Portrait & Figurative Art: How to Draw or Paint People & Figures

Mastering figurative art is no small feat, particularly when it comes to portrait art. Rendering the human form, in any medium, requires careful attention to proportions, scale, and familiarity with anatomy. Here we delve into must-know information on figure painting and portraiture, from how to draw people and how to draw portraits to moving beyond a sense of likeness to capture a figure’s essence.

Drawing Is the Heart

Posted on June 14, 2013 by McKenzie Graham, Associate Editor

Self-portrait With a Star of David by Juliette Aristides

Drawing is the heart and soul of art. It is, however, often underestimated and sometimes even feared, because otherwise diligent artists are dissuaded by the commitment of time required. In the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, in the wake of Abstract Expressionism, neo-Expressionism, and the vogue for assemblage and installation art, drawing all but disappeared from the curriculum of most art schools. Full Article

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Color and Light | Exceptional Watercolor Paintings

Posted on June 4, 2013 by Cherie Haas, Online Editor

watercolor portrait_Brothers in Arms by Kim Johnson

Today’s guest editor is Rachel Rubin Wolf, artist and author of many North Light Books; most recently she edited Splash 14: Light and Color, which is a compilation of the “Best of Watercolor” paintings discovered in the Splash Art Competition. The following is an excerpt from this celebratory book. Full Article

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Painting Facial Features with Sharon Sprung

Posted on May 30, 2013 by vanessaw

In these two portrait painting workshops, you’ll learn how to paint a variety of skin tones, as well as how to simplify and paint facial features. You’ll learn how to paint eyes, noses and mouths to create realistic, lifelike faces. … Full Article

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Art Lessons with Lee Hammond

Posted on May 23, 2013 by vanessaw

The best thing about online and video education is that it’s so easy to follow along. You can pause and rewind over and over again, all while seeing how your favorite artist pulls off what seems so difficult–and they make … Full Article

Posted in Acrylic Painting Techniques & Art, Animal Art: Drawing & Painting Birds Horses Dogs & More, Best Art Books from Jen’s North Light Picks, Colored Pencil Art & Techniques, Drawing Techniques: How to Draw People Animals Landscapes & More, Landscape Painting: Techniques & Tutorials, Portrait & Figurative Art: How to Draw or Paint People & Figures | Tagged Animal Art: Drawing & Painting Birds Horses Dogs & More, Drawing Techniques: How to Draw People Animals Landscapes & More | Comments Off

Go for the Glow! | Luminescent Acrylic Paints and Tom Bacher

Posted on May 8, 2013 by Christine McHugh, Managing Editor

New York City painting by Tom Bacher in daylight

Using luminescent acrylic paints, Tom Bacher paints landscapes and portraits with spectacular lighting effects. He combines different brands of fluorescent and phosphorescent paints to achieve the look he wants for various elements in paintings that change in color and composition over time. Full Article

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Our May 2013 Artist of the Month | Paul Chapman and his Acrylic Painting

Posted on May 1, 2013 by Cherie Haas, Online Editor

A Quick Brush Up, acrylic painting, Paul Chapman

Congratulations to artist Paul Chapman,a finalist in The Artist’s Magazine’s Annual Art Competition. Read about his acrylic self-portrait, A Quick Brush Up. Full Article

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Step-by-Step Demo: A Portrait in Colored Pencil

Posted on April 30, 2013 by McKenzie Graham, Associate Editor

Opaline Dreams (colored pencil and water-soluble crayon, 20x12) by Shawn Falchetti

In this free painting demo, Shawn Falchetti’s demonstrates how to create his portrait painting “Opaline Dreams” with colored pencil and water-soluble crayon. Full Article

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New eMag! How to Draw People

Posted on March 30, 2013 by Brian Riley

Check out the latest eMagazine, brought to you by the editors of Drawing and The Artist’s Magazine, for great tips on how to draw people. Get key lessons from artists Janvier Rollande and Joy Thomas on how to create dynamic graphite and … Full Article

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Creative Freedom | A Free Demo

Posted on March 26, 2013 by Cherie Haas, Online Editor

I recently told you about Maggie Price’s newest book, Creative Freedom: 52 Art Ideas, Projects and Exercises to Overcome Your Creativity Block, and the response was so positive that I’d like to share an excerpt from one of the contributing writers, so you don’t have to just take it from me. Get the free demo here! Full Article

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How Doing the Limbo Earned a Man Immortality

Posted on March 14, 2013 by Cherie Haas, Online Editor

watercolor portrait painting by E. Richard Clark

I’d like to congratulate self-taught artist E. Richard Clark. The National Watercolor Society (NWS) has recognized his watercolor painting Antigua, Street Limbo (below) with the “NWS Purchase Award with Silver Star.” Full Article