Active Fine Art Posts

How To: Draw people

Learning how to draw people is one of the most difficult projects an artist can take on, but with the help of our expert, you will be able to draw the human body to scale with ease and skill. Get these figure drawing art lessons for free in this series of videos.

How To: Use a photographic enlarger

A photographic enlarger is a piece of equipment used to produce photographic prints from film or glass negatives. Learn more about photographic enlargers and how to use them from a professional photographer in this free video. Use a photographic enlarger - Part 1 of 26.

How To: Lampwork a glass curly-Q

This instructional lampworking video shows how to make flame worked coils of glass.Use a rod of cold, thick glass to wrap the curly-q around. Using a thin, molten string of glass, feed the melted glass into the torch flame as you slowly turn the cold glass rod. This will create a quick and delicate glass coil.

How To: Throw a pot using two rubber ribs

Watch this instructional ceramics video to learn how to throw and shape with two ribs at the same time. Learn some basic tips of coning on a pottery wheel by squeezing slowly all the way up. It's another process in the wedging department that compresses the clay. Once you get the rhythm of the pottery wheel, give it a try and soon you'll be producing your own ceramics.

How To: Set up a big white infinity sweep for photo studio

This instructional photography video shows how to setup large white infinity backgrounds in the photo studio. The key components to this setup is include this six foot octobox softbox light, which requires quite a bit of power; a framed aluminum reflector; the background itself is vinyl floor painted white; and a black baffle to shield the camera from lens flare. Set up professional looking shoots and take great portraits with this tutorial.

How To: Stencil a t-shirt with a custom freezer paper stencil

Watch this instructional stenciling video to create your own stencil using a few simple tools. This stencil was created in Adobe Photoshop 7.0. You will need freezer paper, X-acto knife, a t-shirt, stiff cardboard,fabric paint, a foam brush, poly glitter (optional), and an iron. You can stencil a number of t-shirts once you have cut out the freezer paper stencil.

How To: Use active D-Lighting for your photo shoots

This instructional photography video explains step-by-step the features of active D-Lighting: what it can do and how it affects your images. Active D-Lighting allows you to photograph in various lighting situations for more neutral contrast results. Here is a basic explanation of the settings on a professional Nikon photo camera:

How To: Understand focal length on your photo camera

This instructional photography video explains and shows the difference in zoom lenses' focal lengths. This basic demonstration uses a Nikon professional photo camera to exhibit the various zoom lenses, and provides examples of its photographic capabilities. Watch this video and improve your photography skills.

How To: Build a useful inexpensive Tripod for your camera

Watch this instructional photography video that shows how to build a useful, inexpensive tripod for the amateur photographer on a budget. This tripod will be more useful than most commercial tripods with only a plastic bag full of beans. The result is a stable, useful extension with minimal photographic inhibitions that works on any surface. A great how to video for the amatuer photographer.

How To: Prepare a photography portfolio presentation

Putting together a print portfolio for your photography? This instructional photography video provides some suggestions on photographic portfolios and how to assemble a portfolio. It is very important to have a good online presence, a nice gallery of your work to show. But there are advantages to having a print portfolio as well.

How To: Center on the potter's wheel with clay

Perfect your ability to center on a Potter's wheel with these tips from Andy Ruble. There are several different ways to go about centering, but the general principle is to put equal pressure on the top and side of the ball of clay and clay has no choice but to go in the middle. This instructional ceramics video is designed to help the beginning through advanced ceramic student improve their throwing skills.

How To: Collar ceramics

This instructional ceramics video is designed to help the beginning through advanced ceramic student improve their throwing skills. Learn hand/finger placement when pulling cylinders. Perfect your ability to collar ceramics well with these tips from Andy Ruble. Collar all sorts of tall, fun little items.

How To: Make steampunk gloves

Watch this instructional fashion video to learn how to make steampunk gloves. All you need are the following items: a pair of scissors, some ribbon, grommet setter, anvil, grommets, marker, ruler, and leather. Soon you'll be able to don your steampunk outfit and show off your creative fashion sense.

How To: Problem solve small product photography techniques

This instructional photography video explains how to problem solve small product issues. Two ways to tackle a particular challenge is through pre-production and the other in post-production. There are many different ways a photographer can approach and deal with a challenge. The more knowledge you have about different methodologies about photography, the better and easier you will be able to solve those problems when they occur.

How To: Light a '57 Chevy in the photo studio

Watch this instructional photography video with Jim Talkington and learn how to light a '57 Chevy in a photo studio. This is a beautiful car, but it prevents some challenges in photographing the shiny paint and chrome surface. In this tutorial, experiment how to set up the lighting. This video is great for car aficionados. Practice these tips and improve your photography skills.

How To: Master the classic three light studio portrait

Watch this instructional photography video with Jim Talkington and learn how to light a studio portrait using three lights. This is the classic three light portrait technique using a main light, fill card, hair light and background light in the photo studio. Adding additional lights should bring out texture, extra detail, and three dimensionality. Practice these tips and improve your photography skills.

How To: Take photographs like Gregory Crewdson

In this Ovation TV original special, acclaimed photographer Gregory Crewdson shares with us his insight into his photographic techniques. Like a film, he uses a lot of production, a lot of lighting, a lot of set design. He is an American photographer best known for elaborately staged, surreal scenes of American homes and neighborhoods. Learn how to take pictures like this master artist.

How To: Stencil your own shirt

Check out this interesting video to make photorealistic stencils for t-shirts, bags, and other accessories. This video documents how to make a Nikola Tesla shirt. With Adobe Photoshop, it is possible to simplify a found image into a graphic format perfect for stenciling. You can then print out the altered image into mylar or another water resistant paper. After carefully cutting out the stencil, place the mylar over an ironed t-shirt. Complete the stenciling process by dabbing paint into all ...

How To: Decorate ceramics with a torch

Try using a blowtorch to dry the outer portion of a ceramic pot. While the clay is still on the pottery wheel, cut light marks into the outer wall of the pot. Dry the outermost layer of wet clay with a blowtorch. When you continue to stretch and form the wet clay on the wheel, witness an interesting cracking effect.

How To: Throw a double walled vase

Follow this example to throw a double walled ceramic vase. This is a decorative motif in ceramics, and a tricky process to complete. After the pice dries a little, make sure to cut some holes in the top layer of clay, to prevent an explosion in the kiln. As shown, you can also carve decorative designs in the outer pot.

How To: Make a fused glass pendant

Learn how to make a fused pendant from sheet glass. This video shows the visual procedure of creating fused glass pendants with a torch and a kiln. You can fuse pieces of glass together with a torch and then bake the designs to perfection. While there are certainly more laborious details involved in the process, this video provides a helpful visual overview.

How To: Lampwork glass rain drops

This is a quick lampworking instructional video showing how to make borosilicate glass rain drops using a torch. The glass needs some careful sculpting to form a clear glass loop at the top. This process can be repeated to make several rain drop ornaments. Brush up on your lampworking skills with this fun glass tutorial.

How To: Make mini glass mobiles

Watch this instructional video to make a mini glass mobile. You will need pliers, pieces of wire, some wire rings, and a fishing loop to attach the different pieces. The earlier processes involved melting wire to pieces of glass, but here we witness the fun part of making a mobile. With a small hand made S hook, the mobile can hang in any doorway or window frame.