Art Blogs

Art blogs are online platforms that inspire, educate, and connect people through the shared love of visual creativity.

Art blogs are websites or online platforms where individuals or organizations publish content related to art and the art world. These blogs can cover a wide range of topics depending on the focus of the writer or curator. Here's a breakdown of what art blogs typically include:

🔍 Common Features of Art Blogs

1. Art Reviews – Critiques and analysis of exhibitions, artworks, or artist portfolios.

2. Artist Spotlights – Interviews, profiles, or features on both emerging and established artists.

3. Art History & Theory – Articles exploring historical movements, famous works, and theoretical frameworks.

4. Creative Process – Behind-the-scenes looks at how artists create their work, including sketches, materials, and techniques.

5. Art News – Updates on events, gallery openings, museum exhibitions, and art market trends.

6. Tutorials & DIYs – Guides on how to create art, from beginner-friendly projects to advanced techniques.

7. Personal Reflections – Artists or writers sharing their thoughts, inspirations, or journeys through art.

🖌️ Types of Art Blogs

• Professional blogs: Run by critics, galleries, or art institutions.

• Personal blogs: Run by artists or art lovers sharing their work or opinions.

• Niche blogs: Focused on specific genres like digital art, street art, abstract art, or even art therapy.

📌 Examples of Well-Known Art Blogs

• Colossal – Focuses on contemporary art, design, photography, and visual culture.

• Juxtapoz – Covers street art, lowbrow, and underground artists.

• Hyperallergic – Offers critical perspectives on contemporary art and culture.

There are many tools available to create art, both traditional and digital. Here's a categorized list to help you understand what tools are commonly used:

🎨 Traditional Art Tools

✏️ Drawing

• Pencils (graphite, charcoal)

• Pens & ink

• Markers (alcohol-based like Copic, or water-based)

• Erasers (kneaded, vinyl)

🖌️ Painting

• Paints (Acrylic, Oil, Watercolor, Gouache)

• Brushes (various shapes & sizes)

• Palettes

• Canvases, paper, or wood panels

• Easels

✂️ Mixed Media & Crafts

• Collage materials (magazines, photos)

• Glue, scissors, X-Acto knives

• Fabric, yarn, and thread

• Clay (air-dry, polymer, ceramic)

💻 Digital Art Tools

🧑‍💻 Software

• Adobe Photoshop – Digital painting, photo editing

• Adobe Illustrator – Vector-based art

• Procreate – Popular iPad app for drawing and painting

• Corel Painter – Realistic brush simulation

• Krita – Free and open-source digital painting software

• Clip Studio Paint – Great for comics, manga, and illustration

• Blender – 3D modeling and animation

• Canva – Simplified design for beginners (graphic design focus)

🖱️ Hardware

• Drawing tablets (e.g., Wacom, Huion, XP-Pen)

• iPad + Apple Pencil

• Touchscreen laptops with stylus support

• Desktop PC or Mac for intensive tasks like 3D rendering

🛠️ AI & Experimental Tools

• DALL·E – AI-generated images from text prompts

• Runway ML – AI tools for artists, designers, and filmmakers

• Artbreeder – AI for creating generative portraits and art

• Deep Dream – Surreal AI-processed images

There are many inspiring and influential art teachers across history and online today, each with their own teaching style and artistic specialty. Here’s a list broken down into historical icons, modern influencers, and online favorites:

🎨 Famous Art Teachers in History

These artists were also known for teaching and mentoring others.

1. Leonardo da Vinci

• Taught through sketchbooks and apprenticeships.

• Inspired generations with his studies of anatomy, proportion, and form.

2. Johannes Itten

• Taught at the Bauhaus.

• Known for his color theory, which is still taught in design schools today.

3. Josef Albers

• Taught at Black Mountain College and Yale.

• His book “Interaction of Color” is a classic in color education.

4. Robert Henri

• American painter and teacher, author of “The Art Spirit.”

• Encouraged personal expression and authenticity in art.

