Academy Archives - My Modern Met https://mymodernmet.com/category/classes/academy/ The Big City That Celebrates Creative Ideas Mon, 26 Aug 2024 23:04:34 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/cropped-My-Modern-Met-Favicon-1-32x32.png Academy Archives - My Modern Met https://mymodernmet.com/category/classes/academy/ 32 32 Head Back to School With a Bundle of Painting and Drawing Classes for a Special Price https://mymodernmet.com/back-to-school-art-classes/?adt_ei={{ subscriber.email_address }} Tue, 27 Aug 2024 09:55:41 +0000 https://mymodernmet.com/?p=618456 Head Back to School With a Bundle of Painting and Drawing Classes for a Special Price

The new school year is either about to begin or has already begun for many, but even if you're well past your grade school years, that doesn't mean you still can't learn. And to make things easy for you, My Modern Met Academy is getting you ready to go back to school with a bundle […]

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Head Back to School With a Bundle of Painting and Drawing Classes for a Special Price

Back to School Bundle

The new school year is either about to begin or has already begun for many, but even if you're well past your grade school years, that doesn't mean you still can't learn. And to make things easy for you, My Modern Met Academy is getting you ready to go back to school with a bundle of our favorite online art classes. Our Back to School bundle offers three online classes that will help you learn to draw, paint, and illustrate.

It's a great way to enhance your creative skills and transform yourself into a well-rounded artist. Packaged together at a discounted price of $95, you'll save $20 from what you'd pay if you purchased them individually. This makes it our most discounted bundle yet. But don't delay; this offer is only good until September 10, 2024.

This year's Back to School bundle includes three courses that will allow you to stretch and grow as an artist. It features Drawing 101: Learn the Building Blocks of Sketching with Margherita Cole, Abstract Realism: Introduction to Mixed Media Painting with Dimitra Milan, and Acrylic Painting Masterclass with Luiza Niechoda.

Drawing 101 is a great course for anyone who wants to feel more comfortable with sketching. Margherita Cole will show you how to break down subjects into simple shapes and discover the essential drawing tools that you'll need to start drawing.

Dimitra Milan's painting course, Abstract Realism: Introduction to Mixed Media Painting, is a wonderful way to dip into the world of mixed media art. She'll take you step by step through different techniques that you can use to create marvelous effects on the canvas.

Lastly, artist Luiza Niechoda helps you get comfortable with acrylic paints through the creation of two abstract landscape paintings. Along the way, you'll learn how to stretch your own canvas and work with color.

Get a sneak peek of each class below, and then purchase the Back to School bundle through My Modern Met Academy until September 10, 2023.

To celebrate the new school year, we've put together a special Back to School bundle.

Abstract Realism Painting by Dimitra Milan

For just $95, you'll receive three of our popular online art courses packaged together with a savings of $20.

Acrylic painting masterclass art supplies on a wooden table seen from overhead with a pair of hands holding a brush

In Drawing 101, Margherita Cole teaches the fundamentals of sketching.

Drawing Fundamentals

She'll show you how to break down any subject into common shapes.

Breaking an animal down into shapes

Go over sketching techniques.

Sketching Techniques

And take you through how to draw three different subjects.

Online Drawing Class

Get a sneak preview of Drawing 101: Learn the Building Blocks of Sketching.

 

Pick up your paintbrush for the Acrylic Painting Masterclass.

Artist Luiza Niechoda paints on a canvas she stretched herself

Artist Luiza Niechoda helps you get comfortable with acrylic paint by creating two abstract landscape paintings.

Acrylic Painting Masterclass

Abstract paintings on stretched canvas by Luiza Niechoda

Along the way, you'll learn how to stretch your own canvas and work with color.

How to stretch a canvas

Color Theory Lessons

How to Create a Hue Matrix

Get a sneak preview of Acrylic Painting Masterclass.

 

The last course in our bundle, Abstract Realism: Introduction to Mixed Media Painting, is a wonderful exploration of creative painting techniques.

My Modern Met Academy Gift Certificates

Artist Dimitra Milan shows you how to create your own animal portrait.

Dimitra Milan Abstract Realism Course

Dimitra Milan Abstract Realism Course

Dimitra Milan Abstract Realism Course

She'll take you step by step through different techniques that you can use to create marvelous effects on the canvas.

Dimitra Milan Abstract Realism Course

Dimitra Milan Abstract Realism Course

Abstract Realism Painting by Dimitra Milan

Get a sneak preview of Abstract Realism: Introduction to Mixed Media Painting.

