Happy Birthday To Us!

Friday, October 25th, 2013

Muddy Colors turns 3 years old today!

Over the past 3 years, we have never missed a single scheduled day. That’s more than ONE THOUSAND posts detailing our paintings, our process, our failures, and our inspiration. Somehow, after all that time, this amazing group of contributors still manages to share something insightful week after week.

There have been some real gems scattered throughout the last 3 years of posts. How many of the 1000 have YOU read? Here are some of my favorite, and some of the most popular posts, you may have missed:

Our very first public post on October 25, 2010, by Arnie Fenner:
http://muddycolors.blogspot.com/2010/10/hit-beach.html

Greg Manchess’ first “10 things” post, which has since turned into one of my favorite recurrent posts on the entire blog:
http://muddycolors.blogspot.com/2012/03/10-things-to-remember-about-training.html

The inimitable Adam Rex tells us how he crafts one of his award-winning picture books:
http://muddycolors.blogspot.com/2013/04/how-i-make-picture-book.html

Serge Birault gives us tips on how to make your digital paintings look more like real paint:
http://muddycolors.blogspot.com/2013/07/how-to-emulate-oil-painting-with-your.html

The introductory post to ‘Dragon Fortnight’, 2 weeks of nothing but dragon-themed posts:
http://muddycolors.blogspot.com/2012/09/enter-dragon.html

How to build a free website in less than 10 minutes (seriously!):
http://muddycolors.blogspot.com/2012/05/how-to-make-free-website-in-less-than.html

The ever aloof, and amazingly talented, Paul Bonner graces us with a guest post:
http://muddycolors.blogspot.com/2011/09/guest-blogger-paul-bonner.html

In one of my favorite posts ever, Chris Moeller talks about those incredibly difficult years immediately following art school:
http://muddycolors.blogspot.com/2011/05/life-after-art-school-five-years-to.html

Jesper Ejsing shares his entire process in an in-depth 2-part post:

http://muddycolors.blogspot.com/2013/04/griffin-vs-blood-demon.html

http://muddycolors.blogspot.com/2013/05/by-jesper-ejsing-this-article-is.html

One of our most popular posts of all time, Jordu Schell proves that nothing goes viral quite like Star Wars fan art:
http://muddycolors.blogspot.com/2011/05/jordu-schell-grand-moff-tarkin.html

Eric Fortune starts a great dialogue asking if Art School is even worth it any more:
http://muddycolors.blogspot.com/2010/12/is-art-school-worth-it_24.html

A quick rundown of some of my favorite art books from 2010:
http://muddycolors.blogspot.com/2010/12/best-art-books-of-2010.html

Arnie Fenner gives us an inspirational glimpse at what some of our favorite artists were doing BEFORE they were our favorite artists:

http://muddycolors.blogspot.com/2011/05/beginnings.html

Our very first “Crit-Submit”, where we revised our reader’s art (which I promise will make a return someday soon!)
http://muddycolors.blogspot.com/2011/03/crit-submit-1.html

Todd Lockwood does a 2-part guest post, and blows us all away with his comprehensive understanding of Curvilinear Perspective:
http://muddycolors.blogspot.com/2011/06/todd-lockwood-curvilinear-perspective.html
http://muddycolors.blogspot.com/2011/06/todd-lockwood-curvilinear-perspective_03.html

Justin Gerard, always in search of better methods and mediums, shares his experiences with traditional oil paints vs. water soluable oil paints:
http://muddycolors.blogspot.com/2011/05/new-fangled-water-mixable-oils-vs-old.html

A posthumous homage to one of the greatest fantasy artists to ever live:
http://muddycolors.blogspot.com/2012/03/i-moebius.html

10 different artist’s takes on the same subject, shows us that even old ideas can still prove innovative:
http://muddycolors.blogspot.com/2011/03/eowyn-and-nazgul.html

