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  • What is Architectural Illustration?
    Illustration

    What is Architectural Illustration?

    Discover more about this specialized branch of illustration Architect and architectural illustrator Héctor López (@_thearchitector) says that “architectural illustration is the visual representation of an object that can be as small as a construction detail or as big as an entire building or block of buildings.” Humans have created visual representations of architectural objects for thousands of years. According to Héctor, the earliest known example of an architectural plan dates back to 2200 BC. It’s part of a statue of Gudea, who ruled the state of Lagash in Southern Mesopotamia c. 2144–2124 BC. The statue, titled “Architect with a Plan,” features Gudea sitting with a tablet on his lap, which shows the floor plan of a temple. During and following the Roman Empire, more and more examples of architectural illustration that were more fitting with the discipline we know today began to appear.

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  • Photography Tutorial: How to Set up a Self-Portrait
    Teacher Photography

    Photography Tutorial: How to Set up a Self-Portrait

    Learn the basic techniques for taking a self-portrait on your phone or a reflex camera, with Laura Zalenga Self-portraits have been a fundamental component of self expression throughout history, allowing artists to explore their own external image and internal truths. While every new smartphone has a front-facing camera you can take a selfie with, a well-taken self-portrait typically requires a little more thought. Laura Zalenga (@laurazalenga) is a photographer passionate about the art of self-portraits, who has given talks for clients like Adobe, Disney, Sony, and Mercedes Benz. In this tutorial, she shares three different ways you can set up your own self-portrait photoshoot easily and effectively, depending on what tools you have available.

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  • How Is the Pantone Color of the Year Chosen?
    Design

    How Is the Pantone Color of the Year Chosen?

    Every year Pantone chooses a color that sets the trend all over the world, but not many know how it is decided Despite having been the universal color identification system and the established color palette paradigm for over 50 years, it wasn’t until the year 2000 that Pantone started to proclaim a color of the year. The turn of the century marked the beginning of a trend, starting with ‘Cerulean Blue,’ which Pantone identified with ‘the sky’s color on a serene day.’ This would be followed by ‘True Red’ in 2001, aimed to symbolize the impact of the 9/11 attacks, a day that shook the world; then the equally acclaimed and criticized ‘Marsala,’ and Pink Quartz and Serenity (two hues were picked for the first time in 2016). Nowadays, the Pantone Color of the Year has become an institution, and many designers worldwide await its announcement, which takes place towards the end of the year with trepidation. The Pantone Color of the year forecasts the color trend we will see in the world of fashion, graphic and web design, and on an infinity of products. However, not many people know who decides which will be the ‘Color of the Year’ or how they do it.

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  • 5 Scrapbook Art Websites to Inspire Your Illustration Projects
    Illustration

    5 Scrapbook Art Websites to Inspire Your Illustration Projects

    These attractive websites will show you ways to use scrapbook art in a professional and artistic way Nuria Meléndez (@nuriamelworkshop) is a Mexican designer, illustrator, and scrapbook lover. She has created work for children's and young adult literature, cultural magazines, musical projects, theaters, and museums. She has worked for publishers such as Penguin Random House and establishments such as The Mexico City Museum and UNAM. She loves working on projects that involve play, collecting, and transforming as part of the creative process. She uses illustration, collage, and other craft techniques combined with two of her favorite concepts: transformation and nostalgia through scrapbooking. In her Domestika course, Nuria helps you create an illustration scrapbook by finding new ways to stimulate your creativity and experiment with cutouts, and allowing you to find new ways to express your imagination. Nuria lists five websites where you will find tips and ideas to ensure that your scrapbooks turn into incredible treasures. Let’s have a look at them in detail below.

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  • Interior Designers React to Regular Homes
    Teacher Design

    Interior Designers React to Regular Homes

    Founders of interior design studio STUDIOLAV Loukas Angelou and Vasso Asfi react to the homes of members of the Domestika community Professional interior design can often seem like an unaffordable luxury. However, a few simple changes can dramatically improve the look and feel of a room. Loukas Angelou and Vasso Asfi, founders of international interior design studio STUDIOLAV, have had their work exhibited at London’s Royal Academy of Arts but their talents can also be applied to a regular home. We asked them to take a look at the homes of a few members of the Domestika community and to share a few simple tips on how to improve them.

