TODAY'S FEATURED POST

The Value of Knowing Your Values

Winona Nelson

  Think about what your dream life looks like. If you picture it, placing no constraints on yourself to keep it humble or realistic, what would your fairy tale best life be?     In mine, I am a celebrated author and illustrator. I increase representation of Native American people, queer people, women, and other marginalized groups, and make them feel bigger and more powerful. I spend my days in a beautiful house and make the…

READ MORE

EVERYDAY ORIGINAL

Sophie, The Orange Cat

YESTERDAY’S POST

Image

The Book As Object

Rovina Cai

May 23, 2025 - As image-makers we naturally focus on the 2D picture plane, contemplating the arrangement of elements on the page, the subject matter, and creating the illusion of 3D space. Rarely do we need to think beyond the boundaries of the picture's edge. However, a new world opens up if we consider the context in which our images appear, and this is especially true for book illustration. The physical form of the book, from things like paper stock to the way readers navigate through its pages, can enhance the reading experience and elevate it to an object of aesthetic beauty. So it follows that good book illustration is not just about the image, but how it functions within the printed book. When I was a student - first in graphic design, and then in illustration - some…

READ MORE

POSTS BY CATEGORY

ART

ARTICLES

EDUCATION

EVENTS

INSPIRATION

INTERVIEWS

REVIEWS

RECENT COMMENTS

Recent Comments

ABOUT MUDDY COLORS

Muddy Colors is a collective of more than 20 artists, dedicated to providing a free, online resource for aspiring and professional artists alike.

With a library of thousands of articles, and a new one being posted each day, Muddy Colors is the largest educational website dedicated to the Fantastic Arts.

SUPPORT US ON PATREON

We are using Patreon as an opportunity to ask our readers for support in our endeavors.

These funds will be used to provide better content for our readers, maintain website expenses, and support aspiring artists through Muddy Colors programs and scholarships.