Creative resources, tools and tips for students and professionals in the creative sector.
Unlock your creativity and confidence at the piano by mastering simple patterns and scales. Learning how to improvise on the piano can feel overwhelming—but it doesn’t have to be. In this beginner-friendly guide, pianist, composer, and educator David Snyder shares an accessible and liberating approach to improvisation, focusing on two core concepts: patterns and ingredients.
Learn how to build diatonic chords, understand the Nashville Number System, and unlock your creativity on the piano with this essential music theory guide. If you want to take your piano skills to the next level, understanding the major scale, diatonic chords, and the Nashville Number System is key. These are not just fancy music theory terms—they're practical tools that can help you compose songs, improvise, and jam with other musicians effortlessly.
Illustrator Alberto Russo shares his top technique to boost creativity and track your artistic progress with a sketchbook. If you're looking to improve your drawing skills, there's one simple yet powerful habit every aspiring illustrator should adopt: filling a sketchbook. According to professional illustrator Alberto Russo, this daily practice is one of the most effective ways to develop your artistic abilities, experiment with new techniques, and visually track your creative evolution over time. In this tutorial, Alberto walks us through his step-by-step sketching process, using a lion portrait as a reference. He emphasizes the importance of analyzing proportions, focusing on the aspect ratio of width and height, and reproducing it carefully on paper.
Discover essential macramé knots and creative methods to add color and shape in your 3D fiber art projects. If you're ready to take your macramé skills to the next level, learning the right macramé knots is essential. In this step-by-step tutorial, Canadian 3D macramé artist Mikaela Szumigraj shares foundational techniques to help you build strong and sculptural designs using reverse lark’s head knots, horizontal, vertical, and diagonal clove hitch knots.
Discover powerful animation features in Procreate Dreams and learn how to create dynamic motion with simple gestures If you’re diving into the world of digital animation, Procreate Dreams is the game-changing tool you need to explore. In this tutorial, animation expert Brooks Egleston breaks down one of the most exciting Procreate Dreams features: Perform Mode and the Warp Tool, two intuitive ways to bring your illustrations to life with motion.
Learn how to add a stunning metallic touch to your embroidery with this step-by-step tutorial on creating French knots using gold thread. Want to add shimmer and elegance to your embroidery? Metallic thread embroidery is a beautiful way to elevate your work, especially when creating French knots that shine at the center of your designs. In this tutorial, you’ll discover how to embroider French knots with metallic thread, learning essential techniques like the knotless method and pro tips for working with delicate gold thread.
Discover how artists can collaborate with tools like ChatGPT to streamline their creative workflow, enhance storytelling, and stay ahead in the age of artificial intelligence. In the age of artificial intelligence, many creatives worry about being replaced by machines. But what if instead of fearing AI, we embraced it as a creative partner? In this tutorial, an artist shares how they collaborated with ChatGPT to develop a compelling character concept—merging AI-generated storytelling with personal artistic vision. The process began with a simple text prompt: “Describe a Greek warrior, a fallen demigod battling evil.” ChatGPT responded with a detailed character backstory, physical traits, and costume elements, laying a solid narrative foundation.
Unlock the structure of powerful theatrical stories with insights from fairy tales and classic drama. If you’ve ever wondered how to write a compelling play, the secret lies in asking the right questions. According to playwright and educator Ronán Noone, every successful theatrical work — from classic tragedies like Hamlet to fairy tales like Cinderella — answers three essential storytelling questions. In this guide, we explore these fundamental elements of playwriting that will elevate your narrative, shape your characters’ motivations, and drive your plot forward with clarity and purpose.
Master Smart Animate, Custom Easing Curves, and Delay Timing to Elevate Your UI Designs If you're ready to elevate your Figma prototyping skills, this step-by-step tutorial with Daniele Buffa, a seasoned visual and product designer, is your ultimate guide. You'll learn how to create smooth UI animations using components, variants, and smart animation with custom easing curves—all while building a visually stunning splash screen prototype.
