Our eyes instinctively seek out areas of contrast, no matter what we’re looking at—so it makes sense to add patterns high-intensity contrast to our artwork as well.
In the video below, George James demonstrates one method for creating a pattern of light and dark in a painting. And as you’ll see in just a moment, it really doesn’t matter how the light is actually hitting the figure. . . this technique is all about creating a pattern of visual interest for the viewer. Take a look:
You can also find George James’s full watercolor tutorial at Creative Catalyst.
Finally, my "big project" is finished! It’s been a crazy day with a lot going on, but foliotwist.com is finally live and online! Since I’ve kept it a complete secret up until launch, here’s a quick (mostly visual) overview of what it does. . .read more
There are a number of ways to create visual interest in a work of art, but today's video tutorial focuses on just one—creating visual pathways through your artwork. In the clip below, George James demonstrates how a simple teacup drawing can be changed to include a dynamic and engaging v. . . read more
In today's video clip, it's interesting to see how Jean Pederson adds depth and contrast to her watercolor portrait by simply dropping in some complementary colors. After many more layers of paint, the final result is stunning. Take a look: If you're interested, you can get Jean's full waterco. . . read more
In an abstract painting (as opposed to a realistic one) it's more important than ever to be conscious of design elements like line quality, texture, value contrast, and so on. For today's video tutorial, watercolor painter John Salminen demonstrates how he creates hard edges through masking, w. . . read more
In today's video tutorial, watercolor painter Carl Dalio demonstrates his techniques for painting cloudy skies. After sketching out his entire drawing on watercolor paper, Carl starts right in with the sky. Take a look: Click here to get the full-length tutorial by Carl Dalio from Creative Cat. . . read more
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