Hot Fine Art How-Tos
How To: Create a more powerful photo with depth of field
Creating extremely impactful pictures can all be up to Depth of Field. You can either put more or less focus on your subject with various techniques. In this video you will learn how to determine distance with aperture, focal length, and distance from subject techniques.
How To: Transfer printer toner to your ceramic work
Printer toner has enough iron oxide in it to allow ceramic artists to transfer the images onto unfired clay. Then, when you fire the clay, the image will be transfered onto the piece, without having to deal with extra painting or glazing.
How To: Make marbleized artwork paintings with shaving cream and food coloring
Put down the paintbrush and the easel, you don't need them anymore. At least, if you're wanting to create some cool marble-like art pieces. In lieu of the normal painting supplies, grab some shaving cream and some food coloring and you can create some awesome marbleized artworks. See how!
How To: Take good self-portraits with a digital camera
Self portraits once required a big mirror and hours of introspection. Now, with digital cameras, you can take a great one in only a few minutes! Watch this video for tips on taking a really appealing self portrait with only some simple equipment.
How To: Draw a simple giraffe (jirafa)
Capture the beauty of the largest land-living animals, the giraffe, in a simple drawing. You needn't be an experienced artist to sketch this giraffe, it's easy enough for anyone. If you want, try expanding upon this ungulate mammal drawing of the giraffe, make it more detailed, illustrate it with its well-known colors. "Jirafa" is the Spanish translation of giraffe.
How To: Draw a simple bull (toro)
If you're looking for an easy way to draw a bull, you've hit the bull's-eye in this drawing tutorial. So, if you've been having trouble drawing this mighty land beast, take the bull by the horns and start sketching! See the illustration process, which outlines an easy male cattle art piece. "Toro" is the Spanish translation of bull.
How To: Draw a simple cow (vaca)
Don't have a cow! Actually, do have a cow, or more specifically, draw a cow. This video illustrates the simple process of drawing a cow. Cattle are fairly easy to outline, so if you're not a great artist, don't worry, it's easy! "Vaca" is the Spanish translation of cow.
How To: Draw and color a simple rooster or cock (gallo)
Most would (unfortunately) picture Vincent Gallo when "gallo" is spoken aloud. But it's actually a Spanish word, which translates to rooster, and even cock, which just happens to bring up connotations of the swollen controversy over Gallo's film "The Brown Bunny".
How To: Draw a simple eagle (águila)
Learn to draw the mighty bird of prey, the eagle. Eagles tend to frequent national symbols like the "Coat of Arms", for countries like Egypt, Mexico, Germany, Austria, Russia and Armenia. It's more famous as The Great Seal of the United States. So, eagles seem to be one of the most influential birds in the world, so why wouldn't you want to learn how to draw it? This how-to illustrates the step-by-step details to drawing an eagle, "Águila" is the Spanish translation of eagle.
How To: Draw a simple swordfish (pez espada)
With a few quick swipes of your sword, er… pencil, you could easily replicate this simple drawing of a swordfish. This gamefish has a streamlined body and a long flattened swordlike snout, that's sure to capture anybody's attention. Watch this video to see the illustration process of the swordfish. "Pez espada" is the Spanish translation of swordfish.
HowTo: Draw With a Bicycle
Joseph L. Griffiths, an Australian artist who resides in Paris, has created a DIY bicycle-powered drawing machine. I'd like to see a video of the piece in action.
How To: Draw a simple dove (paloma) bird
It doesn't matter whether you're a dove fan or a pigeon fan, this video tutorial will show you how to draw both! Well, that mostly is because "dove" and "pigeon" are used interchangeably, with most variations caused by size (pigeons = big; doves = small). This drawing guide illustrates the step-by-step details to drawing a pigeon/dove. "Paloma" is the Spanish translation of dove (or pigeon).
How To: Draw a simple brontosaurus (brontosaurio) dinosaur
Enter the Jurassic Period with this drawing tutorial on the dinosaur commonly referred to as the brontosaurus (or just brontosaur). It's actual genus is called apatosaurus, which is a sauropod dinosaur, one of the largest land animals ever! This how-to illustrates the step-by-step details to drawing the mighty brontosaurus. "Brontosaurio" is the Spanish translation of brontosaurus.
