#art

Embarking on an adventure into the art world often involves traversing cities that serve as hubs for creativity, innovation, and cultural expression. If you’re wondering which cities to explore for an immersive art experience, here’s a curated list that promises to ignite your artistic soul.

Paris, France: The City of Artistic Legacy

Known as the epicenter of artistic movements, Paris stands as a testament to centuries of creative brilliance. From the iconic Louvre housing masterpieces like the Mona Lisa to the vibrant street art adorning the neighborhoods, every corner exudes artistic flair. Don’t miss out on exploring Montmartre, a historic district that has inspired countless artists through the ages.

Photo of Museum D’Orsey from web

New York City, USA: The Contemporary Art Mecca

For those captivated by contemporary art, New York City is an unrivaled destination. The city’s art scene pulsates with energy, with galleries in Chelsea and the iconic Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) showcasing avant-garde works. Street art in neighborhoods like Bushwick in Brooklyn adds a dynamic and eclectic touch to the artistic landscape.

Photo of MOMA from web

Florence, Italy: Renaissance Revival

Stepping into Florence feels like a journey back in time to the Renaissance era. The birthplace of renowned artists like Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, Florence boasts architectural marvels like the Uffizi Gallery and the Accademia Gallery, home to Michelangelo’s David. Every alleyway whispers tales of artistic grandeur.

Photo of Uffizzi from web

Tokyo, Japan: Fusion of Tradition and Modernity

Tokyo’s art scene seamlessly merges tradition with innovation. From contemporary galleries in Roppongi Hills to the serene beauty of ancient art in places like the Nezu Museum, Tokyo offers a kaleidoscope of artistic experiences. Don’t miss teamLab Borderless, an immersive digital art museum that redefines boundaries.

Photo of Uffizzi from web

London, UK: A Canvas of Artistic Diversity

London’s art scene is synonymous with its world-class museums and galleries. The British Museum houses a staggering collection spanning centuries and continents, including the Rosetta Stone and the Elgin Marbles. The National Gallery showcases European masterpieces, featuring works by Van Gogh, da Vinci, and Turner.

Photo of The National Gallery from web

Venture into East London’s streets, particularly Shoreditch and Brick Lane, to witness a thriving street art scene. Colorful murals and graffiti adorn walls, telling stories of local culture and global trends. Additionally, unconventional art spaces like the Whitechapel Gallery and the Serpentine Galleries provide platforms for experimental and boundary-pushing art forms.

Photo of The Whitechapel Gallery from web

Each of these cities beckons with its own unique artistic treasures, offering a captivating blend of history, innovation, and cultural richness. Whether you seek classical masterpieces, avant-garde expressions, or a fusion of both, these cities promise an unforgettable artistic odyssey.

So, set forth on this art-filled adventure, let your curiosity be your guide, and immerse yourself in the beauty that these cities offer to art aficionados and adventurers alike.

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Abstract art is so diverse that it seems almost impossible to define and describe – which is why it brings so much freedom and happiness!

Everything is extremely individual in abstract art, from the methods and shapes to art forms. However, there are two main abstract movements that we can distinguish. 

In one, the artworks are based on the lines, colours, shapes or light, without being tied to or inspired by any specific, real object. The key thing here is the content, the message of the entire piece. It can be hard to find, but sometimes, with the help of a caption, one can better understand the meaning and even find it in the painting.

The other abstract art movement is based on reality, but it doesn’t depict it realistically – instead, the artist presents the viewer with a very simplified version, hinting at the object with representations of some of its features rather than depicting it.

Therefore it is obvious that each abstract artwork is met with a variety of opinions, often as different as can be. An original approach, balance, but also disparateness, simplicity or complicatedness – all those things can be and are valued in abstract art. The saying that the sky’s the limit is especially true here.

However, you still need an idea, a message, to create a captivating abstract artwork, since the message is essentially the most important part of abstract art! Your job is to create and explore new, hidden horizons and present them to the viewer.

Now, since great ideas and creativity are skills that you can practice and even colour splashes can be done professionally, you can learn abstract art with us too! Come to Draw Planet to enjoy beautiful, vibrant colours and creative freedom as you learn from the best of the best!

For many artists, there comes a moment in their lives when they decide to give digital painting a go, and even though the internet is full of tutorials and other educational materials on the topic, many are still at a loss when it comes to actually taking the first steps. That’s why we decided to compile a small entry  of FAQs on digital painting for beginners and experienced traditional artists alike who want to make the transition into the world of digital art.

1) Do I need to re-learn drawing?