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  • How Video Game Soundtracks Help You Level Up Your Creativity
    Teacher Music & Audio

    How Video Game Soundtracks Help You Level Up Your Creativity

    Even if you aren’t gaming, here’s how video game soundtracks can help you level up your creativity Whether you’re crafting, painting, or editing images, getting into the flow while you’re working can help you focus and better enjoy the creative process. Listening to music is a great way to do that. Research suggests that listening to happy music promotes divergent thinking, which is a key element of creativity. Beyond that, music can also help get you into a flow state, if it meets certain criteria.

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  • What is Crochet?
    Craft

    What is Crochet?

    Learn about the origins of this artisan technique Not long ago, crochet was considered old-fashioned and unattractive. However, like many other crafts, this fiber art technique has recently been given a modern spin and thus a second life. Discover the types of personalized pieces you can create armed with thread and a crochet hook, such as clothing, accessories, toys, and decorations.

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  • YouTube Tutorial: How to Upload Videos, Step by Step
    Teacher Marketing

    YouTube Tutorial: How to Upload Videos, Step by Step

    Kaos shares tips for publishing your first video with YouTube Studio Every month, over 2 billion users consume over a billion hours of video content per day while logged into their YouTube accounts. One of the most popular video-sharing platforms available, it is also a great gateway for others to learn about your work. Juan Bermudez, also known as Kaos (@estudioKatastrofico), is an illustrator, writer, and–since 2011–YouTuber. Over the years, he has explored different ways to tell stories through drawing and video. Through his channel, he has worked with different brands and created an impressive portfolio. In this tutorial, he will show you how to upload videos to YouTube Studio, step by step. Discover more in the video below:

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  • How to Make a French Knot
    Teacher Craft

    How to Make a French Knot

    Learn to make a French knot, with Kseniia Guseva The French knot is one of the oldest, simplest, and most useful decorative stitches in embroidery. The technique is also known as the forbidden stitch: legend has it that, centuries ago, young Chinese women were not permitted to use the stitch because the fine embroidery it was used for in China would strain their eyesight. Today, in Europe, the stitch is not so delicate: it is typically used to fill particular areas of a piece such as the centers of flowers, or anywhere a single dot is required. Kseniia Guseva (@faimyxstitch) has been embroidering every day since 2016, creating stitchwork cityscapes—an interest shaped by the architecture of her hometown of Saint Petersburg—while also feeding her other passion: upcycling. In this tip, she shows us how to make a French knot:

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  • 4 Examples of Creative Portfolios on YouTube
    Marketing

    4 Examples of Creative Portfolios on YouTube

    Discover the possibilities of video and YouTube as a way of showing off your talent to lots and lots of people Although it may not be the most popular platform for presenting portfolios, YouTube can be very effective at showing off your work and creative processes. Juan Bermúdez–better known as Kaos (@estudiokatastrofico)–is a YouTuber, illustrator, and writer with a degree in Fine Art. In his course, YouTube: Creating a Channel from Scratch, he will teach you the advantages of using this social network as a means to make your work more visible and what to keep in mind. Here he lists some of his favorite creative portfolios on YouTube and the strategies they use to showcase their products or their creative process: Little King Goods This channel belongs to a leather craftsman who sells products such as wallets, belts, purses, and watch straps. Their videos give the viewer a unique insight into the creative processes behind making each piece. What makes Little King Goods stand out is that customers can purchase the materials and tools and assemble pieces themselves, in addition to buying the finished product. This YouTube channel also teaches its customers DIY methods, showing them how to make the leather objects themselves.

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  • The Mythical Creatures that Inspired Everyone from Murakami to Miyazaki
    Writing

    The Mythical Creatures that Inspired Everyone from Murakami to Miyazaki

    Learn the history of the spirits and folklore that continue to inspire Japan's most iconic cultural creations, from Studio Ghibli to Pokemon Mascots are a feature of everyday life in Japan: neighborhoods, drugstores, the military, and even prisons have their own cuddly characters. This year, banned from taking to the streets because of COVID-19, many mascots began posting pictures of themselves on social media, adding blue wigs and scales to their typical costumes. These features are a tribute to Amabié, a 174-year-old mythical beast whose image, legend has it, has the power to protect people from plague. The social media trend started when one illustrator rediscovered Amabié and posted their illustration of the creature online, dubbing it a “new coronavirus countermeasure”. The post went viral, and within no time thousands of other people were sharing their own versions of Amabié. Amabié is what is known in Japan as a yokai, a sort of supernatural spirit or monster from Japanese folklore. Some are believed to bring luck, while others bring misfortune. Many originate from superstitions, and they can be characterizations of everything from earthquakes and rivers to diseases and cures.