My Modern Met Academy: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok

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READ: Head Back to School With a Bundle of Painting and Drawing Classes for a Special Price

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Create Radiant Works of Art Inspired by the Summer Sunshine https://mymodernmet.com/sunshine-dappled-light-abstract/?adt_ei={{ subscriber.email_address }} Tue, 20 Aug 2024 09:55:13 +0000 https://mymodernmet.com/?p=689260 Create Radiant Works of Art Inspired by the Summer Sunshine

It's hard to believe, but summer is winding down and we're already experiencing shorter days. Feeling sunlight beaming through leafy canopies or reflecting off of calm waters is an especially wondrous experience in the summer. That makes now the perfect time to create a painting that features natural light. In My Modern Met Academy's online […]

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Create Radiant Works of Art Inspired by the Summer Sunshine

A painting of dappled light by Meghan Elizabeth

It's hard to believe, but summer is winding down and we're already experiencing shorter days. Feeling sunlight beaming through leafy canopies or reflecting off of calm waters is an especially wondrous experience in the summer. That makes now the perfect time to create a painting that features natural light. In My Modern Met Academy's online art class Dappled Light: Learn Abstract Painting with Acrylics, you'll play with form and color and be able to always have summer sunshine in your home. Artist Megan Elizabeth guides students step by step through the painting process, making this a fantastic class for beginners as well as more seasoned artists looking to loosen up their work.

Over the course of 11 bite-sized lessons, Elizabeth covers color mixing, using the wet-on-wet technique with acrylic paints, and creating dimension in two finished pieces. Once you complete the course, you can appreciate the experience of being in nature, even when there's a blizzard outside.

An experienced art instructor, Megan Elizabeth makes sure her students gain technical skills as well as confidence in their creativity. She notes, “I want students to realize that inspiration and confidence can turn an ordinary painting into a thoughtful and beautiful work of art.” Painting nature in an abstracted manner along with Elizabeth will help build up your instinct for when to add more layers or when a piece is finished that will strengthen your work across medium and subject matter.

Enroll now and create works that keep summer alive, even on dark dreary days.

With her warm demeanor, Megan Elizabeth teaches students how to translate light as we experience it in nature to the canvas.

A painting of dappled light by Megan Elizabeth

Mixing colors for dappled light painting

Suitable for beginners, Dappled Light: Learn Abstract Painting with Acrylics includes tips on mixing colors and creating a color palette for your painting.

Megan Elizabeth shows how to create a color palette for painting dappled light

A painting of dappled light by Megan Elizabeth

Students will learn how to create focal points and texture while completing two paintings that will remind them of sunny days in nature.

A painting of dappled light by Megan Elizabeth

A painting of dappled light by Megan Elizabeth

Megan Elizabeth: Website | Instagram
My Modern Met Academy:  My Modern Met Academy: Website | Facebook | Instagram | 

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READ: Create Radiant Works of Art Inspired by the Summer Sunshine

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5 Reasons To Start Embroidering Right Now https://mymodernmet.com/reasons-to-start-embroidery/?adt_ei={{ subscriber.email_address }} Tue, 13 Aug 2024 09:55:42 +0000 https://mymodernmet.com/?p=688065 5 Reasons To Start Embroidering Right Now

Embroidery is the art of embellishing textiles with needlework. A craft that's been around since antiquity, it's been experiencing an upsurge of interest in the past few years. Just like any other art form it can be customized to express your own personal perspective and style, as can be seen by the wide array of […]

READ: 5 Reasons To Start Embroidering Right Now

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5 Reasons To Start Embroidering Right Now

Maria Zamyatina Mixed Media Thread Painting embroidery class

Embroidery is the art of embellishing textiles with needlework. A craft that's been around since antiquity, it's been experiencing an upsurge of interest in the past few years. Just like any other art form it can be customized to express your own personal perspective and style, as can be seen by the wide array of talented embroidery artists My Modern Met has featured over the years. While everyone is drawn to needlework for their own reasons, we’ve compiled five aspects of embroidery that should make you consider taking up practice.

Once you've learned a few basic embroidery stitches, you can sign up for one of My Modern Met Academy‘s embroidery classes,  including Intermediate Embroidery: Getting Creative With Printed Fabrics taught by Floor Giebels and Mixed Media Thread Painting: Learn to Embroider Your Travel Memories taught by Maria Zamyatina. Both e-courses will show you how needlework is for more than your grandmother's pillows.

5 Reasons to Start Embroidering

 

To stop yourself from doomscrolling.

Floor Giebels Embroidery class

We live in a world where its difficult to completely unplug from the internet and social media. Scrolling on your phone, while also binging a new Netflix series is a habit too many of us are guilty of. With embroidery your hands are too occupied to scroll through Tik Tok or Threads. Unlike using your phone, working on a piece of embroidery will leave you feeling accomplished.