How To: Draw a simple and colorful clownfish (pez payaso)
Capture the charisma of the clown and the charm of a marine fish into a masterpiece called the clownfish! Actually, the clownfish is as real as they come, with bold vertical stripes and bright coloration, and are sometimes referred to as anemone fish, because they live in close proximity to anemones. This video illustrates the step-by-step details to drawing a clownfish. "Pez payaso" is the Spanish translation of clownfish.
How To: Draw a simple dolphin (delfín)
Watch this video guide that shows you the steps to drawing your very own Flipper-like friend— the dolphin. It's a very easy drawing to accomplish, and the video illustrates, step-by-step, the process of creating a dolphin portrait. It's a simple one, so grab you cocktail napkin and pencil. "Delfín" is the Spanish translation of dolphin.
How To: Draw a simple shark (tiburón)
Master the skill of marine fish by learning how to draw a shark. This is a very easy drawing that anybody can do, in which you'll see how to draw the shark's body, dorsal fin, tail and pectoral fins. This is a very easy, step-by-step illustration of the aquatic beast that terrorizes the waters. "Tiburón" is the Spanish translation of shark.
How To: Draw and color a simple tiger (tigre)
Try your hands at drawing this ferocious cat— the tiger. If you haven't any artistic skills, you can still draw this simple tiger. This video illustrates the step-by-step details to drawing and coloring a Panthera tigris. "Tigre" is the Spanish translation of tiger.
How To: Draw a simple rose (rosa) flower
Forget buying your sweetheart a rose, show her that you really care by spending some time drawing a simple, yet elegant rose yourself. Nothing says "I love you" more than a handmade gift, and this rose drawing is perfect if you're not much of an artist. It's really easy to sketch out. "Rosa" is the Spanish translation of rose.
How To: Draw a simple horse (caballo)
Capture the striking beauty of the horse in a simple artistic drawing. This video guide illustrates the step-by-step details to drawing a horse, so if you've never been able to before, this is where you should start. It's really simple. Add a horn on top and you've got yourself a unicorn! "Caballo" is the Spanish translation of horse.
How To: Draw a simple frog (rana)
Just because a frog is small, doesn't mean it's easy to draw, unless you follow along to this video guide, which illustrates the step-by-step details to drawing a simple frog. Complete this frog drawing in not time! "Rana" is the Spanish translation of frog.
How To: Draw a simple tusked elephant (elefante)
This video will show you the step-by-step details to drawing an elephant with tusks. It's a really simple drawing, one easy to follow along to. Elephants are powerful creatures, so capture their strength in your own elephant drawing. "Elefante" is the Spanish translation of elephant.
How To: Draw a wolf (lobo) howling at the moon
Wolves are amazing creatures, especially when they're howling at the moon. Capture this powerful and elegant prowess of the wolf in a drawing. You can learn the step-by-step details to drawing a wolf howling into the moonlight in this drawing guide. "Lobo" is the Spanish translation of wolf.
How To: Draw a simple Japanese-style dragon (dragón)
If you like the dragon art in Japanese and Chinese culture, then you know the intricateness of the artwork. But you can make your own simplified version at home with some paper and a pen. This video will show you the step-by-step details to drawing a Japanese-style dragon. "Dragón" is the Spanish translation of dragon.
How To: Melt a vinyl record in the oven and shape it into a plastic bowl
Spice up your next party with some unique party dishes, and we're not talking about food here, we're talking about the actual dishes, specifically bowls. But not just any bowls, vinyl bowls, made from authentic vinyl records. The steps are simple: melt the vinyl record in the oven, then take it out and mold it (safely) into a plastic bowl. Change the shape up each time!
How To: Turn a tank top or tee into a better fitting, cute, unique shirt
Your tanks and your tees aren't fitting just right, don't throw them away or toss them in a storage box just yet. Grab some scissors and cut that sucker up, then mold it in a better fitting, unique and cute shirt. The easiest part is simply slicing up the back up the shirt, but then comes the strings. Watch and see for yourself. This is a great way to transform a normal T-shirt or tank top into something more creative.
