Hi, unfortunately I can't finish my art ba degree because of my disabilities. There is no art uni in my country that wants to accommodate my disability. I want to be a professional artist, I want to get a ba and ma in fine arts but I'm sadly not able, at least not in my country. (But I can get accommodation if I study almost any other major because those are different unis). What can I do? Can I study art online? Should I try another country and see if there are more accommodating schools elsewhere? Look for classical apprenticeship? Will people take me seriously without a degree?

I have fatigue and pain illnesses, so my main problem is I can't go to school every day. I can only show up 2-3 times a week. But I can read books, write essays, and make art from my home or studio with no problem. So ideally I would show up 2-3 times per week and do the rest at my home. All my illnesses are chronic and have no cure as of yet, so it's very unlikely my health will get better.

I find that no matter how much I improve I will never be satisfied or proud of my own skill, largely because of comparison, there’s always someone that can do it way better and effortlessly. Sometimes when I engage with those thoughts and look at other people’s artwork with this idea it hinders my ability. I think it makes my painting worse because it encourages frustration, lack of confidence and scrapping things before they’re finished. Imposter syndrome is huge for me as a hobby artist. I never feel good enough, I find it very uncomfortable to confidently call myself an artist, when I eventually do something I’m proud of, it feels so fake! Like I just got super lucky this one time, that I have no actual idea what I’m doing but somehow convincing people that I do. I was curious because I feel that maybe some other artists might feel this way, and i would like to hear your experience with this?

I love watercolour painting and like to mostly paint landscapes. For a long time when I was practicing I would paint copies of other people’s art. Obviously not to sell but just because thats where I was at. then I realized it’s actually so much easier to paint from photography references. I invested in good quality paints and good quality paper and my art improved significantly.

I realized and was told by many people that I could very well sell my art. I didn’t realize though that I should Keep track of references and look into who the original photographers are. I really don’t want to steal peoples art but I honestly just didn’t know that applies to photography as well. My Art isn’t incredibly accurate though and it’s all landscape so I don’t know where the line even is. Now, I finally have an opportunity to sell some art at a local bookstore (I do mostly bookmarks) and was just researching copyright stuff and got a little nervous. Anyway, any kind of advice you can offer would be very appreciated.

I'm curious how other artists work. Sometimes I start painting without really knowing where it's going, and the meaning kind of comes together as I go.

Is that how it is for you too, or do you usually have a pretty clear idea from the beginning?

I’ve been drawing casually my entire life and only got serious about it a while ago, let’s say a little more than a week but it started a little earlier. I think I’ve already improved a lot (the way people compliment my art has shifted too), but I still feel like I have a long way to go and lots of things to learn. I don’t care if the practices are boring, I’m willing to do and learn everything, I’d love it if you tell me anything that comes to your mind and guide me! Also, since I’m an over achiever (lol), I usually stay fixated on stuff for a very long time, so staying consistent and drawing for multiple hours a day, every single day (with deliberate and well needed rest) isn’t an issue, so I don’t have any problem with “post-ponding” my practices or whatever.

Hi everyone,

I’m working on a painting project and need advice on the right product or technique to achieve the following layer-by-layer effect:

1. Paint the base layer (background color).
2. Apply a masking product/technique over specific irregular areas.
3. Paint over the entire surface with a second color.
4. Remove the masking product from step 2 to reveal the base layer underneath.

I am currently using acrylic paint (though I’m open to using oil paint if necessary).

Painter’s tape/masking tape won't work because the areas are too large/irregular and I need more freeform control. I thought about using candle wax (paraffinated wax), but I’m worried it won't clean off easily. A liquid product applied with a brush would be ideal, but I'm open to other methods.

What product or technique would you recommend for this? Thanks in advance!

I couldn't find any great subreddits for it that are active, and apparently DTIYS on Instagram isn't as popular as it once was (or my Instagram is just wonky)?

Can be people, animals, places, things, whatever.

hello! i am a senior in highschool and my major is going to be fine arts 2D (i am going to be applying to art colleges).

to make my portfolio i heard you can use websites but i struggle using stuff like that. i know how to use google slides, is that professional to use for an application. i need help.

