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Drawing from reference falls into a sticky territory. Is it bad? Is it cheating? Is it actually helpful? There’s a common misconception that drawing from reference is the same as copying, but it’s not. In fact, you could end up with a very original and unique piece, even after using a reference photo. Drawing from …

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There’s nothing like opening up a new blending stump, tortillon, or kneaded eraser. Mainly because they are so clean! But, even if you have old blending tools and erasers, there’s still hope. You can clean them and get them back to new.  To clean a blending stump or tortillion, rub the tip of it with …

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It’s so frustrating to have a beautiful and buttery acrylic painting envisioned in your mind, only for it to be full of steaks and obvious brush strokes. You try adding water; redoing your brush strokes; switching brushes; nothing seems to work. How can you eliminate brush strokes and streaks for good and have smooth acrylic …

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There’s something so dramatic and wonderful about pulling out a large drawing pad and opening it to a blank page. So much creative potential!  Storing large drawing pads and drawings is about getting creative with your space and having the right storage units and tools that will ensure that your art doesn’t get damaged, but …

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Finishing the last page of a sketchbook feels like victory. You’ve done it! You’ve filled an entire sketchbook with art. Now what? There is so much pride that comes with filling up sketchbooks, but we’re often at a loss for what to do with them. Eventually, they pile up on a bookshelf for us to …

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Colored pencils and crayons are classic art mediums. We all have memories of both of them dating back to our youngest art years. In a lot of ways, they seem really similar, yet, they have some really important differences well. In the debate between colored pencils and crayons, which one wins? Which one is better? …

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There’s a huge difference between light and grainy colored pencil drawings, and dark and vibrant colored pencil drawings. We all want the dark and vibrant option, but it can seem really hard to do. Is there some secret trick to achieving this professional-grade colored pencil technique?  To darken colored pencils, focus on putting down multiple …

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