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  • Embroidery Tutorial: How to Transfer Your Design from Paper to Fabric
    Teacher Craft

    Embroidery Tutorial: How to Transfer Your Design from Paper to Fabric

    Learn how to transfer your illustration from paper to fabric using carbon copy paper, with Koral Antolin All you need is thread, a hoop, a needle, and a little patience to transform a blank canvas into a masterpiece. Embroidery is an entire world of different stitches, styles, and techniques, yet each piece begins the same way: a drawing on fabric. How can we get the best results when transferring the design? The answer is much simpler than you might have thought. The work of designer and embroiderer Koral Antolín (@koralantolin) fuses two of her great passions: drawing and embroidery. She is the founder and one of the creatives behind Fábrica de Imaginación and Studio.fi. Koral’s work combines embroidery stitches using a traditional neele and a Kantan needle to create unique portraits. In this tutorial, Koral Antolin will teach you how to transfer your illustration from paper to fabric using carbon copy paper for fabric, step by step. Discover more in the video below:

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  • Let The Bets Begin: 7 Colors That Could Become the 2021 Pantone Color of The Year
    Design

    Let The Bets Begin: 7 Colors That Could Become the 2021 Pantone Color of The Year

    Domestika's community on Instagram tried to guess what the Pantone Color of the Year will be 2020 marks the 20th anniversary of the Pantone Color of the Year declaration, which serves as inspiration for all kinds of creative projects. As happens every year, as we approach December, speculation and bets arise about what will be the new color that Pantone will choose. This color of the year arises from a long investigation, and its choice has repercussions in sectors ranging from fashion to graphic design. That's why we asked the Domestika community on Instagram what they think the Pantone color of 2021 will be, and below we show some of the most voted bets:

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  • Domestika Diary: Adolfo Serra
    Illustration

    Domestika Diary: Adolfo Serra

    Illustrator Adolfo Serra reveals his creative routine and the keys to fighting creative block Renowned Spanish Illustrator Adolfo Serra (@adolfoserra) specializes in books for children and young adults. He spent much of the lockdown reconsidering the nature of creativity. His colourful style is full of fantasy and is often influenced by the new places and cultures he discovers while traveling, which is one of his greatest passions. But the lockdown rules prevented him from moving, so his energies focused on finding inspiration in the things around him. In this Domestika Diary, Adolfo reveals the multitude of ideas waiting to be discovered and turned into art in our immediate surroundings. He invites us into his studio and talks about his creative routine, his sources of inspiration and his techniques for avoiding the dreaded creative block:

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  • 10 Hand Embroidery Online Courses to Spark Your Creativity With Needle and Thread
    Craft

    10 Hand Embroidery Online Courses to Spark Your Creativity With Needle and Thread

    Discover the possibilities of this craft technique to create amazing textile art with your hands With a worldwide renaissance of embroidery, contemporary creators are expanding the textile art horizons. From realistic textile illustration to abstract art, it offers countless creative possibilities. If you want to get started in embroidery, or you want to learn new techniques to create with your hands, these 10 embroiderers and experts in textile art will teach you step by step:

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  • Needle Felting Tutorial: Tips For Conserving Your Work
    Teacher Craft

    Needle Felting Tutorial: Tips For Conserving Your Work

    Juanamatú shares three practical tips for keeping your felt toys in good condition Needle felting is a technique that involves felting wool with a barbed needle and sculpting it into different shapes. With a few materials, patience, and a lot of creativity, you can use this technique to make adorable toys to decorate your home. Katerin J Gómez–the creative mind behind @Juanamatú–is a needle felting toy artist who sculpts memories into decorative objects. She creates toys inspired by your pets, loved ones, and favorite characters. However, what is the best way to take care of these companions? In this tutorial, Katerin shares some practical tips for keeping your felt toys in good condition. You can watch the video below:

