This Will Change How You Paint

This video title is a bold claim, but I can back it up! A small change in mindset and a photoshop layer trick and you will never paint the same.

Happy summer art internet! Sorry for the long absence, I have been traveling and finally moving houses so the content machine has been stalled for a while but I am back! New house, new city, new studio :)

Come and hang with me for a quick 20 minutes as I walk you through these concepts that really made a difference for me and how I approach each project. Plus, a cool dragon will take shape in the background.

Stick with us until the end of the video because I have a huge announcement to drop (more to follow in the coming days).

0:00 - Intro
0:41 - Free Brushes
4:40 - Painting for Yourself
7:27 - Painting for Your Client
11:19 - Painting for Social Media
15:23 - Adding Instant Drama
18:25 - Live Event Announcement

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PAINT YOUR WORLD
Hardy Fowler is a professional Digital Painter with work seen in productions for Disney, Games Workshop and Neon District among many others.

Hardy's online academy, Digital Painting Studio, teaches the master-level skills, process and mindset he's learned from decades of experience as a professional digital artist.

CONNECT

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[TielLT]

"Who are you painting for" is kind of a obvious question for an artist, yet I can't remember ever asking this to myself, definitely never thought about it while painting just for me. Thank you Hardy, I'm gonna keep it in mind from now on.

[NickTerryArt]

Doing some recent urban environments, I've found adding a strong, angled shadow across a building or the ground, cast from some unseen structure off to the side makes the lighting feel intentional, prevents the surface from looking too flat or evenly lit, and can guide the viewer's eye to a subject. Plus it implies the environment extends beyond the edge of the canvas. I think I picked it up from one of the DPS course tutorials and it's been invaluable!

[gbjsyzftbcacjyfubjygkgcjae]

this video gave me confidence in my art, made me think while making art, showed me how to digitally paint, cured my depression, watered my crops and kissed me on the mouth. thank u so much

[Real_MisterSir]

I always had this philosophy of wanting to create works that a few people find absolutely incredible, rather than creating it for an absolutely incredible amount of people who all find it just neat. If I can't give it my 110%, then I am sure someone else should be doing it in the first place.

[nobody]

Starting with a silhouette and working from dark to light is such a no brainer that never occurred to me

[Natala]

I love how so much of your lessons involve deep philosophies taken from experience. When I studied Illustration at the Uni I had to learn that unlike the fine art students a floor down, I was a craftsman who had to take "me" out of the equation when making art for clients. A children book author doesn't want the same as someone wanting a wilderness poster, or someone wanting a book cover, or when the animation department asked for a background, and it didn't offend me that I had to change my style up, it wasn't less me because I was asked to do something that looked water coloresque, in fact it helped me to not get stuck in a box.

[oscyrion]

Coming here helps me get back into gear and remember what I have to keep doing to get the passion project done, and showcase it in my portfolio. It helps me stop focusing on the worries and frustrations from having no illustration work. Since you mentioned the discord community, it always helps to just be in contact with other artists, I will check it out, not for the brushes but for the community.

[KittyKorolyova]

It’s a hard topic for me. I just realised I have never drawn for myself, I always have done that to just get the validation and likes from others.. just to feel part of society, to feel that i worth something and that I’m a good artist. I don’t know how to draw for myself because I always think then “what’s the point of doing that for myself? I won’t feel anything, I won’t get that serotonin because nobody will pat pat my head saying I did a great job, if I do that to myself I just won’t feel happiness”
I think I.. I fail as an artist, I lost my soul, I’m so used to do everything just to please somebody even if I will see that person only once in my whole life.. I just want to be able to love myself again (If I ever have done that at all heh)

Thank you so much for your video, it helps me to work on myself.

[JACKAL]

that dragon design looks vicious yet has this cloak and dagger vibe to it

[AdamDuffArt]

I love everything about this video - Ive never considered what you’re saying and it makes so much sense

And your illustration is first class Hardy - it makes me want to paint immediately!

[robertlysiak]

I was into portraits and detail drawing, never thought I could really do cool concept art, but I got into writing stories, and as I was build the story, character concepts came to me and now it seems easier to come up with concepts

[maxnolife_]

This video has really felt like meditation for the artists’ mind. Really helped me rethink my reasoning so that I don’t feel like this is all for nothing. Thank you ❤

[chloe-ougj]

5:52 I really loved this part. I always attempt to remind myself of this when I make art but I really needed to hear it for it to actually set in, thank you.

[Bolero]

I wouldn’t be where I am in my artistic journey if not for you🤟🏻

[abinnohr]

First time seeing your stuff, and I must say, I've always clicked better with the "shadows up" approach, even when relying on linework, but the vast majority of tutorials just... don't do that. Starting with the dark silhouette and building lights/colors always gave me my best results and made the most sense to my brain, but it always seemed "the wrong way". When trying to learn new things this approach complicated any tutorial I tried to understand. Seeing this made me so excited and gave me a sense of "I CAN do this!". You're the first professional I've found who does this method and it gave me hope that this wasn't "the wrong way" and that I don't HAVE to start with the midtones, or start with a dull base later, or do lights to darks in order to get better.

I think I need to just treat art the same way I treat writing.
Throw out most of the rules and just do what feels natural to ME.

Anyway, I know that's not what the vid is about, but that's what really hit me.

[hanzflackshnack]

You’ve been around for five years and I’m just now finding your channel 😳 The algorithm hates you man. Your perspectives resonate and thank you for the multiply layer method. I’ve used similar but never thought of using it for theatric lighting.
Appreciate the content

[sandraz]

This video not only helps me understand things better, it literally made my day better somehow.

[CrimsonTearXIII]

I am glad I found this video, I almost gave up on drawing completely after being so frustrated about feeling like nothing I try works, felt like I simply can't draw anymore, awesome video and now I am motivated to keep trying and approach it differently <3

[strangely_amelien]

I've been thinking about this for so long. I used to upload frequently on instagram and deviantart, trying to make a name for myself and get people to see my work, but I also fed on people's compliments. I enjoyed it for a little while, until I never grew any further and less people became interested in my work. I became exhausted mentally and didn't feel the joy in uploading anymore, sharing my work, or even drawing at one point.

So, I took a break instead and started drawing for myself more and more. Until eventually I started on my own personal project, and in a way being a director for myself. I created characters, creatures, environments for my own worldbuild and it really helped me get out of feeling exhausted. Every day I'd feel excited and joyful in working on my project/ worldbuild, that even if i showed people and they didn't care, I was still happy! Because it's my work, and it's not something I did for everyone (perhaps partially).

Drawing for myself really helped me improve in my art too. I got better real quick and faced challenges that I overcame. I was also able to focus better than when I drew for others. Not having to worry about whether they'd like it or if it was to their tastes.

[Mytrios]

I think you did justice to the title, this is quite mind opening, i actually havent done any art in years, ive just been adding these videos to my watch later playlist, in hopes that one day i will suddenly feel inspired and watch all of them and immidietly create art just as good or better when i stopped. But this video was different, i actually clicked on it and watched right when i saw it. Your words really resonated with me, thank you for sharing.