💻 Popular Online Art Teachers (YouTube / Courses)

1. Proko (Stan Prokopenko)

• Focus: Figure drawing, anatomy, portraiture

• Platform: YouTube & Proko.com

• Known for: Clear lessons, humor, and professional-level content

2. Aaron Blaise

• Former Disney animator (The Lion King, Brother Bear)

• Teaches: Character design, animation, digital painting

• Platform: CreatureArtTeacher.com

3. Marco Bucci

• Focus: Painting fundamentals, digital art, color and light

• Platform: YouTube

• Known for: Insightful breakdowns of painting techniques

4. James Gurney

• Illustrator of Dinotopia

• Teaches: Plein air painting, traditional techniques, color theory

• Platform: YouTube & Blog

5. Ahmed Aldoori

• Teaches: Digital painting, anatomy, creativity

• Platform: YouTube & Gumroad

• Great for: Beginners and aspiring concept artists

👩‍🏫 Modern Art Educators & Mentors

• Glen Vilppu – Master figure drawing instructor, widely respected in animation and classical art training.

• Bobby Chiu – Co-founder of Schoolism; teaches concept art and creature design.

• Shaddy Safadi – Industry professional and founder of One Pixel Brush; excellent for environment and game design.

Interviews with other artists are a valuable way to learn about the creative process, career paths, inspirations, and challenges that artists face. They can be found in blogs, magazines, podcasts, YouTube channels, and art books.

Here's how to access and even create your own artist interviews:

🎤 Where to Find Artist Interviews

📚 Websites & Blogs

• Juxtapoz Magazine – Features interviews with street and contemporary artists.

• Colossal – Often includes Q&A-style features with innovative artists.

• Hi-Fructose – Showcases emerging and alternative artists.

• Art Station Blog – Spotlights digital artists, game designers, and illustrators.

• Hyperallergic – Covers fine art, activism, and in-depth interviews with artists and curators.

🎧 Podcasts

• Art Curious – Art history with occasional artist interviews.

• Savvy Painter – Interviews with contemporary painters on technique and career advice.

• Creative Pep Talk (Andy J. Pizza) – Talks to artists and designers about staying inspired.

• Draftsmen Podcast (by Stan Prokopenko & Marshall Vandruff) – Offers interviews and insight on art education.

📺 YouTube Channels

• Proko – Includes interviews with art professionals and masters.

• Schoolism – Deep dives with world-class digital and concept artists.

• James Gurney – Traditional art with conversations and painting demos.

• The Art of Aaron Blaise – Sometimes features interviews or collaborations.

🧠 What You Can Learn From Artist Interviews

• Their artistic journey and education.

• How they overcome creative blocks.

• Tools and techniques they prefer.

• How they manage the business side of art (pricing, galleries, commissions).

• Their influences, philosophies, and values.

✍️ Want to Do Your Own Artist Interviews?

Here’s how to get started:

1. Reach out to artists via Instagram, email, or art communities.

2. Prepare questions such as:

   • What inspires your work?

   • What does your creative process look like?

   • What’s a challenge you’ve faced as an artist?

   • How do you balance personal work and commissions?

3. Publish the interview on your blog, social media, or YouTube.

4. Add visuals: show their artwork alongside the interview.

DIY art projects are a great way for beginners to explore creativity without needing fancy tools or training. Here’s a list of easy, fun, and budget-friendly art projects you can try—even if you’re just starting out:

🎨 DIY Art Projects for Newbies

1. Abstract Acrylic Pouring

• What you need: Acrylic paints, pouring medium, canvas, cups

• Why it's great: No drawing skills needed. Just mix and pour!

• Tip: Protect your workspace—it gets messy (but fun!).

2. Watercolor Galaxy

• What you need: Watercolor paints, thick paper, brush, water

• Why it's great: Easy techniques with beautiful results.

• Bonus: Add stars with white gel pens or a toothbrush + white paint.

3. Paper Collage Art

• What you need: Old magazines, glue, scissors, paper

• Why it's great: Great for exploring color and composition.

• Theme ideas: Nature, emotions, dreams, or your favorite quote.

4. Stencil & Spray Art

• What you need: Stencils (store-bought or homemade), spray paint or sponge & paint

• Why it's great: Fast and satisfying results with minimal effort.