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  • 20 Embroidery Books You Need in Your Reference Library
    Craft

    20 Embroidery Books You Need in Your Reference Library

    Textile artists recommend the embroidery books that helped them the most. Use them to find inspiration for your next projects There are plenty of embroidery resources online, but don't overlook traditional books as sources of inspiration. You'll discover new artists and see techniques, stitches, finishes, or materials in much more detail. We asked several textile artists to give us their favorite recommendations for embroidery books. What are yours? Let us know in the comments! Nayla Marc (@naylamarc) This designer and embroiderer based in Villa Ballester, Argentina, teaches the course Introduction to 3D embroidery. Among the books she enjoys most about the art of thread and needle are the following: The Embroidery Stitch Bible: Over 200 Stitches Photographed with Easy-to-Follow Charts, by Betty Barnden This is a reference guide for those who want to perfect their embroidery technique and learn new tricks. It includes basic stitches, such as the classic cross stitch, and more elaborate ones explained thoroughly. It has more than 200 techniques and stitches with enlarged diagrams and photographs.

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  • 5 Great Examples of TV and Cinema Voice-over Narration
    Music & Audio

    5 Great Examples of TV and Cinema Voice-over Narration

    Find out how to use off-screen voice-overs to define the tone of a story The use of off-screen voice-overs to add an extra layer of meaning to what you see on the screen is common practice in audiovisuals. With voice-overs, screenwriters and directors can change their story’s tone and add elements that highlight the narrative. As an option, a voice-over can create a new atmosphere, structure a story, guide the script. It also serves as a way to engage the audience in the story. To write good voice-overs, we have compiled a series of excellent examples of audiovisual work that use this technique, and that will undoubtedly inspire you: American Beauty (Dir. Sam Mendes, 1999) This is a classic example of how the narration can keep the viewer engaged and fill in the story’s gaps. The movie begins with the protagonist telling us he is dead, and we see the sequence of events that lead him to his death. Through this narration, we learn about the protagonist's past, his circumstances, and the people around him. In this case, the off-screen voice-over allows the audience to become deeply engaged in the story and learn the facts, culminating in the final twist. American Beauty is an example of off-screen narration that directs the story.

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  • 5 Free Classes to Master the Brush Pen for Perfectionists
    Teacher Typography, Calligraphy and Lettering

    5 Free Classes to Master the Brush Pen for Perfectionists

    Learn with 5 experts to master this tool to create attractive compositions For all the letters and drawing lovers, brush pen calligraphy is an extremely stimulating activity. Almost like an extension of your hand, it allows you to create beautiful lines for compositions that can be used in different projects, from those of personal expression, to those of design or brand identity. Learn the basics of the brush pen calligraphy with five experts and get to work right away. To watch each class, just click on its red title. Enjoy!

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  • What is SketchUp?
    Architecture & Space

    What is SketchUp?

    Learn how to use SketchUp–a program for architects and interior designers–and discover what it’s for with Alexandra Proaño SketchUp is a 3D modeling program, which is mainly used in the fields of architecture and interior design. However, it also has many other uses. Alexandra Proaño (@alexandra_proano), an architect and 3D artist specializing in architectural rendering or visualization, talks us through using SketchUp and explains its main uses. Discover more in the following video:

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  • 15 Thanksgiving Vintage Art Pieces
    Illustration

    15 Thanksgiving Vintage Art Pieces

    Check out some amazing retro artworks dedicated to this holiday As any other celebration, Thanksgiving Day is ever-present in popular culture, and can be found in artwork since it first began. We compiled some vintage art, illustrations, posters and postcards that will get you in the holiday spirit.

