Hot Fine Art How-Tos

How To: Make a miniature ceramics mold using resin

This video demonstrates how to make a miniature ceramics mold using resin. The object being made is a small saucepan for a doll house. A product called "AMAZING Mold Putty" is used. It is non toxic and can even be used for food. It comes in two tubes. One is yellow and one is white. Take a blob from each tube and make sure they are of equal size. Blend the two blobs together. You must work fast because the material becomes completely hard in 30 minutes. You probably have only three or four mi...

How To: Use a glass cutter & runner

This is a great simple video, which will show you how to properly use a glass cutter and runner. The very first step is how to hold the glass cutter, you want to hold it at a 45 degree angle straight on the glass. Make sure to try your best to avoid leaning it to the left or right and at a 90 degree angle, and also make sure to start off the glass before cutting. Depending on your preference you can either push or pull the cutter, it doesn't matter which way. Once you make the cut, take the r...

How To: Draw thumbnails for making a comic book

When shooting a movie, a director creates a storyboard. A comic book artist must do the same thing for drawing a comic book. Thumbnails are small blocks that represent the pages in a comic book. There is no finished work, but sketches. When following the script, the artist needs to be aware how many words are in each frame. The publisher will not be shy about putting the words on top of the drawing, or yelling at the artist. The thumbnails allow the artist to pay close attention drawing varie...

How To: Draw a 3d staircase

This wordless video shows how to draw a staircase in 3d. Start by drawing the steps in one dimension. Extend two lines at the top of the stairs the width you want the steps to be. Draw another line between them to make a square. This creates a landing. Draw two lines downward and parallel to the steps from the line at the top of the stairs. This will create a rail and a second base. Then extend lines from each jut of the one dimensional steps, stretching the lines alternately to the base and ...

How To: Draw Tigger from Winnie the Pooh

This video is describing the steps needed to draw Tigger from Winnie the Pooh. The first step is to draw an oval on your black paper. Draw diving lines, and make sure that one is a little bit below center. Next draw in his muzzle by lining up the top part of his muzzle with the bottom part of his eye. Next draw his chin. You can draw the bottom by taking the distance of the head and putting the same amount of distance between the head and the muzzle that there is between the muzzle and the ch...

How To: Make a mini cupcake polymer cake mold

Use the tread on wire-nut, to create a mold for mini clay cupcakes. Usually used for joining together electrical wires, the repeated lines of the wire-nut will here be used to form the ridges expected on a cupcake bottom. Press the wire-nut into a small piece of clay to form a depression just as big as you want your finished cupcake to be. Bake in the oven to solidify into a mold. Dab the dried mold with a bit of cornstarch or baby powder; this will prevent fresh clay from sticking to it too ...

How To: Draw a mysterious woman

This masterful drawing session from idrawgirls instructs us how to draw a mysterious girl specifically the facial figure, face, hand and upper body front view. First you will establish, very lightly, the facial shape, direction of the eyes, and the shoulders and upper body. The key here lies in the direction of the eyes, casting the face slightly downwards, creating that ineffaceable mysterious effect. Another important factor specific to the female face is keeping the nose close to the eyes ...

How To: Use an abstract design technique with polymer clay

She teaches us how to make a beautiful jewelry pendant for a necklace out of polymer clay. She starts with kneading a black base. She then sends it through a pasta machine. After she has a black flat sheet she rolls it into a ball again. Then, she takes the other five colors and starts rolling tiny little ball. She attaches them to the base black ball. Next, she creates a snake with the colors swirling around. She sends it back through the pasta machine to create a perfectly flat surface. To ...

How To: Draw a paraglider on a computer

In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to draw a paraglider on a computer. Start by drawing an oval for the head and attach it with a torso. Now draw the hands in the gliding position. Draw a flat oval and connect it with legs. Now draw the parachute and connect it with the figure. Start outlining the figure and parachute. While outlining, add the details. Once finished outlining, add the colors. Add clouds or any anything else in the background. This video will benefit those viewers who e...