How To: Pick the right brushes for fabric painting
Fabric painting is a fun hobby, but like most styles of painting there are a dizzying array of tools available to choose from. This video will teach you about different kinds of fabric paint brushes and how to choose the right one for your project.
How To: Make a cap style hat out of duct tape, cardboard, and newspaper
Cool hats are one of the most effective ways of drawing attention to oneself, and this one is sure to do that. Plus, you make it yourself, which makes it even cooler. This video will show you how to make a cool cap out of duct tape, cardboard, and newspaper.
How To: Paint a Chrysanthemum in traditional Chinese style
The chrysanthemum is a beautiful Chinese flower which often appears in artwork to represent autumn and the spirit of survival. Follow along with this this tutorial and learn how to add this seasonal subject matter to your next Chinese still life painting.
How To: Apply the concept of Dragon Vein when painting Chinese landscapes
The concept of the Dragon Vein - the ridge of a mountain range - is an important one for Chinese landscape painters. Using a brush made with chicken feathers, this tutorial shows you how to apply a dragon vein to your own landscape art.
How To: Draw a house like an architect's blueprint
Design your dream home! Starting from the basic idea of a house, this series of videos shows you how to draw the layout of a house as if you were an architect. Draw walls, windows, doors and large furniture to make sure you've gotten all your details correct.
How To: Turn a lump of clay into a ceramic pot on a potter's wheel
Starting with just a lump of clay and some water on a potting wheel, you can end up with a lovely clay pot! This video shows you how to make a trivet, so you can safely rest hot dishes on your table or countertop.
How To: Paint texture wrinkles on a Chinese landscape
Start with a fresh piece of rice drawing paper, and then follow the steps shown in the video to make your own brush drawing of a Chinese landscape. This tutorial focuses on adding texture wrinkles to the sides of rocks or cliff faces.
How To: Make a personal seal or signet out of smooth clay
Create your own personal seal from a piece of clay! This tutorial shows you the process, starting with a large piece of smooth clay, to cut your chosen sigil into the clay. Make sure you draw the sigil on in reverse. Now all you need is a letter and some sealing wax!
How To: Take photographs of fireworks with a DSLR camera in manual mode
If you want to take awesome photographs with your DSLR camera, all you really need is a tripod and a good location. This tutorial shows you how to adjust the manual settings on your camera to make them ideal for photographing your next fireworks show.
How To: Use light and shadow when trying to replicate a pencil drawing in Photoshop
Starting with a basic line drawing, this tutorial shows you how you make a project in Adobe Photoshop that looks like it was drawn with a pencil. Then the tutorial goes into how you can use a few techniques to play with the lighting in your figure for maximum effect.
How To: Draw a simple pencil sketch of a knife
Drawing a pencil sketch of a knife or other bladed weapon is not incredibly difficult for the artist. Watch in this video as the artist draw a basic knife, and then demonstrate several variations, including a curved blade, you can use for your own artwork.
How To: Color a drawing using the washable Crayola Supertips markers
The Crayola washable supertip markers are an ideal tool for any artist, young or old, who wants to bring sharply defined, bright color to their drawings. This video demonstrates how to color simple line drawings using these basic markers.
How To: Color a Halloween jack-o-lantern using Crayola crayons
Despite their reputation, Crayola crayons can still be a useful medium for an artist to use. They come in a wide variety of highly saturated colors, which makes them ideal for when you want brightly colored projects. This tutorial demonstrates how to use Crayola crayons to draw a Halloween jack o lantern.
How To: Get good results when figure drawing from a photograph using Photoshop
You can certainly use Photoshop to do do freehand figure drawing! This tutorial shows you how to make a drawing, starting with a sketch, from a photograph while using Adobe Photoshop. Then add in some coloring, shading and highlights, and then use color theory to bring out the most important lines.
How To: Create a one point perspective drawing
This video demonstrates how to create a one point perspective drawing. You begin by making a horizon line across your paper and adding diagonal lines from the corners which will all converge at a single point along your horizon line. You can then create boxes by creating squares or rectangles around the lines extending from the central point. The outer edges of your rectangle can further be connected to your single point in order to create a 3-dimensional shape for the boxes and cubes which y...