Hi!

I'm very interested in graphic works that use nature/ science almost as a medium, more than a subject. It's a bit hard to find the right words, but basically; more than depicting a flower or an animal in a classic "scientific illustration" way, I really like works who "extract" patterns, shapes and forms from nature (also love when it gets more geometrical, fractals, patterns, graphic depictions of mathematics, micro organisms...) The best example I have in mind would be Batia Suter, who extracts and classifies shapes, in a more "surgical" and "cinemtatic" twist on Aby Warburg's Mnemosyne Atlas.

But I'm a bit stuck on finding graphic works (drawings, graphic design, illustration) that would incorporate art forms found in science/ nature, not necessarily as the subject depicted, but in a more "playful" way. Like, using those art forms almost as a material to build up your work, if that makes sense? An artist that would absolutely scratch that itch would maybe be seafoamrabbit, whose work uses marine life as a subject, but also extracts forms like the spirals to "decontextualize" them and turn them into patterns, only to recontextualize them when they associate those forms with the marine life... Am I overthinking it?

Another example: I love to read about astronomy. But I really struggle to convert that knowledge into graphic work, other than depicting planets. (Though somethings that would be interesting to me: turning a planet's surface into a pattern, playing with constellations shapes... or celestial bodies' trajectories...)

I'm sorry if it sounds confusing, in my head it's very clear, but my points are being filtered through seven layers of autism before coming onto the page lol.

Basically: do you incorporate art forms found in nature and science into your work? Do you have cool references?

Hey All!

I’m making a tapestry for a friends nursery, as she is welcoming her fist baby in February. They will likely move in a year or so, so I won’t do the mural I usually offer for my expecting friends.

Does anyone know a method for prepping the surface for acrylic or oil (I can work in either)that will keep the canvas pliable while still protecting the surface?

Normally I work on cradled board or framed canvas so this has never come up.

I want to hang it from a rod/dowel with a smaller dowel on the bottom to keep the hanging flat for viewing, and using decorative rope attached to the top dowel to hang the piece.

sketch for concept is here

I appreciate any tips or methods anyone might have!

I'm trying to draw something where two different light sources of the same color are hitting a pyramid from two different angles. I want to make sure I get it right. Does anyone have any reference material or sources they can share with me?

Hi everyone!
Is anyone else applying for MA Painting programme at the RCA 2027/2028?
I’d love to connect with other applicants!

I’ve had fun experimenting with a more abstract approach to painting but still feel like I’m lacking some understanding when it comes to creating a fully realized abstract piece. Like, sometimes it feels like I’m just playing around with paint as opposed to creating something with more direction.

So for the abstract pros, I’d like to know how you create your work and what motivates that. Favor any particular techniques? How do you personally choose a subject? Do you clearly see in your mind the completed piece before it’s done?

Any insight into your work would be greatly helpful in my appreciation and creation of abstract art!

I have seen this stuff from my own experience where I'm good in one thing and I try to draw another thing then it looks bad and I start to question if I'm artist or not. I don't think just bc I call myself as artist doesn't mean I can draw anything good which I haven't practiced before. I kinda forgot about this thing alot back then when I was practicing. I do think rn it's a process to know your limit and you can try to get better in it. I really start improving a lot when I was forced to draw what I never practiced but doing that guide me to figure out what's wrong faster and fixed the mistake then thinking if I'm even a artist in the first place. I do feel like some artist forget this part a lot and they can't accept it easily that they're going to make mistakes or it looks off or weird in some places then making everything right

caption. i think some of the scars on the character are clearly SH, or at least to anyone who knows what SH scars look like. they're healed, but im still wondering

i tried hairspray but after you use it on multiple pages the book starts to smell really bad lol. i also tried some kind of spray my friend had but it made the page feel a bit weird and stiff. does anyone have good suggestions that work well in a sketchbook specifically

Hi everyone,

I’m trying to lay out my artwork in Photoshop to print some keychains, but the final layout looks pixelated and I can't figure out why.