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  • Self-Portrait Photography Filled with Emotion: Laura Zalenga
    Photography

    Self-Portrait Photography Filled with Emotion: Laura Zalenga

    Learn how to delve into your thoughts and feelings using photography with Laura Zalenga Laura Zalenga (@laurazalenga) is a German freelance photographer with a passion for creating self-portraits filled with emotion. In 2018, she was one of seven international artists selected for the Adobe Creative Residency. She has worked for Adobe, Artemide, Disney, Lufthansa, Sony, and many more and been featured in a Sky Arts documentary. In her Domestika course, Laura takes you on an intimate journey of self-discovery and experimentation through the art of self-portrait photography. ‘Self-portrait taught me everything I know about photography. It also taught me how to accept myself more and how important it is to spend quality time with yourself.’ She finds inspiration within her memories, moods, and emotions, other times in places, light conditions, and even everyday objects. Her style is defined by clear visual language, the power of telling stories, and showing raw, honest emotions. Let’s get to know her and her unique and emotional art.

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  • 10 Amazing Handmade Projects That You Can Make Right Now
    Teacher Craft

    10 Amazing Handmade Projects That You Can Make Right Now

    Discover Domestika’s Crafty Tuesdays live stream series and get inspired to craft your own DIY creations The Crafty Tuesdays series emerged as part of Domestika Live’s live stream series, where creatives specialized in craft, handmade, and DIY projects from different disciplines share with you their secrets and tips to create unique projects with your hands and answer questions from the audience. Here are ten of the top broadcasts from this series of handmade projects and some others you can make with the materials you have at home.

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  • How to Tell Visual Stories on the Internet
    Writing

    How to Tell Visual Stories on the Internet

    Josune Imízcoz shows us how to master tone, aesthetics, and emotion in audiovisual storytelling on social media Josune Imízcoz (@josune_imizcoz) has written for newspapers, presented on TV and radio, and is a journalist whose creativity is constantly evolving. Lately, she has been specializing in digital audiovisual storytelling, i.e., videos especially conceived to be shared and consumed on social media. The videos aim to tell great stories in a few seconds, trying to connect with an audience that is overexposed to information on the internet and on social media. It is essential to pay particular attention to tone, aesthetics, and emotion when creating digital content. What are those, exactly? Josune defines them as follows:

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  • Free Download: Beaded Jewelry Guide to Create Your Own Patterns
    Craft

    Free Download: Beaded Jewelry Guide to Create Your Own Patterns

    Adapt this guide to create your own beaded jewelry designs Elsa and Dani are a duo of contemporary jewelry creators, founders of Fatto (@fatto), a creative studio. They create unique pieces that combine different techniques and materials, such as textiles, metals, and diverse pieces, such as beads. They believe that the process of creating pieces with your hands is also an act of personal care and affection.

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  • 10 Creative Challenges To Try At Home
    Illustration

    10 Creative Challenges To Try At Home

    Activate your creative engines exploring these challenges with family and friends Are you still figuring out how to spend your family time this holiday season? These creatives, experts in disciplines such as illustration and graphic design, accepted some of Domestika’s creative challenges that you can try at home with family and friends. Spend some quality time with a creative twist! You’ll only need a pen, paper, color pencils or markers, watercolor or acrylic painting, objects you can find at home, and if you’re feeling like it, your tablet or computer for some digital drawing activities. To read full instructions on each challenge and learn more about each creative, please click on its red title. Enjoy!

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  • 15 Food Photography Ideas To Try This Holiday Season
    Photography

    15 Food Photography Ideas To Try This Holiday Season

    Discover the possibilities to photograph your favorite dishes during the holidays and share on social media What would the holidays be without our favorite dishes? Without a doubt, the creation of fond memories often happens when we share food at the table. Food photography is that creative discipline in which everything that food makes us feel is transferred to an attractive visual language. During this holiday season, prepare your camera (or your mobile) to capture the dishes that you will enjoy with friends or family, and share your results on your social media. Below, members of Domestika's community share projects that will whet your appetite to create. If you want to see the details of each project and more images of the series, click on its red title.

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  • 7 Examples of Architectural Visualization to Inspire Your Future Projects
    Architecture & Space

    7 Examples of Architectural Visualization to Inspire Your Future Projects

    Discover some incredible examples that use Unreal Engine 4 Architectural visualization is a discipline that merges architecture, design, and illustration. The purpose is to attractively represent architectural projects. Architect and info-architecture expert Miguel Albo (@miguel_albo) explains that this process resembles creating a simple video game. After defining some basic elements' properties, you will be able to recreate a real space, or create an entirely new virtual one.

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