Learn how to decorate stunning cakes using piping tips like 1M, 4B, and 104 to create swirls, rosettes, stars, and more If you’ve ever admired a beautifully decorated cake and wondered how do they do that?, you’re in the right place. In this tutorial, cake artist Whitney DePaoli, the creator of Sugar and Sparrow, walks us through the fundamental piping techniques for decorating cakes with buttercream. Whether you're a beginner or looking to refresh your skills, mastering these piping techniques will elevate your cake decorating game. Whitney uses three essential piping tips—1M, 4B, and 104—to demonstrate how to create eye-catching textures and shapes like swirls, rosettes, stars, shell borders, and ruffles.
Master Color Theory with These Easy and Inspiring Tips from Illustrator Allison Cole If you've ever stared at your canvas wondering which colors to choose, you're not alone. For illustrators and surface designers, color palette decisions are key to making artwork pop and feel cohesive. In this tutorial, artist and surface designer Allison Cole shares 5 expert color palette tips rooted in color theory to help you level up your creative process. Whether you're designing a pattern, illustration, or digital artwork, these color palette techniques will help you work with confidence and create more vibrant, harmonious compositions.
Discover the 4 Key Elements of Memorable Storytelling to Elevate Your Creative Projects Telling a short, engaging story about your creative work can be one of the most powerful tools in your professional toolkit. Whether you're a designer, illustrator, photographer, or filmmaker, understanding how to tell a story that sticks is essential for capturing attention and making your work memorable. In this tutorial, you'll learn four secrets to crafting compelling creative stories, also known as illuminations—short narratives that shine a light on your creative process and connect with your audience on an emotional level.
A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Stunning Visuals in Figma When designing a user interface (UI), every detail—from typography to imagery and color—plays a crucial role in the final aesthetic. In this UI design tutorial, Daniel Buffa, a visual and product designer, takes us through an in-depth exploration using Figma, based on a pre-created mood board. This guide will help you understand how to structure and refine a visual direction while maintaining a cohesive and engaging design system.
Master the Art of Preparing Your Canvas for a Perfect Painting Foundation Toning your canvas before painting is an essential step that can dramatically impact the final result of your artwork. By applying a thin, even layer of color, you create a harmonious base that helps unify your composition and enhances the vibrancy of your paints. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to tone a canvas using burnt sienna and Gamsol, ensuring a smooth and balanced surface for your next masterpiece.
Learn how to prepare flavorful and nutritious Japanese rice balls with a creative vegan twist Onigiri, also known as Japanese rice balls, are a fun and easy-to-make snack that can be customized with endless fillings. In this tutorial, we’ll show you how to create a vegan version of onigiri using a simple and delicious homemade tofu mayo and a vibrant chickpea salad filling. Whether you're new to Japanese cuisine or a plant-based food lover, this recipe will inspire you to get creative in the kitchen!
Learn How to Build and Use Major Scales to Compose, Improvise, and Play with Confidence If you’ve ever wondered how to unlock the full potential of the piano, mastering the major scale is the perfect place to start. The major scale is the foundation of music, allowing you to compose, improvise, and understand melodies with ease. In this tutorial, pianist and composer David Snyder breaks down the power of major scales and shows you how to build and use them creatively.
Exploring the Power of AI and Human Imagination in Character Design The rise of artificial intelligence in digital art has sparked countless debates about creativity, originality, and storytelling. But what happens when a human artist challenges AI in a head-to-head design battle? In this tutorial, we explore the process of combining human creativity with AI-generated ideas, testing their capabilities in developing a unique and compelling character concept.
Make Your Sketchbook More Dynamic with These Creative Layout Techniques A sketchbook is more than just a place to draw—it’s a space for exploration, creativity, and storytelling. Whether you're an illustrator, a picture book artist, or simply someone who enjoys sketching, how you arrange your sketches can enhance the visual appeal and functionality of your sketchbook. In this tutorial, illustrator and picture book maker Raahat Kaduji shares creative sketchbook layout ideas to make your pages look more engaging and dynamic.
Learn how to design and weave stunning grid patterns with textile artist Rachel Snack Weaving is an ancient art form that blends creativity and technique, allowing artists to craft intricate patterns with just a loom and some yarn. If you've ever wanted to create structured, visually striking woven designs, mastering grid patterns is a great place to start. In this tutorial, Rachel Snack, artist, textile conservator, and founder of Weaver House, shares a simple step-by-step method to design and weave your own grid pattern.
