Art Tips & Videos

Finding The Beauty On The Mundane

It was a rainy fall day in Florida. I was working on a portrait commission at my home studio with the patio door open, listening to the raindrops falling on the pavers. Inside the house, the lights were on, since the clouds were overcasting the daylight. I was working on three commissions at the time, and my home studio seemed like a factory line. The commissions were line up one after the other. I planned to work two hours on each commission each day. This approach was helping me advance the projects as well as letting the oil paint dry. 

In one of my breaks, while cleaning my brushes and walking in the kitchen to grab something to eat, something caught my eye. It was an onion. And onion? Yes, a simple creamish orangy onion...

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Using Thumbnail Sketches

When students tell me, "Miss Vanessa, I have an idea for a painting/drawing. It is all in my head. How do I start?" My answer is straightforward, "Did you draw your thumbnails sketches?" Most of them answered no. When I ask why they haven't done them, their answer is always because that takes extra time. Yes, it is true that drawing thumbnails sketches add more time to the creative process. However, using thumbnails sketches can help artist formulate ideas, make important decisions before the artist start on his/her painting and resolve compositional questions.

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How To Clean Paint Brushes?

Here is my latest blog post. The subject is how to clean you acrylic and oil paint brushes while painting and after you finish painting. Go clean your brushes!

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An Easy Strategy To Reach Your Artistic Goal!

Are you looking to paint more paintings this year? Are you looking to make your life an artist masterpiece? Maybe, this is the year you stop procrastinating and start creating more art. Perhaps, you want to create the ultimate portfolio that stands out of the crowd. No matter what artist goals you want to achieve, here is an easy strategy to reach your artistic goals.

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Painting From Your Mind Rather Than From a Photo or Observation.

Painting from one's mind rather than a photograph or observation can be tough. However, if you focus, it could be one of the most rewarding gifts to an artist. The ability to put on paper or canvas what he/she sees in his/her mind doesn’t come easy for everyone. But with a little bit of training, programming, observation and emotion anyone can achieve it.

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Why Should You Have A Sketchbook?

The subject is why as an artist you should have a sketchbook. Find the resaons why haveing an sketchbook matter.

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The Health Benefits of Art

Have you ever wonder what are the health benefits of doing art? On this blog I post some of the benefits of creating art.

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Don't Quit Creating Art! Sucess Is Right Around The Corner.

How to deal with your art not being accepted at a show? Why you shouldn't quit but focus on creating more art?

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How To Protect Your Artwork From Being Damage?

Which are the most common ways artworks gets destroyed? Answer: Water damage, direct sunlight, and physical damage.
Here are some few tips on how to protect your artwork from being damage.

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Making Your Own Environmentally Friendly Paint!

Continuing with the theme of my previous blog What Can We Do as Artists to Reduce Our Footprint on Our Planet?, this blog will present you with options for alternative paint. If you are adventurous, have the time and want to have more control of the ingredients you use in your art-making, then this blog is for you.

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What Can We Do as Artists to Reduce Our Footprint on Our Planet?

Happy Earth Day!

As artists, we depict our planet in many ways and forms using different mediums and surfaces. We draw and paint landscapes, the sky, the ocean, the animals and the beauty of the light. We use watercolors, mediums, oils, acrylics, chalks and so on. But have we ever stop for moment and ask ourselves if our actions as artists might be affecting the planet we so much admire and which inspire us? I have. I am conscious that my actions as an artist might be affecting that which I most admire: Nature.

As a result, I wanted to share a list of ideas to on how to reduce our footprint on our planet while still creating art.

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How Do I Frame My Own Artwork?

One of the questions I am frequently asked by my students is how do I frame my own artwork? With so many options these days, you can frame your own artwork for a fraction of what it would cost if you took it to a frame shop. So let's get you started.

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How to take pictures of your artwork for non photographers

One of the questions students always ask me is "Miss Vanessa, how do I take good pictures of my own artwork?" I thought it would be a great topic to cover before the show and before they frame their artwork.

Before you start clicking away with your iPhone or Polaroid, there are some questions you should ask yourself...

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How to Keep Your Drawing Clean?

When you need to work on a drawing that requires your hands and arms to rest on the artwork, these are some tips that can help you keep your artwork clean:

1) Cover the area of your drawing where your hands and arms are going to rest. You can cover it using a paper, newsprint paper or simple paper towels. You can tape the covering paper to your drawing board to prevent it from moving.

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Vanessa Montenegro Pelicano pastel drawing