TODAY'S FEATURED POST

Reflecting with Gratitude

Vanessa Lemen

Well, here we are again at this time of the year, a time felt by many as a moment to reflect and be thankful. I hope that in some form or another, it’s been enlightening for everyone. This year, I’ve been going through some personal changes and challenges, keeping a lot to myself in terms of what I share publicly and working on my own growth, as I continue to move through what art and…

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EVERYDAY ORIGINAL

Hendidura

YESTERDAY’S POST

Image

The Idea Map

Wylie Beckert

August 13, 2025 - The prevailing wisdom is that a painting starts with a sketch. My own methods are a little less direct; usually the beginning of one of my paintings looks something like this: I've found this sort of written concept exploration is damn near essential to making a good painting - first and foremost because it helps me avoid making the kind of rote images ("girl standing badassedly with sword; flames optional") with which the fantasy art world is already well-supplied. More surprisingly, it does quite a bit of the heavy lifting for a painting. It's a lot easier to get away with a bit of broken anatomy or an imperfect inkwash if your image is ABOUT something - keeping the eye and mind of the viewer too busy to dwell on the way you drew an…

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