A comprehensive step-by-step on how to professional photograph your artwork:
http://muddycolors.blogspot.com/2012/12/how-to-photograph-your-paintings.html

Donato instills us all with a little bit of hope, as he shares the progression of his work from age 10 and up:
http://muddycolors.blogspot.com/2013/01/humble-beginnings.html

Paolo Rivera discusses one of the most important, and under appreciated, aspects of any painting, Presearch!
http://muddycolors.blogspot.com/2012/12/presearch-part-1-of-3.html
http://muddycolors.blogspot.com/2013/01/presearch-part-2-of-3.html
http://muddycolors.blogspot.com/2013/02/presearch-part-3-of-3.html

Last but not least, the last known videos of Moebius drawing:
http://muddycolors.blogspot.com/2012/08/moebius-drawing.html

So what were some of your favorite posts? Please share with us in the comments section!

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rS7s3Wq2ggk]

Muddy Colors

View Profile | View Posts

← PREVIOUS NEXT →

Book Cover Illustration with Dan dos Santos

Cinematic Lighting for Outdoor Concepts

Best Of: The History of Dragons in Art

Composition Basics: Sketching Thumbnails

On Nature in Contemporary Fantastic Art

The Best of Both Worlds

The Creative Arts Conference – June 2026

Back in 2020, I helped to put on a workshop called the Fantastic Arts Conference with my wife, Shari, and Dan Dos Santos, Justin and Annie Stegg Gerard. We had some great faculty who joined us. I have had lots of requests to do something similar again, but with less...

Artemis II is Go For Launch

NASA is well into their preparations to launch Artemis II, the first manned space flight to go to the moon in over 50 years. The rocket has been rolled out to pad 39B and, if all tests go well, will launch as early as February 6th. And I’ll be there to witness this...

Howard Lyon Exhibit

Howard Lyon's new solo exhibition of oil paintings, "Garden of the Gods," is in it's final stretch at the wonderful Haven Gallery in Long Island, New York. Of the show Howard says, "This exhibit of paintings represents a lifelong interest in mythologies and beauty. My...

23 Comments

Jari Paananen on October 25, 2013 at 7:34 am

Congratulations to THE most inspirational and informational forum of knowledge I am aware of!

I don't want to pinpoint separate posts that are my favorites, but most definitely wanted to drop a comment about the overall superb work you guys and girls are doing. MuddyColors has progressed over the years, and always for the better. I've been very happy to see Lauren Panepinto join the roster lately, to give yet another viewpoint to the craft. Very informative and interesting posts!

And of course, all of you deliver, always. I have a lot of blogs on my daily list, and most of them go skippedy-skip – MuddyColors stops me every time.

Hopefully you feel the love that I believe all your readers share for you. All the best, and most importantly:

THANK YOU!
James M. on October 25, 2013 at 8:29 am

Here's wishing many happy returns of the day to my favorite blog! I am so glad there is a place where impressive people are willing to share their insight, experience and amazing art.
Thanks!
James Gardner
Daniel on October 25, 2013 at 9:22 am

And a fantastic time it has been so far! Thank you all for making it such a wonderful experience. Congratulations!
Andrea Femerstrand on October 25, 2013 at 12:49 pm

Happy bday to you guys and congrats to a fantastic blog!

Thanks for all the daily inspiration 🙂
Sarah Finnigan on October 25, 2013 at 12:49 pm

Congratulations, and thank you folks for it! This was a really helpful post…when I was first pointed in the direction of this blog I tried to go back and back-read everything but clearly I missed a few gems!
paul bonner on October 25, 2013 at 1:59 pm

'scuse me Dan…..but couldn,t help noticing the recommendation. Always appreciated – but what's with the “ever aloof”?!!
The Art of Kim Kincaid on October 25, 2013 at 2:16 pm

Without a doubt, this blog enlists some of the most generous souls around. Happy Birthday Dan! And to all the contributors, please, keep those posts coming. There are many of us out here soaking up your knowledge, advise, and experience.
John on October 25, 2013 at 3:23 pm