Here are my current settings and workflow:

• Canvas Size: A4 (300 DPI)
• Software: Adobe Photoshop
• My Process: Created artwork in Clip Studio (300dpi, 4200x4200px), saved as png, dragged and dropped art inside psd template and resize. (Converting art into smart object still makes them pixelated)

I thought an A4 at 300 DPI would be high enough resolution, but the edges of my designs are coming out jagged/blurry.

Does anyone know what I might be doing wrong, or what the best workflow is for preparing individual keychain files onto a master print sheet without losing quality? Any help is appreciated

Note: I can't change the DPI of the template, and inside every folder, all the artwork needs to be combined into just one single layer

Hi, I hope my post is okay for this sub !
Basically, I am a 2D animator newly turned live model teacher for first years at an animation school. I want to make classes a bit more fun for my new students (they are young and inexperienced, around 18) than they were for me ; and switch things up from time to time.

I was thinking of making them work on an "exquisite corpse" drawing, where one student focuses on the torso, another the arms, another the legs, face etc,
or making them draw without looking at their sheet.

If you have any ideas as a teacher, or student who loved their classes, it would help a lot if you could share them with me ! Thank you

Hello! I'm someone who's been drawing for years at this point but I've been feeling the imposter syndrome a lot lately. I think it comes down to some insecurities I've had as an artist, esspecially recently. You see I've been accused of plagiarism from an artist I look up to. Ironically they accused me of copying their work of something they themselves referenced from a game. They backtracked after further clarification but I think it still messed with my perception. To get to my main point, I never know how to strike a balance between things being original and reference. I don't put a lot of faith in myself when it comes to my visual library so references can feel like a safety net for success. (Which I know an over reliance on references is bad) A lot of my referencing is primarily about anatomy with it being the most complex thing I'm dealing with character art. I tend to find a pose I like and match the energy and just completely do my own thing in all other stages of the drawing. That being lines, coloring, shading. I sometimes try to differentiate further by adjusting proportions and the pose itself a little. Primarily about reassurance during the "ugly" stage of the drawing. So on one hand I always have the worry in the back of my mind I'm copying posing too closely, while the other feels lost and frustrated with no real direction. I've been attempting to just draw the last few times with out referencing as much as possible but nothing has come though. I understand failure is apart of it but it's just sucking the life out of me regardless of it's origin. That being imposter syndrome or feeling like nothing's been earned. Any help or wisdom? I'm not sure if just taking a longer break or trying to gently get back into it are the right approach but I've tried both. Thanks :)

I’m currently struggling with designing a new character and feel like I'm completely stuck in a loop. Whenever I try to draw something, my ideas always end up revolving around the work of artists I love—which of course means I can't actually use them. It feels like I'll never be able to find my own unique path.

It feels like I can't break through the wall to find truly fresh or original ideas of my own, and I just don’t feel that connection or "fall in love" with what I’m creating. On top of that, I feel like I'm stuck using the exact same shapes, poses, and patterns over and over again. When I see other artists' work, the kind of style I really admire. I’m always blown away. Their storytelling, art style, and overall character charm are so amazing, but when I try to make something myself, I feel like I completely lack ideas and just can't create anything like that. It feels like I’m just running in circles.

Hi I've recently got into the habit of updating some people in my life through email. I've used sites like clipart studio to make sort of collages to send. Along with ibis paint to just draw little comics. Does anyone have any other sites that could be used to create something fun to update someone with?

I've spent quite a few years painting with Mark Carder's method. I use only

Titanium white

Burnt umber

Ultramarine blue

Permanent alizarin crimson

Cadmium yellow

Sometimes a bit of phthalo blue if I need a bit more vibrancy. I have always used oils but the time it takes to prepare my palette and mix paints is getting to be unbearable.

I am going to give acrylic paints a try but I like how versatile this combination of colors is. I would like to add a few colors to help speed up mixing some of of the color groups. Problem is all my experience is limited to the colors I have listed.

If you were to add any colors to this palette, what would you add? I usually paint still life, landscapes, some portraits and surreal impressionism.. so basically just about anything.

I love doing portraits and I have been thinking about doing a series of them of my grandma as my final work. Would this be okay or do I need to do something more complicated?