How To: Easily paint an orchid

In this art tutorial, you will learn how to draw and then paint an orchid. You will need a Chinese paintbrush, a plate for the paint, water and paper. For paint colors, you should make sure you have red, yellow, black, green, blue and purple. First, dip your brush into the water and then mix yellow, red and black, dabbing some of each color onto the brush. When doing this, do not actually mix the colors on the brush. You want the red on one part of the brush, the yellow on another part, and t...

How To: Draw a male chibi character

Want to draw a male chibi? This video will show you how. First, draw a circle. Second, draw a tiny triangle underneath the circle. This will be the body of the chibi. Then, draw two little circles for eyes in the center of your face. Next, draw four little ovular rectangles for the limbs of the creature. Now you must give definition to your chibi's eyes by emphasizing them with dark shading. Lastly, add the rest of the clothes on depending upon your preference. The author takes the opportunit...

How To: Make an LCD viewing hood from a slide viewer

In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to make an LCD viewing hood from a slide viewer. This hood will prevent any shining or glaring of light when looking at the LCD screen. Most LCD covers are expensive or just get in the way. This viewing hood is inexpensive and only cost $6. 95. Users will simply need a slide viewer. Pull off the diffusion screen and cut off the ledge so that it is flat. Sand it to make it smooth and add some felt to cushion it on the screen. This video will benefit th...

How To: Draw Tarzan

In this video you will learn how to draw Tarzan. The video shows first the outline of Tarzan's body, then it shows the details, followed by the background. This video includes everything from the sketch up until the coloring and detailing. Tarzan is a man who was raised by apes and lives in the jungles. If you're looking to learn how to draw Tarzan this is a good video to learn as it shows how to draw him in a swinging state and the background is a jungle like green, leafy, and vine-like sett...

How To: Make your own comic book with Bruce Blitz

Want to learn how to make your own comic book? This instructional video will teach you how to take your created character and their powers and enter them into a comic book world. The first step, is to decide whether your character will be acting as a hero or villain. Next, you must create the setting. This is followed by the conflict of the story. Finally, the resolution. The hero must defeat the villain and everything is back to normal. The video then takes you through a sample comic book an...

How To: Ink a comic book page traditionally & digitally

This video by Architectus777 teaches us how to ink comic book pages. Inking is simply another term for outlining or black lining. This first step is to find an image in black in white. Following this, you may edit the image to be as light or dark as you wish. Afterwards, the shading is left up to your discretion. Moving on, Architectus777 shows other methods of inking, including using various other programs outside of Adobe Photoshop. We are then actually shown the inking process, in which Ar...

How To: Make polymer clay hot cross buns for a dollhouse

Watch this video to create realistic hot cross buns for your dollhouse! Start off with some white clay, and glass marble beads. Take your clay and make a nice little ball and pour in some of the marble beads. Squish the clay together so all the little "raisin" beads get mixed in. Roll it through the pasta machine on setting number one. Next take your square cutter and press it down on the clay. You then have your first hot cross bun. Use different colored chalks to color the bun. Then bake yo...

How To: Do a line drawing of Saunta Claus

This video shows the viewer an easy way to draw Father Christmas or Santa Claus. The drawing demonstrated is a line drawing but could easily be colored in. The method shows starts by drawing a bulbous nose connected to the eyes. The moustache and the eyelids are then followed by the beard and ears. The hat and eyebrows finish off the top of the face. The mouth is simple and smiling. The body is relatively crude and the legs are very small in comparison to the head. The overall effect is very ...

How To: Use Sekonic light meters to balance flash and ambience

In this episode of Digital Photography 1-on-1, host Mark Wallace goes in depth on the subject of light metering and flash balancing. Making use of a Sekonic light meter, Mark shows how to read the light levels in a room, and explains how to interpret those readings in order to adjust flash levels, ISO levels, and alternative light source manipulation. Mark also goes over the important roles that aperture settings and film speeds play when attempting to successfully balance flash and ambient l...

How To: Make a moose bead out of polymer clay

This video tutorial is going to show you how to make a Moose Bead from Polymer Clay by Garden of Imagination. You begin with clay and make a shape it like the head of the moose as shown in the video. Then take more clay and make the ears and attach them to the head. Now take lighter color clay, cut it out into heart shapes, poke around the edge with a pin, and attach them behind the head. Take a pin and make a hole at the top end of the head to make it a bead. Watch the video to finish the pr...