Learn How to Create Beautiful Buttercream Decorations with These Easy Piping Techniques Cake decoration is an art that transforms ordinary cakes into stunning masterpieces. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced baker, mastering piping techniques is essential to elevate your creations. In this tutorial, renowned cake artist Josie Casey, also known as Sweet Josie, shares her expert tips on how to achieve flawless buttercream decorations with ease.
Master simple techniques to enhance your sketching practice and bring your creativity to life When it comes to drawing, preparation is key! Whether you’re sketching for fashion design, illustration, or personal projects, warming up helps you loosen your hand and get into a creative flow. In this tutorial, illustrator Josefina Fernández shares her go-to method for starting a drawing session, from choosing the right tools to layering color for depth and vibrancy.
Give Your Handmade Creations a Unique and Personalized Look If you've ever finished a crochet project and felt like something was missing, you’re not alone! Adding finishing touches like tassels, trims, and embellishments can take your handmade pieces to the next level. In this tutorial, Grace—also known as Amazing is Grace on social media—shares easy techniques to personalize your scarves, hand warmers, and other crochet projects.
Discover essential Miro features, from presentation mode to interactive voting, and take your online collaboration skills to the next level Remote collaboration has never been more important, and Miro is a game-changer for running effective workshops, brainstorming sessions, and team meetings. While many people think of Miro as a simple digital whiteboard, it offers a wide range of tools to streamline teamwork and enhance productivity. In this tutorial, expert facilitator Phillip Wallage walks us through the key features that transform Miro into a powerful collaboration platform. From setting up a Design Sprint board to navigating frames with Presentation Mode, Philli demonstrates how to structure an engaging and interactive workshop experience.
Learn How to Create Flawless Repeating Patterns with Illustrator’s Powerful Tools Creating seamless repeating patterns is an essential skill for illustrators and surface designers, allowing you to develop eye-catching designs for textiles, wallpapers, packaging, and more. In this tutorial, Allison Cole, an experienced illustrator, shares her step-by-step process for designing patterns using Adobe Illustrator, ensuring smooth and dynamic compositions.
A Step-by-Step Guide to Mastering Animation Assist for Cute and Easy Animations Bring your kawaii illustrations to life with simple and adorable animations in Procreate! If you’ve ever dreamed of animating cute clouds, twinkling stars, or any of your favorite characters, this guide is the perfect starting point. Hi, I’m Becky Cas, an illustrator with a passion for kawaii and pastel colors, and today, I’ll walk you through creating a charming animation in Procreate using Animation Assist.
Master Dry Media Techniques to Create Vivid and Realistic Nature Sketches Nature offers endless inspiration for artists, and creating lush, nature-inspired illustrations is a wonderful way to connect with the outdoors. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced illustrator, warm-up exercises using dry media can help bring your sketches to life. Hi, my name is Alexandra Finley, and I'm an illustrator passionate about drawing and painting nature. Today, I’ll share simple but effective warm-up exercises that use tools like graphite sticks, colored pencils, and tombow markers to create vibrant nature illustrations.
Master the art of creating 3D animals through simple crochet techniques, starting with a charming jellyfish If you’re ready to dive into the world of crochet and bring your creativity to life, this is your perfect starting point! Learn how to make adorable 3D animals like jellyfish using nothing more than one ball of yarn and a crochet hook.
Unlock your creativity by learning how to animate effortlessly with Procreate Dreams and turn your ideas into stunning visuals Are you ready to dive into the vibrant world of animation? Procreate Dreams is the ultimate tool for both beginners and seasoned creators who want to bring their ideas to life. Brookes Eggleston shows you how simple it is to animate using this powerful software.
Learn the Art of Balancing Chaos and Order to Create Abstract Paintings That Captivate Abstract art is a realm where creativity flows freely, unrestricted by the constraints of traditional forms. However, crafting a visually striking piece requires more than splashes of color and random patterns. It demands a well-balanced composition that guides the viewer's eye and evokes emotion. In this blog post, abstract artist Josh Jensen shares his insights into creating harmonious compositions, exploring the delicate interplay between order and chaos, and using techniques to achieve visual depth.
