Are you stuck in a color rut? Using the same old palette of colors again and again? Step outside your comfort zone with these exercises and inject some variety into your work. Start with an analogous color scheme. Analogous colors are next to each other on the color wheel. So think red, red-orange and yellow. Too subtle, you think? Perhaps. But that’s the idea. How do you make a decent painting with colors so close to each other? Mark Rothko anyone? Try out a monochromatic color scheme. A monochrome palette will use only one color but in varying tints (mixed with white) and shades (mix ..read more

I’m just starting my fiction writing career at the age of 69. I’ve written three books of non-fiction but fiction? It’s another can of worms entirely. So I consider myself a self-taught fiction writer. This idea dovetails nicely with this week’s blog post. Self-taught artists - some of whom started at an advanced age. How many of these did you know? We're all familiar with Grandma Moses: (1860-1961) Anna Mary Robertson Moses, widely known as Grandma Moses, began her artistic career in her 70s. She became renowned for her folk art paintings depicting rural life, capturing the beauty and simplic ..read more

  I’ll admit it - I’m a tech nerd. I never miss the Apple announcements. I create art on my iPad (as well as on canvas) and I love finding and using the newest tools in my work. So it’s natural that I should play with the latest craze, AI - artificial intelligence. I’ve used AI to generate art on Midjourney.com. I’ve used it to brainstorm blog posts. I’ve used it to make an audit of my website. I’ve even used it to make a to-do list. So, is AI for you? There’s no chance of closing the barn door - this horse has left the stable. It’s not a matter of whether AI will affect you - it’s a mat ..read more

  Think you need a gallery show to sell your work? Think again. I've sold my work on the sidewalk, out of a restaurant, from a park, in a pop-up show, and of course, in a gallery. But most of my sales have been outside of the gallery setting. Of course, these days, it's easy to sell your work without a gallery - and you should. So here are some ways to start selling your work, and none of them involve a gallery.  Coffee shops, restaurants, real estate offices, and hair salons: Many coffee shops and restaurants feature rotating displays of local artists' work. Artists can reach out ..read more

The Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh, scanned by the Google Art Project Vincent van Gogh changed my life. I started my art education as an illustrator. But I was terrible. I wouldn’t do the homework properly. I couldn’t paint boxes of Cheerios (back then, we hand-painted everything, no computers.) It seemed so dull. Instead, I would paint a large reclining nude in front of the box of Cheerios. I exasperated my teachers. My paintings were good, but I could not follow directions. So after a year or so of struggling and making lousy grades, the director of the illustration department called me i ..read more

Red and Black Abstract - Created in Procreate by Tesia Blackburn Looking to get started in abstract painting? Wondering how to begin? Check out these tips from a seasoned pro. I’ve been an abstract painter (both digital and traditional) for decades. Take it from me… having a plan helps, a lot! For more great tips, check out my book Acrylic Painting With Passion available in hardback and on Kindle. Color exploration: Start by selecting a color palette that inspires you and experiment with layering and blending colors on the canvas. You can use a variety of tools such as brushes, palette kniv ..read more

  The 20th century saw many women artists breaking barriers, experimenting with new styles and mediums, and achieving significant recognition and influence in the art world. This list is by no means exhaustive. I’m sure if you lined up ten authors and asked them to give you the top ten women artists of the 20th century, you would get ten different lists. Here’s mine. Ninth Street Women : Lee Krasner, Elaine de Kooning, Grace Hartigan, Joan Mitchell, and Helen Frankenthaler: Five Painters and the Movement That Changed Modern Art Georgia O’Keeffe “Rust Hills” Georgia O'Keeffe (1887-198 ..read more

  Studio in a box, portable art space…call it what you want, but if you're an artist working from home or in a limited space, this list is for you. We've all been there. Limited space and too much to do. So whether you have a tiny studio, or just the kitchen table - this list is for you! The Basics - what you need at a minimum. I made this little video for my students starting out in the 20 Minute Artist Program. It’s useful for just about anyone starting out. Here’s the list of what’s included in the above video. And a couple of extras Golden Fluid Paints Princeton Brushes Canvas Panels ..read more

Here's a look at the different viscosities of Golden acrylic paint and how to use them DOWNLOAD MY FREE 7 PAGE BOOKLET ON MIXING COLOR.  http://www.acrylicdiva.com/free-color-wheel ..read more

   In his book “Steal Like An Artist” Austin Kleon lays out the “rules” of stealing. And I like them. I’m paraphrasing here but you should read his book. Cardinale Fernando Niño de Guevara, by El Greco/ Honor, don’t degrade. Make your copies pay homage to their source. Study your mentor (who you’re stealing from). Don’t just skim Wikipedia about her or him. Find out what really made them do what they did. Steal from a lot of folks. Don’t just steal from one person. That’s borderline at best. Now granted you can be inspired by one person for awhile (Rauschenberg was inspired by de K ..read more