Brainstorming TRACK: Lesson 6, Beginning to End Artwork

Prompt

Create an artwork, from scratch to the final artwork.
Include several stages of development in your process.

stages

Examples

Bowsers

Self-Portrait Drawing with Collage, Bowsers

Subject matter

Work with any subject you want!
One option is to continue with a subject you used in prior lessons in this track.
If you can’t come up with a subject, try one of the prompts below.

Other prompts

Routine: Create an artwork based on a routine you have. This routine could be one you currently have, or a routine you used to have in your past.
Statistic: Look up a statistic and create an artwork inspired by that statistic.
Guilty Pleasure: Illustrate what your guilty pleasure is, explain visually why it’s a guilty pleasure.

Art Media

Use any 2D or 3D art media.
You don’t have to know what art media the final artwork will be in while you are brainstorming.
Perhaps part of the brainstorming process is figuring out what art media will be the best fit for your subject matter.

How to Avoid Art Clichés

This video explains what is an art cliché, and how to avoid creating artworks that will be perceived as being cliché.

This discussion breaks down how to get past the cliché in order to create artworks that are more thought provoking and unique in their approach.

Discussion led by Art Prof Clara Lieu and Teaching Artists Deepti Menon and Alex Rowe.

5 min. video

Photoshop: Caterpillar Illustration

See how to create an original illustration from the initial brainstorming stages all the way to the completed digital painting in Photoshop.

This video discusses basic techniques in Photoshop for drawing thumbnail sketches, blocking in colors, shading, creating a convincing sense of light and shadow, and details.

Also included is a demonstration of how to shoot good reference photos, how to choose reference photos online, and how to merge multiple reference photos for the final illustration. Demo by Art Prof Clara Lieu and Teaching Artist Cat Huang.