Don’t worry, you don’t. The basic theories on drawing, colour and composition always apply, regardless of what medium you are using (a brush, a pencil or a tablet). You just need to recognize the specifics of your chosen technique and adapt to them. In this case, it means getting familiar with the user interface of our chosen software and getting used to a tablet.

2) Do I need a drawing tablet?

Using a computer mouse to draw isn’t the best idea, so a drawing tablet will make your life much easier and work much more comfortable. However, the pioneer of computer drawing, Craig Mullins, still uses a mouse to create his impressive artworks.

3) What is a drawing tablet?

Drawing tables come in two types – with an in-built screen or without it. Those with a monitor resemble iPads and other touch screens, however, unlike normal touch screens, they can also detect the pressure you apply to each stroke when you draw. You also need a special stylus pen to use a drawing tablet.

The tablets with a screen can be either connected to a PC, or have graphic software built directly into them which makes them very portable. The big advantage of such tablets is that you are drawing directly on the screen, which makes the creative process closely resemble traditional drawing on paper. The downside here is the price. 

Screen-less tablets are the most common and most popular. You need to look at your PC’s monitor as you draw on the tablet due to their lack of screen. It does feel strange at first and takes a bit of getting used to, but you will adapt faster than you would expect. The biggest advantages of these tables are the comfort, compact size, and much lower price.

The tablets also differ in their workspace size, its sensitivity, connection type (wired or wireless), and other aspects.

4) What software is the best for digital drawing?

This very much depends on your individual preferences and on what features you are looking for in the software. For raster graphics, Adobe Photoshop, Corel Painter or PaintTool SAI are your best bets. For vector graphics, Adobe Illustrator and Corel Draw are good choices. There are also raster programs that are designed to closely mimic traditional art forms like watercolour, oil, or pastels – these allow the user to choose the canvas texture, brush shape, and other parameters. Among these, ArtRage is the most popular. 

5) What’s the difference between raster and vector graphics?

Simply put, raster images are composed of tiny pixels and are resolution-dependent – this type of digital art is rather close to traditional art forms like drawing and painting on paper or canvas. Vector graphics are based on anchor points connected by lines and curves – it’s especially handy for illustrators and designers whose creations are usually rather simple. The big advantage of vector graphics lies in the flexibility and an endless possibility to change the image size without losing any of the quality. 

6) What are the advantages of digital art?

It’s virtually impossible to ruin your work – you can save it as many times as you like, keeping separate saves for different stages of your artwork, so you can always go back as many steps as you like and start again if you are unhappy with how it’s turned out. This means that the possibilities are extremely broad when it comes to moving your artwork to the next stage, adding or changing colour, changing proportions, the canvas size, etc. And let’s not forget about the fact that you can display your artwork on many different devices and make as many identical copies as you like. 

7) What are the downsides?

To print your digital artwork, you need to complete many steps to finalize it and prepare it for printing – colours need to be corrected and many other things need to be addressed to make sure the printed artwork looks like what you see on the monitor. Adding random and unexpected effects or textures is also difficult. In short, creating digital artworks requires one to adapt to certain challenges brought by the digital world.

8) Can you combine traditional and digital art?

Of course you can! You can start your drawing on paper, then scan it and finish with your tablet. Or go the other way around – make a sketch using your favourite software and then transfer it to a real canvas. Using computers to add finishing touches to illustrations drawn on paper has become standard practice these days.

9) What’s the best way to take first steps into digital art?

The most  important thing you need to do right at the start is to determine whether you like and enjoy digital art. Browse the artworks of talented digital artists and see if they stir a desire to create similar artworks in you. If they do, it’s time to get yourself a drawing tablet (according to your preferences and financial means) and choose software that will give you the tools you want.

And then you just need to register for our digital painting course for beginners 😊 If you do that, you don’t need to buy anything – we have plenty of laptops with graphic editors and great Wacom drawing tablets for our students to use (free of charge, of course) and the best teachers to explain and demonstrate everything.

There are plenty of various techniques in art – some are traditional, some are non-traditional, and some could be described as innovative, even. In general, an artistic technique is characterized not just by the materials used, but also by how they are used and applied. Length and direction of strokes, their brightness, the colour mixing method – all these factors are important, and they are also very individual, allowing each artist to create their own style. Still, there are some main techniques defined by the materials used to produce a resulting artwork. The most famous and the most popular techniques include pencil drawing, pastel drawing, watercolour painting, and oil painting. 

Pencil drawing is the simplest of them and it’s where most artists begin. Pencil drawing doesn’t require any special additional skills, and often pencil drawings serve as a preparatory stage for other techniques. However, there are still things to master in pencil drawing, like realism and precision or the secrets of hatching and shading.