 

It’s an eco-friendly way to stay creative.

Floor Giebels Embroidery class

Fast fashion is one of the worse culprits of excess materials collecting in landfills, but we all go through slumps where we feel less than inspired by our wardrobe. With embroidery, you can not only get better an mending clothing, but you can embellish pieces so that they are completely one of a kind.  It's even a great method of personalizing gifts to loved ones.

 

There's a low cost of entry.

Maria Zamyatina Mixed Media Thread Painting embroidery class

Even though a pencil or just three primary colors of paint can be enough for illustrations and painting, it can be a real test of willpower to shop for art supplies for a new project and not buy up the whole art supplies stores. To get started with embroidery all you need is a needle, thread, and a piece of fabric. If you have an emergency sewing kit in your junk drawer, here's the perfect way to use it. Make it eco-friendly again by using scraps of fabric from clothes too worn to wear. Additionally the supplies are much easier to keep small and compact, which leads to the next reason to consider embroidery.

 

You can make art on the go.

Maria Zamyatina Mixed Media Thread Painting embroidery class

While its not too difficult to doodle in a sketchbook while riding the subway to work, painting is less conducive to travel. With embroidery, you can just pull your project out of your bag and start stitching. And if you feel shy about sketching in public lest any bystanders look over your shoulder and become art critics, it can be a bit harder to see where any embroidery piece is going in the early stages. This lets beginners get in more practice and build up their confidence. It's so portable, it's even a great way to capture your favorite travel destinations as Zamyatina teaches in her class, Mixed Media Thread Painting: Learn to Embroider Your Travel Memories.

 

Embroidery adds dimension to other art projects.

Floor Giebels Embroidery class

If you already love painting, it's easy to combine embroidery to create textured and layered mixed-media artworks. This type of mixed media is exactly what you will make when you take either of My Modern Met Academy's embroidery classes as they both involve incorporating images in several different modes. In Intermediate Embroidery: Getting Creative With Printed Fabrics, Giebels will teach you to make collages with thread and fabric printed with your own composition.

 

These are just a few of the reasons folks are becoming passionate about this formerly underrated art. Find your own reasons by taking an online class at My Modern Met Academy.

 

My Modern Met Academy: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok

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Learn How To Stretch Your Own Canvas and More in This Masterclass https://mymodernmet.com/stretch-your-own-canvas-luiza-niechoda-masterclass/?adt_ei={{ subscriber.email_address }} Tue, 06 Aug 2024 09:55:36 +0000 https://mymodernmet.com/?p=686764 Learn How To Stretch Your Own Canvas and More in This Masterclass

With the likes of Amazon, Blick, and Michael’s just a click away, it's easier than ever to buy canvas boards or pre-stretched canvases to paint on. Yet many artists still prefer to stretch their own canvas. Along with being able to create any sized canvas you could possibly imagine, stretching your own canvas gives you […]

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Learn How To Stretch Your Own Canvas and More in This Masterclass
Artist Luiza Niechoda paints on a canvas she stretched herself

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase, My Modern Met may earn an affiliate commission. Please read our disclosure for more info.

With the likes of Amazon, Blick, and Michael’s just a click away, it's easier than ever to buy canvas boards or pre-stretched canvases to paint on. Yet many artists still prefer to stretch their own canvas. Along with being able to create any sized canvas you could possibly imagine, stretching your own canvas gives you greater control over the quality of materials used and the ability to customize the size you prefer. Linen or cotton? Raw or primed? Extra large or teeny-tiny? You get to choose.

When you stretch your own canvas you can even think out of the box and build surfaces that aren't just square or rectangular. Additionally stretching your own canvas is often more economical, especially if you want to use higher quality materials.

Intimidated by the idea of creating your own canvases? Don't worry! In My Modern Met Academy‘s masterclass Acrylic Painting Masterclass: Explore Color & Abstract Landscape Painting, Luiza Niechoda takes you step by step through the canvas-stretching process and shares her technique for creating a contemporary landscape painting that plays with geometric abstraction. This class is perfect for those who are familiar with acrylic painting and are ready to challenge themselves as well as learn valuable skills that all painters should know.

In Acrylic Painting Masterclass: Explore Color & Abstract Landscape Painting Luiza Niechoda demonstrates how to stretch your own canvas so that you can level up your artwork.

Luiza Niechoda looks at her materials laid out for her acrylic painting class

Luiza Niechoda measures out the size of her frame for her canvas.

Niechoda goes on to show how she translates landscapes into abstracted acrylic paintings with two different projects.

