How to Start and Create an Art Series, Tips for Beginner Artists

How do you create a series of artworks, that are cohesive but also not too repetitive? This video explains how to go about finding a subject that you can stay with for a sustained period of time, that is focused but also allows for enough interest to keep you motivated as an artist to continue. Discussion led by Art Prof Clara Lieu and Teaching Artists Lauryn Welch and Alex Rowe.

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Clara Lieu was an Adjunct Professor at the Rhode Island School of Design from 2007-2020. Her artwork has been exhibited at the International Print Center NY, the Currier Museum, Childs Gallery, the Davis Museum, and more. Lieu received an artist fellowship from the MA Cultural Council, has written for the NY Times, and lectured at Brown University, the NAEA conference, and in Vancouver & China. She has been profiled in Artsy, Hyperallergic, KPCC, & WBUR.

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☘️STREAMING EQUIPMENT

[SuzanneFurlan]

Loved this stream and especially the part of journaling to start with! The deep thinking and then researching to build energy before thumbnailing! You all inspire me!

[ladygwarth]

I went with a theme a couple of times, not in a big way, I did a series of four vibrant pineapple still life oil paintings and four paintings based around red shoes in oils, with a kind of narrative, no one locally understood them when I showed them at small, group exhibitions, especially when most here exhibit seascapes and landscapes, they sort of stood out like sore thumbs, but I did enjoy painting them and the concept.

[leonylopez]

🌚IT REMINDS ME OF ARTISTS, WHO READ A LOT, AND EXPERIENCETRUE EMOTIONS AND CONVICTIONS BASED ON SOCIAL AND PERSONAL EXPERIENCES.

[RoriBrown]

I just adore Lauryn's sock paintings. There's so much life in them, especially in areas where the vibrant colors abut one another <3

[baperistique]

im not familiar with art series, but i do know in trading card games, they would release a series or archetype, and collectors would spend to collect the complete series.
I think i can also relate to stamps where a drawing is separated into 2 or more stamps as a series, and again, collectors.

[gabbywilliamson]

I love the Orient Express illustrations!

[danyamariegeddes]

All of the three series you showed tonight were awesome. I missed y'all ( live ) but thanks again for a thought provoking topic discuss!

[laurynwelch]

Omg I can't handle you guys in the chat with your sock puns!!!

[carm]

I really loved this conversation. I'm sad I missed the live stream! I love talking about working in a series. It was something I was teaching and discussing with my students how to do (but in doodle form). I've been doing a series of anatomical hearts that I started a couple of years ago but I haven't been able to really make much because of exhaustion and lack of quality time to devote to it. But since we've been under shelter in for the past three months I've started working on them again. I definitely have learned a lot about the heart and how it works (I only knew just the basics before starting) through tons of research. I just love working with it because I can see so much potential and I very well could be working in this series for a really long time.

[Atrapadoenelsistema]

I learn a lot with your videos, thank you for the time preparing these lessons and congratulations for your artwork! :)

[markpauljohn]

One of my hurdles was deciding to paint different sizes in my series which features fine art for the gambler.

[jynndoesart]

This helped so much!! It wasn't directed at me, but I'm so glad you suggested this in the discord

[Slepnir]

I might have been doing a series all along but did not realize it until now. I guess it can happen just because you go back to the subject matter.

[TheRedWizzzard]

This is a very helpful video, thank you for the nice convo!

[karinmitschang]

Great content, thank you guys! May I ask about the series of Clara? I wouldn't have known that it's supposed to be you in those paintings. I almost feel like you deliberately chose to not care about likeness but then also to create that specific woman that is recognizable from all the paintings?

[reginadelreal]

I absolutely love this discussion, I've been journaling a lot about a subject for quite some time now. Would you say creating a series/body of work solely on aesthetic is amateur?

[Orangina]

Would you say that a series explores a theme? I am a new high school art teacher. I inherited a class called Studio Concentration. The description says they pick a theme for the year. I feel this means they can do a series on the theme, maybe even different series. I have to have them hone in on their theme this month. Any advice?

[mvj]

@7:45 ...no.. The whole label of "Fine Art" is already shallow. I feel like its really a definition of people who perfect their craft. But why is "Craft" a "lower" definition in the art world?