How To: Use refine edge in Photoshop

This video in the Fine Art category will show you how to use the refine edge in Photoshop. This video tutorial is from Yanik Photo School. This feature is available in Photoshop CS3. If you are shooting objects in isolated background and you want to cut that object out and put it on a different background, the object will have jagged edges. Refine edge will help in smoothing those jagged edges. First select your object, then go to ‘select’ and click on ‘inverse’ and you have selected your obj...

How To: Make mini truffles out of polymer clay for a dollhouse

Make mini truffles out of polymer clay for a dollhouse. Watch this video to learn how to do this. You will need amazing mold putty for this project. It comes in two parts; yellow and white. Take equal amounts of each and mix them up; they are like clay. You will make a mold out of this for the mini truffles. Then you take whole black peppercorns and press them into the mold putty and keep it out for drying. After it is dry, remove the black pepper and you got the mold ready. Now you take clay...

How To: Make mini pretzels for a doll & dollhouse

Garden of Imagination presents a video that teaches how to create a miniature pretzel for a dollhouse. First, she rolls polymer clay into a tiny snake-like roll. Then, she wraps the clay to form a pretzel shape. After she gets the shape she wants, she cuts the clay to make it even. Next, she retrieves chalk. She breaks up a little to dust the pretzel. She uses a dark yellow and brown to achieve a baked look. Then, she adds sea salt from her kitchen. Last, she instructs to bake the pretzel in ...

How To: Draw a tiger

This short video provides a clear example of how to draw a tiger. It begins with a skeletal foundation, with each line clearly mapped out in green pencil – easy to draw. This foundation is then built upon in a different color thus developing the face, claws and tail. The development is drawn over with a pen to stay permanent and finally the green foundation is erased. In just 20 seconds, this video shows – in four simple steps that you can follow – to draw a tiger. Go to [www.howtodrawfantasy...

How To: Use the Manfrotto Super Clamp

Did you ever have trouble keeping a steady shot with a camera or camcorder when you didn't have a tripod ready? In this video, Steve from Cameras Brookwood shows you why a Manfrotto Super Clamp might just be the tool for you. A Super Clamp can open up to three inches and attaches any camera weighing up to fifteen kilograms to a post, beam, or table. To use the Super Clamp, open it fully and place it around the object that you want to attach it to. Turn the crank until the Super Clamp is snug,...

How To: Recycle an old t-shirt into a posh pochette

Shiho Masuda demonstrates how to make a T-shirt pochette using recycled materials in this video. You will need an old T-shirt, gardening twine (or leather strap), needle and thread, a ruler, a scissors and a pencil. First, sketch the dimension of your pochette on the T-shirt, staying about 1 inch from the sides of the collar. Next, cut along the lines (save the excess material). Flip the T-shirt inside out and sew the sides together, leaving 1 inch at the top for shoulder straps. Now flip the...

How To: Draw cartoon character Dale from Chip & Dale's

This video shows us how to draw a Dale character. First you draw a ball about the size of an orange. Insert construction lines in the shape of a cross. Starting with the small middle area, draw the mask outline and add the ears at the top. Draw in the nose under the middle line. Draw the cheeks outside the construction line on both sides. Add smile lines on each side and draw a curve between them for the mouth. Extend the lower part of the mouth outside the construction line. Insert teeth and...

How To: Cut glass with a pair of scissors

This video describes the process of cutting glass with a regular pair of scissors. Objects required include a pair of scissors, glass to cut, gloves, a tub, and water. First, fill the tub with water to a proper depth to allow for submersion of the glass. Once the tub is filled, submerge the glass and once the glass is submerged, while holding it, begin to slowly cut the glass with careful and slow cuts from the scissors. It is suggested to not conduct the procedure with haste, take the proces...