The two completed acrylic landscapes Luiza Niechoda creates during her masterclass

Watch the preview below and sign up for Acrylic Painting Masterclass: Explore Color & Abstract Landscape Painting today.

My Modern Met Academy: Website | Instagram | Facebook

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READ: Learn How To Stretch Your Own Canvas and More in This Masterclass

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Warm up Like an Olympian With These Art Prompts Before You Dive Into a Bigger Project https://mymodernmet.com/warm-up-drawing-prompts/?adt_ei={{ subscriber.email_address }} Tue, 30 Jul 2024 09:55:32 +0000 https://mymodernmet.com/?p=685443 Warm up Like an Olympian With These Art Prompts Before You Dive Into a Bigger Project

When you hit the gym or go for a run, you probably do something easy first to warm-up your muscles. Warming up prevents injury by priming muscles, getting your blood flowing, and boosting your confidence before a grueling workout. Doing warm-up exercises isn't just for athletics though. Warming up can be a great way to […]

READ: Warm up Like an Olympian With These Art Prompts Before You Dive Into a Bigger Project

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Warm up Like an Olympian With These Art Prompts Before You Dive Into a Bigger Project

Thumbnail paintings from Nitika Ale's warm-up for flower paintings

When you hit the gym or go for a run, you probably do something easy first to warm-up your muscles. Warming up prevents injury by priming muscles, getting your blood flowing, and boosting your confidence before a grueling workout. Doing warm-up exercises isn't just for athletics though. Warming up can be a great way to prepare your mind and hands before you tackle a bigger project. It's a low stakes way to loosen up your gestures while also nudging your brain to get into creative mode.

Once you've warmed up, you'll be needing your next project. My Modern Met Academy courses are great for building up your skills and confidence when you're feeling overwhelmed by a blank canvas or page. One great class for both beginners and seasoned artists is Nitika Ale's Learn How to Paint Abstract Acrylic Floral Paintings. Ale encourages her students to become more confident in their work, focusing on color-mixing and loosening up brushstrokes.

Scroll down to check out five ways you can warm up to create your next masterpiece.

Before you start your next art project, here are five activities to get you in the right frame of mind:

 

1.  Blind Contour Drawing

A blind contour drawing of the artist's feet, which serves as a good example of a warm up exercise

Photo: M. Gunn, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Without looking at the surface you're drawing on, use your chosen medium to sketch something in front of you. Bonus points if you don't lift your hand from the page. This is especially great for practicing drawing oh-so-difficult hands and feet. Blind contour drawing lets you shed any perfectionist tendencies and focus purely on observation and moving your hand in unison.

 

2.  Sketching a Dozen Patterned Circles

Hand drawn patterns in circles.

Photo: maritime_m/Depositphotos

Fill up a page in your sketchbook with 12 circles. Then draw a new pattern inside each circle. By playing with patterns, you'll get your creative juices flowing and feel more playful with how you make marks on the page.

 

3. Shading and Color-Mixing

Nitika Ale warms up by mixing colors into a gradient in her painting course.

If you are drawing, use your pencil to create a gradient across the top of your page. Start with the lightest pressure and slowly increase until you are making the darkest value possible. Then keep doing this, but instead of just up and down vertical lines, use points to create a pointillist gradient, then continue with cross-hatching. If you are a painter, gradients can help you become an expert in color-mixing.

Start with the pure hue of your paint and slowly mix in more white paint for it to become lighter, or black paint to become darker. Or start with one hue on one end and slowly blend in a new color to create a totally new color.

 

4. Doodling

Quickly make a large random doodle on paper. Once again, don't look at the page while you doodle. Then take what you drew and turn the doodle into something more representational, like an animal. This again gets you to look at something in a new way.

 

5. Thumbnail Warm-ups

Nitika Ale warms up for painting larger pieces by doing a series of thumbnails.

Draw two to four squares on your page. Then draw a thumbnail sketch or paint a thumbnail painting of a composition you're interested in doing in larger scale. Next, use the remaining thumbnails to alter your original idea. Should an object be larger in the frame? Or would it help to add more contrast to your shades? This not only helps you warm up, but lets you refine your plans for your next work of art. Artist Nitika Ale demonstrates this exercise with acrylic paint in her e-course, Learn How to Paint Abstract Acrylic Floral Paintings.

 

Enroll now in Learn How to Paint Abstract Acrylic Floral Paintings or one of My Modern Met Academy's other painting and illustration classes to guide you as you develop your artistic eye and create muscle memory in how to translate your vision to the page or canvas.