5. Doodle Art or Zentangles

• What you need: Pen, paper

• Why it's great: Meditative and easy. Just fill spaces with repeating patterns.

• Try this: Start with a shape (heart, star, hand outline) and fill it with doodles.

6. Tissue Paper "Stained Glass"

• What you need: Black paper, tissue paper, glue, scissors

• Why it's great: Looks beautiful on windows. Easy and colorful!

7. Painted Rocks

• What you need: Smooth rocks, acrylic paint or markers

• Ideas: Flowers, mandalas, cartoon faces, positive quotes

8. Toilet Paper Roll Sculptures

• What you need: Empty rolls, glue, scissors, paint

• Why it's great: Eco-friendly + fun! Make animals, characters, or abstract shapes.

9. DIY Bookmarks

• What you need: Cardstock, pens, markers, stickers, washi tape

• Why it's great: Practical and fun to personalize or gift.

10. Salt & Watercolor Art

• What you need: Watercolor, salt, watercolor paper

• How it works: Paint a wet area, sprinkle salt, and watch the texture appear!

🧰 Basic Supplies to Keep on Hand:

• Watercolors or acrylic paints

• Brushes and sponges

• Sketchbook or mixed media paper

• Glue and scissors

• Markers, pens, and pencils

• Recyclables (magazines, cardboard, paper rolls)

There are countless incredible art museums around the world, each with its own focus and collection. Here’s a list of favorite and most famous art museums, grouped by region and known for inspiring artists of all levels:

🌍 World-Famous Art Museums

🇫🇷 Louvre Museum (Paris, France)

• Home to the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and thousands of iconic works.

• World’s largest and most visited art museum.

• Must-see for lovers of classical and Renaissance art.

🇬🇧 Tate Modern (London, UK)

• Focuses on modern and contemporary art.

• Hosts works by Picasso, Warhol, Rothko, and more.

• Known for bold exhibitions and installations.

🇺🇸 The Met – Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, USA)

• Huge, encyclopedic collection from ancient to modern art.

• Arms & armor, Egyptian art, European masterpieces, and more.

🇪🇸 Museo del Prado (Madrid, Spain)

• Masterpieces by Goya, Velázquez, and El Greco.

• A must-see for fans of Spanish and classical European art.

🇺🇸 Top Art Museums in the United States

🎨 Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) – New York

• Home to Van Gogh’s Starry Night, Dali, Matisse, Pollock.

• Amazing for modernism, abstraction, and photography.

🖼️ Art Institute of Chicago

• Famous for Seurat’s A Sunday Afternoon, Grant Wood’s American Gothic.

• Strong collection of Impressionist and American art.

🏛️ Getty Center – Los Angeles

• European art, stunning architecture, and gardens.

• Free admission, amazing views, and rotating exhibitions.

🌐 Other Notable Global Museums

🇮🇹 Uffizi Gallery (Florence, Italy)

• Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus, da Vinci, Michelangelo.

• Ideal for Renaissance lovers.

🇯🇵 The National Museum of Modern Art (Tokyo, Japan)

• Rich in Japanese modern art and global influences.

• Minimalist design and unique contemporary pieces.

🇳🇱 Rijksmuseum (Amsterdam, Netherlands)

• Dutch masters: Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Frans Hals.

• Features the Night Watch and The Milkmaid.

🎧 Can’t Travel? Try Virtual Tours!

• Many of these museums offer free virtual tours:

  • Google Arts & Culture

  • Each museum’s website often has 360° views and digitized collections.

🎨 Conclusion: Art Blogs

Art blogs are a powerful and accessible way to explore, share, and grow in the world of art—whether you're an artist, student, or simply an admirer of creativity. They offer:

• 🖼️ Inspiration through artist spotlights and galleries

• 📚 Education via tutorials, theory, and expert tips

• 🎤 Connection through interviews and community engagement

• 📰 Updates on trends, exhibits, and industry news

• ✍️ Expression for artists to document and share their own creative journeys

Whether you're reading or writing one, an art blog is a gateway to creative discovery, conversation, and continuous learning.

Thanks for reading!!