for their art rather than it being integral or important to the meaning of the work. I...
What does “gallery ready” mean?
What does it mean to have your artwork "gallery ready?" Do YOU have a question about certain terms, details in an application you don't quite understand? Post your questions below and I'll choose some for a future episode.
After your art is rejected… what’s next?
Just this week I applied to three opportunities. Within two days one already got back to me: my art wasn’t selected for the show. I was a bit surprised because I thought my work was a really strong fit. At the same point in time I shrugged my shoulders and went on...
How to Master Likeness in Portraits
Hi my name is Carrie and here on Artist Strong I help artists like you build your skill and develop your unique artist voice. Today I want to talk about mastering likeness in your portraits. We are going to talk about: How capturing likeness isn’t about copying the...