 

My Modern Met Academy: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok

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Make Memories With Your Best Four-Pawed Friend While Taking This Photography Class https://mymodernmet.com/belinda-richards-pet-photography-class/?adt_ei={{ subscriber.email_address }} Tue, 23 Jul 2024 09:55:57 +0000 https://mymodernmet.com/?p=684066 Make Memories With Your Best Four-Pawed Friend While Taking This Photography Class

If you have a dog or cat in your life, you likely take lots of pictures. Whether or not you consider yourself creative, it's hard to resist becoming a total shutterbug, grabbing another photo of our good boys and girls while they're snoozing in the sun or romping in the yard. They're just so cute, […]

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Make Memories With Your Best Four-Pawed Friend While Taking This Photography Class

Pet Portraits by Belinda Richards

If you have a dog or cat in your life, you likely take lots of pictures. Whether or not you consider yourself creative, it's hard to resist becoming a total shutterbug, grabbing another photo of our good boys and girls while they're snoozing in the sun or romping in the yard. They're just so cute, you've probably even paid for extra cloud storage just to make sure you hold on to every image ever captured of your loved one with a wagging tail. Your pet, however, might not be a fan of the puparazzi or sitting still for a clear shot. With a little bit of guidance though, you can capture beautiful, artistic portraits of your furry, fuzzy, or whiskered family members that you will treasure for years to come and be proud to frame and hang on your walls.

With My Modern Met Academy‘s Introduction to Pet Photography: Capture the Spirit of Your Furry Friend you get to stretch your creative muscles while having quality time with your pets. Professional photographer Belinda Richards goes over the entire process, from dog psychology to photo editing, that even with just your phone's camera you'll create work that belongs in a museum.

One student who completed the class wrote, “I have been an outdoor photographer for nearly 20 years, and decided to delve into studio photography. Knowing nothing about studio lighting and how it works, I found Belinda so easy to understand. She explained everything in a way I wasn't having to pause and google what she was talking about.” Richards covers a wide array of skills over 15 short lessons that it's impossible to not learn something, even if you're a seasoned photographer.

Enroll now in Introduction to Pet Photography: Capture the Spirit of Your Furry Friend on My Modern Met Academy before you take any more out-of-focus pictures of your animal companion who's more interested in chewing on your phone that posing. Once you've taken your pet photography skills to the next level, you can check out My Modern Met Academy's other online classes that will help you capture your pets and their lovable personalities.

In Introduction to Pet Photography: Capture the Spirit of Your Furry Friend, photographer Belinda Richards will make sure you feel comfortable with every step in the photography process.

Dog Photography by Belinda Richard

Richards makes sure you know how to encourage your pet to show off their best angles and character.

Dog Photography by Belinda Richard

Dog Photography by Belinda Richard

Belinda Richards: Website | Instagram | Facebook

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How To Build Up an Art Habit To Make Sure You’re Always Creating https://mymodernmet.com/building-art-habits/?adt_ei={{ subscriber.email_address }} Tue, 16 Jul 2024 09:55:14 +0000 https://mymodernmet.com/?p=682437 How To Build Up an Art Habit To Make Sure You’re Always Creating

Are you an art hobbyist or perhaps an art enthusiast who wants to become an artist? In either case, finding time and motivation to make art can be a challenge. With work, school, friends, family, and household chores, it’s easy to neglect your recreational passion. Perhaps your last artworks were finger paintings for mom's refrigerator, […]

READ: How To Build Up an Art Habit To Make Sure You’re Always Creating

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How To Build Up an Art Habit To Make Sure You’re Always Creating

Dimitra Milan works on mixed media art

Are you an art hobbyist or perhaps an art enthusiast who wants to become an artist? In either case, finding time and motivation to make art can be a challenge. With work, school, friends, family, and household chores, it’s easy to neglect your recreational passion. Perhaps your last artworks were finger paintings for mom's refrigerator, but you want to learn something new. Having an art habit makes you not just an artist, but a less stressed and more focused individual in general.

Where to start though? My Modern Met Academy is perfect for making art a habit. Across mediums, we have classes that are great for beginners or those who feel a little rusty. From Beyond Bouquets to Dappled Light, our courses will inspire you to expand your creative horizons.

Scroll down for some tips on how to build an art habit and never miss an opportunity to create (and have fun in the process).

Here are 6 tips to get your creative practice going and build good art habits.

 

1. Set small, consistent goals.

Anna Sokolova draws thumbnail sketches in sketchbook

While you might want to eventually paint the next Guernica, start small. Even as few as five minutes a day will help build a lasting habit. With short sessions, you won't worry about your to-do list, and you can slip art anywhere into your day.

Conveniently My Modern Met Academy classes are broken up into short lessons. They're perfect to set the tone for the day and watch while you're drinking your morning coffee.