What became of crit submit 4? Don't remember seeing the results to that one? Btw, never stop. Best blog ever!
bill on October 25, 2013 at 3:27 pm

It's American slang for “ever badass”, for the proper Brits in the crowd. How's the site coming Paul?
Chris on October 25, 2013 at 3:37 pm

Happy Birthday Muddy's! Thanks for all the informative and inspirational posts.
paul bonner on October 25, 2013 at 4:54 pm

Thanks for the clarification, Bill. Off-shore bombardments have often been instigated for lesser reasons. Happy to report that this one has been cancelled.
The site, as it is, just needs me to press another button. Relieved it's not a Red one this time.
frostfyre on October 25, 2013 at 6:12 pm

One of my favorites by far was the Paul Bonner guest post, I keep it stashed on my iPad for inspiration. The Rag & Bone post, all the PACT posts, the Spectrum posts, and every bit of direct, practical illustration advice from all these modern masters. Thanks so much for being one of the few “must read” sites on the net. Happy Solar Orbit! May there be many more.
Dan on October 25, 2013 at 6:29 pm

Actually, it was a typo. I mean to to write 'elusive'. But I think 'aloof' works too! No insult intended, Paul.
paul bonner on October 25, 2013 at 7:26 pm

Thanks Dan. Completely different meaning this side of the pond………….big Happy Birthday by the way, and thanks for what, by now, must be an incredible tally of hours that you've expended on the blog. Don,t know where you find them but keep unearthing them. You make a lot of people very happy and inspired.
Ryan Floyd Johnson Illustrator on October 25, 2013 at 8:14 pm

Everything Lauren P has posted.
Anthony on October 25, 2013 at 8:38 pm

I concur with the Paul Bonner guest post being the best. My second favorite was when my submission was selected as the second crit submit. It's still probably the coolest thing that has ever happened to me.

http://muddycolors.blogspot.com/2011/03/crit-submit-2_30.html

I have to say a big thanks to Dan and all of the other muddies for all of the hard work they put in. I visit this blog at least twice a day to keep me motivated. Thanks for the wealth of knowledge and inspiration that you share with us every day. I would say I've gotten at least the value of a second college education free of charge, simple by reading your posts.
Per on October 25, 2013 at 8:50 pm

This blog is the boss!
A huge thanks from Sweden and to all of the participants connected to it.
And happy birthday!
Gabriel Verdon on October 26, 2013 at 6:49 am

I just want to say you guys do an incredible job keeping up a daily schedule. I know how insanely hard it is to do that. I always enjoy the eye candy and nuggets of wisdom I get when coming here. Really. Thank you and proper respects!
Howard Lyon on October 26, 2013 at 8:00 am

Congratulations. That is a Herculean effort to post that regularly for so long. Not to mention so many amazing, inspiring and informative posts!
Kyle on October 27, 2013 at 2:25 am

Congrats and a huge thank you for all your time and effort! You all truly make a great impact on so many. Thanks for sharing your wisdom and experience!
Seth Rosamilia on October 27, 2013 at 3:02 am

Many congratulations, and many thanks for the excellent content you guys consistently deliver!
Tiarles Rodeghiero on October 28, 2013 at 1:10 pm

Congrats everyone! I'm glad for yours!
And sincerely, thanks for sharing! There's no way to retribute that learning, except guaranteeing you that we learned too much! Have no doubt of it!
Your job is awesome! Keep going!
espnsportstv on October 29, 2013 at 10:18 am

Happy Birthday to you! Are you searching free birthday gifts and deals? Try it! It's totally Free! Bdayo.Com was created with one goal in mind to help our users enjoy, celebrate, and remember their birthday! Bdayo allows you to find unlimited amount of Birthday Freebies in your area and offer unique features to help you learn more about that special day!