Pastels require a rough surface with enough tooth and texture and allow you to both paint and draw with them – that means you can smudge the pastel to create a seamless layer over a larger area (painting) or use it to apply individual strokes (drawing). Pastels tend to look especially nice on dark backgrounds, which is why toned paper is often used for pastel work. 

Watercolour technique is a bit more complicated, and to many people it remains mysterious, perhaps even misunderstood. Its name comes from the Latin word for water – aqua, and the artist’s ability to control water mixed with colour determines how good they will be with watercolours. The paint itself is fluid and transparent, and very receptive to every move of the brush. Despite being sometimes misunderstood, watercolours are very popular with many great artists.

When it comes to oil painting, there are two distinct approaches: with or without underpainting. The first approach requires some rather complicated preparations, although there are no dogmatic rules when it comes to working with oil paint. The best thing you can do is to try them out and decide what works for you, and don’t get discouraged – even a non-professional artist can handle oil paint.

Recently, a new technique appeared and quickly gained popularity – digital drawing, with artists using drawing tablets and special stylus pens. This is great for both beginners and experts, and there are plenty of specialized programs that are designed to help both adults and children master digital art.

Whatever technique you decide to choose to develop and show off your creative abilities, don’t forget that only practice makes perfect. And for those whose heads are spinning with all the options to choose from there is also a solution – come to our drawing and painting course for beginners and let one of our amazing teachers guide you as you try your hand at all the most popular techniques to discover which one suits you best!

Are you tired of the cliché holiday movies like Love Actually? Get yourself a nice Hot Toddy and watch a movie on art instead! Here’s a selection of our favourites.

Hermitage – the Power of Art hit the big screen in 2019, inviting the viewers to travel into the past and experience the 250-year history of Hermitage and the magical streets of St. Petersburg. An Oscar-winning actor, Toni Servillo, will be your guide on this magnificent tour through the museum’s history, exploring it in the context of the Napoleonic wars, the Russian Revolution of 1917, the totalitarian era of the 20th century, and the modern era. The Hermitage collection contains artworks from the world’s most famous artists like Leonardo da Vinci, Raffael, Van Eyck, Reubens, Tiziano or Rembrandt, allowing you to see them on the big screen and in high resolution for the very first time.

Gauguin (2017)
A story about the French post-impressionist painter Paul Gauguin, following his journey from dark Paris to the sunny beaches of Tahiti which ultimately made his name forever etched in the world’s history of art. Gauguin arrives in Tahiti at the very start of the movie and allows us to follow his daily life in Tahiti, romantic adventures, but also his fight with an illness that came at the most productive time of his career. The great painter is played by the renowned French actor Vincent Cassel.

Loving Vincent (2017)
This Polish-British co-production movie was released in 2017 and it is a unique movie indeed – it is the first movie ever to be composed of oil paintings only. So, if you are a fan of this Dutch impressionist painter and his art, this movie is guaranteed to take your breath away. Allow yourself to become encompassed by his art, its atmosphere, learn about the people you see in his paintings, and follow Vincent van Gogh through the last stage of his life, so shrouded in secrecy.

Frida (2002)
A bright, vibrant movie about a bright, fierce, vibrant woman, burning passion, and untamed energy. Frida was only 20 years old when she married Mexico’s most famous painter, Diego Rivera, gaining a middle-aged husband characterized by wealth and depravity. The movie explores Frida as an artist, but also as a woman who valued love and family above all else.

Basquiat (1996)
This movie follows the short but dramatic life of the black painter Jean-Michel Basquiat, with New York’s art scene serving as the main backdrop. Discover a full portrait of the artist and all things that led to his self-destruction: his art, his lifestyle marked by the burden of fame, the countless romantic flings, and his affinity for drugs.

Pollock (2000)
Not many people can say that their art influenced a whole generation and set the course for future artists. A few names do come to mind, like Russia’s Kazimir Malevich or Salvador Dali of Spain. But what about the USA? Well, there was Jackson Pollock, an untamed genius who met a tragic end and managed to revolutionize abstract art in just a few short years. In 1941, a fellow artist and his future partner, Lee Krasner, discovered his talent. However, their happiness was short-lived – Pollock’s soul was tarnished by his inner demons, slowly pushing him down a path of self-destruction and ultimately making his life short but incredible – and that’s what this movie is about.

Banksy: Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010)

This story is almost unbelievable, but every inch of it is true. An eccentric, bourgeois French documentary-maker from Los Angeles embarks on a quest to find and befriend Banksy. This documentary earned an Oscar nomination for the best picture in the category. Embark on a journey that will let you see inside street and modern art, where talent means almost nothing, and good marketing means almost everything.