TODAY'S FEATURED POST

Conversations with Artists: Vanessa Lemen


Lisa Cyr

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="700"] PSYCHE by Vanessa Lemen[/caption] Conversations with Artists is an ongoing series that I am doing for Muddy Colors. This month, I was able to have an insightful conversation with artist and Muddy Colors contributor Vanessa Lemen. We talked about her intuitive approach to painting, the importance of playful experimentation in a sketchbook and her ongoing connection to the natural world. In addition, we also discussed her new book called Sentience, where…

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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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