Art Competition Archive

Self-Perception

My name is Tori. I’m a freshman in High School. I’m the keyboardist of a psychedelic rock band, the sister of my best friend, a dreamer… and a few years ago I discovered art.

Art takes up every aspect of my life. Though I have other hobbies, such as music and writing, art is what I’m most passionate about. I want to become an art college professor when I grow up and study Graphic Design and Intermedia at an art college. In order to do this I must strengthen my skills as much as possible.

Tosca in watercolor

Hello, I am Dorothée. I am housewife and Mother of three children. I always loved drawing, but thought I was not good and not gifted. Only recently I realized that drawing can actually be learnt and I try to learn all I can.

I love drawing portraits in pencil, but I challenge myself with paints and colors. This is a watercolor portrait of my daughter, who will turn 18 in a month. I’d love to be able to paint an oil portrait of her.

The videos of the Drawing Academy I have been watching are very well presented and complete. I have not really used proportion techniques for the face as I used a picture for that painting, but for other works I did and it really helps to look at subjects differently…

Graphites by CRubsam

I grew up on the prairie and my love of the land, particularly prairie land, remains with me. I went to college in Chicago, and those years convinced me that I belonged where there are wide open spaces. Having moved to the Kansas City area, I spent 30+ years in the corporate world and did commissioned portrait work during those years. I retired several years ago to produce paintings and drawings professionally. I teach and sell art from First Art Gallery of Olathe, am President of the MidAmerica Pastel Society (MAPS), and a member of Missouri Valley Impressionist Society (MVIS), and National Oil and Acrylic Painters (NOAP)…

Going Back to My Childhood

I am a 69 year old wife, mother, granddmother, and great-grandmother. I am a retired Doctor of Psychology. I am finally able to create as I used to do when I was younger. There is time, now, where there wasn’t before.

Art has always been a part of my life. Sometimes it was on the back burner; however I always found ways to incorporate some creativity into my daily lie. Even when it was “on the back burner” it was simmering in me looking for an outlet.

Art at heart

Well, I’m Chantal, French and retired from teaching English. I now have some spare time and spend quite a lot of it trying to get better at drawing and painting watercolour. I’m a hard worker, so that I study, read, practice, etc..

My challenge is to become an accomplished artist. I’d like to be able to draw and paint any subject. I’m especially fond of portraits, but I can still progress and I love painting city scenes and landscapes, to which I nearly always integrate people.

From the demos and explanations I’ve read, I think the Drawing Academy is exactly the tool that might be useful to help me become a better painter…

Nature rejuvenates life!

I have always felt landscapes are the most appealing form of art. This is the try to appeal your aesthetic senses too

Becoming

I am a self-taught artist who greatly appreciates the traditional methods of drawing. Art has always been a passion of mine. For me it serves as an outlet for relaxation.

I often have issues with drawing hands and feet, sometimes faces depending on the angles. I would like to learn how to make my art look more realistic. I am always searching for new techniques to further improve my art.

“Mikey D” – The Chiropractor/Artist

I am a widowed, single father of three children. I am a Chiropractor by profession. I also have FSH Muscular Dystrophy. I was diagnosed in November 2004. In October of 2008, I could no longer practice due to my condition. When I was a pre-adolescent, I realized that I was able to draw. Was able to look at images in magazines and mostly comic books and recreate them in a pencil drawing. My talent was very raw at first, but the more I drew the better my drawings were. As I got older there would be periods where I would drawing all the time. And there were also periods where I wouldn’t draw for months or years. No matter how much time passed, the quality of my drawings never diminished…

I want to improve!

I would like to transition into fine painting and drawing from more craft-type mediums.

I have been a fine craft artist, but my true love is fine art and painting. Now I finally have time to pursue my fine art goals.

Understanding tonal values and then accurately depicting them is challenging to me and I would like to be able to see them more quickly so that I can draw from real life. It takes me a very long time to see the values, especially the mid-tones. My goal is to draw portraits from real life and this requires accuracy PLUS speed because people move while sitting. After I get faster at drawing I want to understand more about color, too.

The Drawing Academy is the perfect vehicle for me to improve. The step by step approach and excellent guidance suits my learning style