 

2. Mise en place – have all your materials ready.

Demi Lang lays out her tools for her art practice

When you want to work in short bursts, it’s important to not spend too much time gathering your materials and finding a spot with good light. Mise en place is the culinary practice of having all of your ingredients and tools prepped before you start cooking. This is helpful to do with art as well.

Have your paints laid out, pencils sharpened, and cups of water filled and set where you want to make your art ahead of time so it's easier to dive into the creative process when inspiration calls. This can be as simple as keeping your sketchbook and pens together in a bag next to your keys so you don't forget to grab them for on-the-go sketching.

Artist Demi Lang includes a quick lesson on organizing your workspace in her course Architectural Illustration for Everyone and all of My Modern Met Academy’s classes start with an explanation of the materials you'll need to complete projects.

 

3. Use the buddy system.

Megan Elizabeth shows her art

Art can be a solitary practice, but having an art buddy can enhance the experience. Meeting up for coffee dates to sketch can help time fly by and be a great way to build friendships as well.

Not sure who to ask? Look for meet-up groups, both in person and online to have a whole team of body-doubles. Even if you prefer making your art solo, it can be great to have someone to update on your progress to keep you accountable. They can even be a source of critiques when you're ready.

On My Modern Met Academy, you can take a class for yourself and gift that same class to a friend. Then, you can make a pact to tackle lessons together. You don’t even have to be in the same location at the same time. Like a book club, you can set a goal to complete a lesson within a certain amount of time and reconvene at a later date, holding each other accountable.

 

4. Keep a “reference library” for inspiration.

Elyse Dodge looks for reference photos for her painting

Sometimes the creative muse is AWOL. That's when it's great to have your own compendium of art inspirations. Whether it's jotting down ideas in the Notes app, or saving posts from your favorite artists and museums' Instagrams, having somewhere you keep a pile of ideas is great for when you just don't know what to make. It's also a fantastic way to learn about your personal style and what artistic aspects you'd like to lean into as you grow in skill.

Artist Anna Sokolova loves to return to several well-loved books of scientific and nature illustrations when she is thinking about her next piece. You can learn about her process in Animal Portraits in Colored Inks.

 

5. Try something new.

Maria Zamyatina paints her embroidery

If you feel yourself becoming bored with your art, that's exactly when you should try something you haven't before. This can be as simple as using a color you tend to ignore. Hate orange? Use only shades of orange in your next piece. Another option is trying a whole new medium that will not only reignite your interest but still help improve your artistic talent.

In Mixed Media Thread Painting, you'll practice both painting and embroidery in a way that will add a fresh perspective to both mediums.

 

6. Take an art challenge.

Multiple sketches of same drawing in Melissa de Nobrega's class

Want to get better at drawing hands? Challenge yourself to draw 100 in different poses. Repetition is practice and practice makes perfect. There are also new art challenges on social media nearly every month. Famously, there's Inktober where you get a new prompt each day in October for an ink drawing. Coming up in August, there's Doggust when you can draw a different dog for each day. If you want to be ambitious, you could take a new class each month and master a new technique.

The key thing to remember is that art is about exploring and learning. Get your art habit started with one of My Modern Met Academy's classes and then keep on creating. If you want to share your art after your class, be sure to tag @mymodernmetacademy.

 

My Modern Met Academy: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok

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READ: How To Build Up an Art Habit To Make Sure You’re Always Creating

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These Books by My Modern Met Academy Instructors Will Jumpstart Your Artistic Growth https://mymodernmet.com/academy-instructors-books/?adt_ei={{ subscriber.email_address }} Tue, 09 Jul 2024 09:55:25 +0000 https://mymodernmet.com/?p=681123 These Books by My Modern Met Academy Instructors Will Jumpstart Your Artistic Growth

Our e-learning platform, My Modern Met Academy, has a full roster of incredibly talented artists who excel at breaking down art into bite-sized lessons. Whether you're interested in illustration, painting, crocheting, or photography, chances are one of our team of instructors can introduce you to new skills that you'll use for years to come. If […]

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These Books by My Modern Met Academy Instructors Will Jumpstart Your Artistic Growth
My Modern Met Academy INstructor's art instruction books

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase, My Modern Met may earn an affiliate commission. Please read our disclosure for more info.

Our e-learning platform, My Modern Met Academy, has a full roster of incredibly talented artists who excel at breaking down art into bite-sized lessons. Whether you're interested in illustration, painting, crocheting, or photography, chances are one of our team of instructors can introduce you to new skills that you'll use for years to come.