How To: Make mini drinks out of polymer clay for a dollhouse

Garden of Imagination teaches viewers how to make various drinks, such as beer, milk, lemonade, and coffee, for their miniature dollhouse. First, you need to go to the crafts store and get a pack of 5 piece filigree tubes (you can pick whatever color you'd like). Take a tiny piece of clay and stick it into the filigree tube. Smooth out the clay inside with a paintbrush to make a tiny cup. First, to make a mug of coffee you need triple thick clear glaze black chalk. Mix the two together and ta...

How To: Draw a full wolf body step by step

Learn the right way to draw a wolf with its full body, by watching this video. The artist begins by drawing three circles faintly and connecting them with a line, representing the head and body of the wolf. Next, the skeletal structures of the legs are outlined. The tail and ears are faintly outlined next. The artist then begins outlining the face in detail, adding the eyes, nose, mouth, ears etc to the wolf’s head. The body is now outlined adding rough edges to indicate fur. The legs of the ...

How To: Make mini polymer clay pizza for a dollhouse

This video, by Garden of Imagination, shows you how to make a polymer clay pizza. To begin with, have a small piece of wood to act as a tray for your pizza. Take off-white clay for the crust and warm it up between your hands. Roll it out on your pasta machine on the number one setting. Using a circle cutter, push down on the clay to create a circle. Use an object that is a bit smaller of a circle to create the inside area of the pizza by pushing down. While doing that, blunt the edges of the ...

How To: Create great panoramic photos in Photoshop

This video shows a user how to create a panoramic picture using Photoshop. In this video the details like how to merge a photo and other options which are very useful to a learner are shown clearly. This video is very practical for keen user as different things like the layouts and merging a photo are explained in detail. In this video a user can find different filters that are used in creating this panoramic picture. One will find it very easy and one with artistic heart will definitely appr...

How To: Make a paper mache "fishwichwich"

In this video you get to watch a talented mache artist make a fishwichwich from paper mache. It is fast paste but you get the idea of how he does it. Starting with the paper mache materials, the paste and paper, he makes the body and head in several pieces. He pastes these together and uses some sort of stick to make its spikes. He covers the spikes with mache so they have a more realistic look and starts to smooth out the features of the fish. Once the body is done, he's got the teeth and so...

How To: Draw a great looking flower

This is a simple video of a person drawing a flower with a mechanical pencil on a piece of plain white paper. If you follow along with the video and copy each shape as the artist makes them you will get a similar result and hopefully a picture of a flower that looks the same as the artists. The final product looks like a rose. A beginners video to art, all the viewer needs to is watch, copy and listen to the soothing music that is playing in the background.

How To: Draw skulls the easy way in pencil

This short video shows how to draw a skull with a pencil. The video contains no spoken or written description of the process the artist in the video is going through, so to duplicate his drawing, you'll have to just watch and draw along. The artist starts the drawing by making two circles vertically, the lower circle being about half the size of the upper circle. He then adds the nostrils, eyes, and teeth, before going on to add some definition to the jaw area, making it look like a complete ...

How To: Do a cartoon line drawing of a reindeer

This video shows the viewer how to draw a cartoon reindeer. This is done by building up the character of the reindeer gradually -drawing different features in a set order to create the whole cartoon. The first stage is to draw the eyes and eyelids. The eyelids are crucial as they add character to the drawing. Next is the mouth and the nose, followed by the cheek and the eyes. The antlers complete the reindeers head. The body is very simple and simply compromises of four legs and a tail drawn ...

How To: Shoot unique product photography with long exposures

This video shows you how to light a bottle with long exposure in photography. The end result is to have a picture of a bottle with glowing edges with a black background. For starters you set your SLR camera settings to a 30 second manual shutter speed and a f5. 6 set aperture. Put the camera on a tripod for steadiness and set up your subject. For the subject, on a table, place your bottle in front of your chosen drop cloth. It is best to choose a color similar to the bottle. Then you use a li...

How To: Make a Santa hat bead from polymer clay

To make a Santa hat bead, begin with red clay and condition it by kneading it with your fingertips. Form the clay into a thick worm shape, with it being the thickest at one end then tapering off. Use your fingertip to make a shallow indentation on the thicker end, and remove any excess clay from the thinner end (total length should only be an inch or two). Curve the thin end over slightly to create a hook shape at the top of the hat. Take a small ball of white clay and make a small hole in it...