Here it’s not all about the final work, but about the steps I take to get there. Peek over my shoulder as I paint, and let’s talk about all aspects of art: inspiration, techniques, materials, and challenges.
Performing creative work for a client requires a tremendous amount of empathy for their needs. This emotional labor should be recognized and valued. In this episode of Art Chat I explain the source of emotional labor and its impact on our well-being, and provide tips to protect ourselves from excessive emotional labor so we don't burn out. Read more...
I recently completed a 98-page mixed media sketchbook that I've been using since 2009! In the sketchbook tour video you can see my fantasy character portraits, surreal artworks, watercolor landscapes and urban sketches, many many skull studies, as well as lots of fun colorful experiments. I think it's quite interesting to see how my ink and watercolor technique has evolved over the years. Read more...
In this episode of Nela’s Art Chat I'm sharing the process of creating a drippy mixed media portrait in a sketchbook and talking about the difference between skill and talent. How can we recognize and use our own talents? What to do if you donʼt feel like youʼre talented? Read more...
I love adding black backgrounds, borders, or other large areas of black to my artwork! In the past I mostly used India ink because it’s affordable, easy to use, and easy to find in stores. But now I'm curious if I can find something better. I tested and compared 14 different mediums and found my new favorite! Read more...
I recently completed my recycled sketchbook that I've been using for messy mixed media experiments. I originally used this notebook as my intention journal, and then painted or collaged over the text and turned it into an anti-perfectionist mixed media “junk journal”. It's a great way to use a notebook that would otherwise end up in the trash! Read more...
In this episode of Nela's Art Chat I’m sharing a Neocolor II water-soluble pastel drawing process of a stylized red-haired lady in my sketchbook, while talking about balancing the roles of artist and content creator on social media. There used to be a clear distinction between producing creative work, and publishing or promoting it. Now there is an expectation that we need to keep people engaged in between big releases, while creating said big releases at the same time. This is a significant burden on creatives. Read more...
There were always differences between artists with more means and those on a very tight budget. But in the internet age, we can literally see each others’ paint palettes from across the globe, and it breeds a green-eyed monster called the art supply envy. If you're experiencing it as well, in this episode of Nela's Art Chat I'm sharing some tips how to deal with it, while I'm drawing this cute fantasy kitten with watercolors, colored pencils, and ink. Read more...
Have you created any dark art, and are a bit confused because you don’t know where these spooky images are coming from? Or is your loved one creating dark art and you’re worried about their mental health? In this video I’ll help you make sense of dark, spooky, creepy, gory, and macabre art and explain why some people find it so appealing. Read more...
I recently completed this 132-page sketchbook that I've been using since 2016, so it's time for another tour video! This ended up being one of my favorites, filled with fantasy portraits, quirky portraits, floral portraits... you get it, a lot of portraits. There's also animal and landscape studies, as well as abstract-ish mixed media experiments and a healthy helping of doodles. Read more...
In this episode of Nela’s Art Chat I’m sharing the process of creating a mixed media self-portrait, and discuss how creativity and the arts can improve our mental health and help us maintain a healthy outlook on life, give meaning to our life, and help us deal with daily challenges and grief. I would love for more people to learn about this power of creativity that anyone can use in their life. Read more...
How is it that sometimes I can be so full of inspiration and drive to create, but other times I can’t even get myself off the couch? Why is it so difficult to remain in the state of forward momentum? How could I reinvigorate that creative spark after the fire has died out? I’ve tried to answer all of these questions, and more, in this essay. Read more...
Finding balance between personal creative practice and paid work can be a challenge. Our jobs may not give us 100% of the creative fulfillment that we need, and we also may have our own inspiration and ideas we want to follow. Personal practice is an excellent way to stave off creative burnout, and it helps us keep our skills sharp and develop our unique style. In this episode of Nela's Art Chat, I offer tips how to justify spending time on creative practice, and incorporate more spontaneous creativity into your life. Read more...
Sketching on the go is my favorite pastime, and I have the perfect sketching kit for every occasion. From the lightest most minimal everyday kit, to the portable “studio in a bag” I take when I travel, one of these five kits goes with me literally everywhere. Read more...
In this long 3-part video series, I share my favorite mixed media art supplies for sketchbooks and art journals, along with examples of how I use them. I’ve been keeping sketchbooks since 2006 and experimented with lots of different mixed media techniques. My approach involves a lot of drawing, doodling, and painting, usually of figurative and surreal scenes and creatures. I combine drawing mediums that allow for a lot of precise detail, along with some more fluid and expressive painterly techniques that add atmosphere, depth, and texture. Read more...
In this experimental graphic essay, I explain why I stopped using Instagram and broke my dysfunctional relationship with the algorithm. Read more...
In this navel-gazing graphic essay / sketchbook story / visual journal entry I explore my desire to integrate written and visual communication, why I love the Internet, and highlight one beautiful irony of my life. Read more...
Since I started using sketchbooks in 2006, I alternated between drawing and writing. I occasionally combine the two, but it’s still not completely integrated. It’s like I have a “drawing mode” and a “writing mode”—when I’m using one, the other one is turned off. I want to evolve this part of my practice, so I’m giving myself assignments to integrate words and images. Read more...
In today’s episode of Nela’s Art Chat, I’ll show you my process of drawing the ink and watercolor painting “I See Color”, while talking about a somewhat timely subject: how creatives can support social change, and why we should. Our talent and skills have power. We can use those powers to uphold the status quo, or we can use them to inspire and enact change. If you already aren’t convinced why we all need to take a more active role in our society, I hope this video will make you at least consider joining me and thousands of creatives across the world in this effort. Read more...
There are positive and beneficial sides to comparing our work to that of other artists, and there are also plenty of drawbacks. In today’s episode of Nela’s Art Chat I’m drawing a magical winter fairy colored pencil portrait while talking about how to productively compare your art with others’ so you can learn from it, and how to change your mindset so you don’t fall into the black hole of hating your own work because it’s not “good enough”. Read more...
In the past couple of weeks I've uploaded new recordings of my completed sketchbooks on YouTube, so I'm posting all 3 videos here for your viewing pleasure! The first two are small watercolor sketchbooks featuring seascapes, urban sketches, doodles, and mixed media experiments. The last one is a mixed media art journal featuring all kinds of experimental techniques and approaches to filling sketchbook pages. Read more...
I can become your design fairy godmother and transform your brand from a frog into a prince.