If you haven't signed up for one of our classes yet, now's the perfect time to enroll. You'll be able to pace yourself and rewatch each lesson as many times as you want. After completing the class, you'll likely be excited to learn as much as possible about your new pastime. Luckily, our instructors aren't just great in the classroom; many of them continue to share their expertise through different mediums. Several of our online instructors have written books that make perfect companions to My Modern Met Academy courses.

Scroll down to see the books our instructors have published.

Here are 6 books by My Modern Met Academy instructors that will keep you going on your artistic journey.

 

Cartooning Made Easy: Circle, Triangle, Square: Draw unique cartoon characters using simple geometric shapes
by Margherita Cole

Instructor and former My Modern Met writer Margherita Cole has made a career out of illustrating and sharing her knowledge with others. If you've ever enjoyed one of our drawing tutorials, then you'll love Cartooning Made Easy. Cole's book (inspired by her drawing guide on My Modern Met) is chock-full of approachable instructions that will help beginners feel comfortable diving into illustration.

While beginner drawing students are waiting for their book to arrive, they can take Cole's Drawing 101: Learn the Building Blocks of Sketching. With three separate projects, the class covers all of the fundamentals a budding illustrator needs to know.

 

Drawing and Illustrating Architecture: A Step-by-Step Guide to the Art of Drawing and Illustrating Beautiful Buildings
by Demi Lang

Demi Lang makes intricate architectural drawing seem simple in both her popular class Architectural Illustration for Everyone: Draw Buildings in Ink and Colored Pencil and her recently published book Drawing and Illustrating Architecture: A Step-by-Step Guide to the Art of Drawing and Illustrating Beautiful Buildings. With over 17 years of professional experience, Lang has a plethora of tips to help illustrators create crisp and precise works. Make sure you don't miss her top-selling online class. Then, check out her book for even more in-depth instructions.

 

Brilliant Inks: A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating in Vivid Color – Draw, Paint, Print, and More!
by Anna Sokolova

Anna Sokolova's vibrant illustrations can't be ignored. Working with ink can be intimidating to the uninitiated but Sokolova shares her love of vibrant ink in her class Animal Portraits in Colored Inks as well as her book Brilliant Inks. Start making beautiful illustrations of your favorite animals through the My Modern Met Academy class and then expand your repertoire with Sokolova's well-reviewed book.

 

Realistic Drawing for Beginners: How to Create Stunning, Lifelike Drawings of Any Subject
by Matheus Macedo

With only a pencil, Matheus Macedo can create portraits that are as realistic as photographs and convey moods and personality effortlessly. Luckily, he will be sharing his talents in his new book. Available for preorder, Realistic Drawing for Beginners will ship in November and be the perfect companion to Macedo's Realistic Portrait Drawing Made Easy course on My Modern Met Academy.

 

Portraits with Procreate: A Beginner's Guide to Drawing and Painting Faces
by Melissa de Nobrega

Melissa de Nobrega‘s newly published book is a great introduction to making digital art. Before you start learning how to use Procreate, take de Nobrega's portrait class at My Modern Met Academy. Portrait Drawing for Beginners is an excellent introduction to portraits for students of all skill levels and will be insightful no matter the medium you prefer to use.

 

The Enthusiast's Guide to Composition: 48 Photographic Principles You Need to Know
by Khara Plicanic

Khara Plicanic teaches our class on crocheting titled Crochet Crash CourseIn the class, you'll learn how to make a purse that is perfect for your summer plans. Plicanic is skilled at a wide variety of arts and crafts, but her skill set goes beyond that. Her book The Enthusiast's Guide to Composition is actually geared toward photographers. In it, photographers can learn everything they need to know to create the perfect subject for their cameras. If you're always on the lookout for your next hobby, consider learning from Plicanic who will get you started quickly no matter the project.

 

My Modern Met Academy: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok

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READ: These Books by My Modern Met Academy Instructors Will Jumpstart Your Artistic Growth

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Celebrate the 4th of July With 15% Off Creative Classes on My Modern Met Academy https://mymodernmet.com/fourth-july-sale-mmm-academy/?adt_ei={{ subscriber.email_address }} Tue, 02 Jul 2024 09:55:14 +0000 https://mymodernmet.com/?p=608562 Celebrate the 4th of July With 15% Off Creative Classes on My Modern Met Academy

The 4th of July is a holiday that is synonymous with barbecues, fireworks, and fun. But, above all, it's America's birthday, and to get in on the fun, My Modern Met Academy wants to offer up a gift to anyone interested in expanding their creative horizons. From July 2 to July 4, we're offering 15% […]

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Celebrate the 4th of July With 15% Off Creative Classes on My Modern Met Academy

My Modern Met Academy Fourth of July Sale

The 4th of July is a holiday that is synonymous with barbecues, fireworks, and fun. But, above all, it's America's birthday, and to get in on the fun, My Modern Met Academy wants to offer up a gift to anyone interested in expanding their creative horizons. From July 2 to July 4, we're offering 15% off our online courses, which are all taught by experienced artists and makers.

So after you've finished grilling up a storm and playing some backyard games, why not treat yourself to an art class? My Modern Met Academy's courses are all on-demand, so you can watch whenever you want, and there's no limit to how many times you can view the lessons.

Whether you’re a beginner who wishes you could learn how to draw or an expert crafter who wants to gain new skills, there's something for everyone. With courses ranging from one to three hours, there is plenty to learn without having to over-commit. And, best of all, the variety of subjects and mediums means there’s something for everyone. Want to learn how to crochet? We've got you covered. Interested in learning how to make abstract paintings, we can show you that as well.

You can take advantage of the discount on all of My Modern Met Academy's courses in painting, crafting, hand lettering, photography, and illustration. All you need to do is use the code independence15 at checkout to receive 15% off your order (gift certificates are excluded from this offer, and the code will not apply to already discounted courses). Act now, before the sale ends on July 4 at at 7:59 p.m. EDT.

Scroll down to see previews of some of our most-loved classes and get inspired by the  creative courses you can enroll in.

My Modern Met is celebrating America's birthday with 15% off of our creative online courses through July 4. Use the code independence15 at checkout to receive the discount. Here are just some of the courses you can choose from.

 

Acrylic Painting Masterclass: Explore Color and Abstract Landscape Painting

 

Crochet Crash Course: Fiesta Fringe Bag

 

Creating Contemporary Geometric Landscapes Using Acrylic Paint

 

My Modern Met Academy: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok

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READ: Celebrate the 4th of July With 15% Off Creative Classes on My Modern Met Academy

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Practice Sketching Like Your Favorite Artists Through Portraiture https://mymodernmet.com/melissa-de-nobrega-sketching-portraiture/?adt_ei={{ subscriber.email_address }} Tue, 25 Jun 2024 09:55:58 +0000 https://mymodernmet.com/?p=679301 Practice Sketching Like Your Favorite Artists Through Portraiture

Art trends come and go, but no matter the era, portraits are a foundational subject for artists. As far back as 5,000 years ago, the ancient Egyptians were making portraits of their royalty and deities. Even the invention of photography couldn't keep artists from depicting faces in their works. Some of the most iconic 20th-century […]

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Practice Sketching Like Your Favorite Artists Through Portraiture

Art trends come and go, but no matter the era, portraits are a foundational subject for artists. As far back as 5,000 years ago, the ancient Egyptians were making portraits of their royalty and deities. Even the invention of photography couldn't keep artists from depicting faces in their works. Some of the most iconic 20th-century artists such as Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol played with portraits to redefine art itself.

There are several reasons why making portraits endures today. Humans are social by nature, and biologically compelled to find each other endlessly fascinating. There's no quicker way to build an emotional connection between a viewer and a work of art than featuring our wide range of expressions. While iPhone cameras make it easier than ever to take a selfie, a drawing or painting can expressively highlight characteristics of a subject and reveal deeper truths. Conveniently, there's never a dearth of faces to sketch, especially when it comes to self-portraiture. There's a reason why so many artists have self-portraits and its not simply vanity or egotism, but often sheer practicality. You never have to worry about getting more reference photos or accidentally insulting someone when you practice drawing your own visage.

Faces are universally are complex subject and creating a portrait can feel like a real accomplishment. However, despite their challenging aspects, there are also some basic principles that makes portraits accessible to the newest of art students. Especially with Melissa de Nobrega and My Modern Met Academy, portraiture is made simple. The artist will take you through the basics of anatomy, proportions, and shading in bite-sized lessons that demystify the practice. In her online course, titled Portrait Drawing for Beginners: Learn How to Draw Anyone You'd Like, new artists will forget any fears they have thanks to de Nobrega's clear instructions and guidelines. By the end of the class, you'll be excited to get started on your next portrait.

In the online class Drawing for Beginners: Learn How to Draw Anyone You'd Like, you'll be able practice your drawing skills like all the great artists through the centuries.

Portraits for Beginners Melissa de Nobrega

Portraits for Beginners Melissa de Nobrega

Portraits for Beginners Melissa de Nobrega

Artist Melissa de Nobrega will help you understand bone structure and how to use it to refine your portraits.

Portraits for Beginners Melissa de Nobrega

Portraits for Beginners Melissa de Nobrega

Watch to learn more about her class:

My Modern Met Academy: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok

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READ: Practice Sketching Like Your Favorite Artists Through Portraiture

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