Dear little demon,

Welcome to the edition #22 of the Art Missive! We are 3,124😈 in this newsletter. Whether you have been here from the beginning or you have just arrived, thank you so much for reading ❤.

I have finally started to decorate my studio. I know I was supposed to do that two months ago but life has been busy. Now, being surrounded by many inspiration helps my creative ideas flow.

In this Art Missive

⌛ Reading time : 3 minutes

👉 Actionnability: immediately actionable

💪 Goals:
Find your own art style
Level up your art skills
Get inspire

“Steal like an artist”

Once I realized how important this concept was, my art took a huge leap forward.

As artists, we often idealize the notion of creating everything solely from our imagination. However, the reality is that even the most extraordinary artists have elevated their craft by stealing from others.

But in art, stealing is not what you think.

Studying the work of other artists is a vital component of artistic growth. By examining what makes their art captivating, we can uncover valuable insights. It doesn't mean directly copying or plagiarizing their work, but rather studying and analyzing what makes their art successful and incorporating precise elements into your own unique style.

It's about being influenced by others, adapting their ideas to your own creative process, and using them as a stepping stone to develop your own artistic voice.

Over time, you will develop a patchwork of influences that you have absorbed, constituting what people will call your unique style. .

In the edition #22 of the Art Missive, I share with you 3 artists I have stolen from.



1. @elizmil.art and her linework 

I discover Elizmill 3 years ago when I first started an Instagram account. What striked me the most about her beautiful artworks is the dynamis fo here lines.

So I stole them.

I closely studied several of her drawings, focusing on understanding the secrets behind her clean and expressive lines. I even redrew parts of her work when I couldn't grasp the subtleties hidden within.

👉 Lessons I learned: line variation.

By studying her work, I gained insights into how to vary my lines for a more nuanced and dynamic effect. I noticed that she used thicker and darker lines to draw attention to certain areas or create shadows. On the contrary, lighter and thinner lines were employed to suggest shapes without overpowering them.

2. Polina Bright and her process

Polina Bright is renowned for her clean and symmetrical portraits. Her Reels and YouTube videos often showcase a calm and peaceful artistic process. She doesn't rush through her artwork.

I learned a great deal from her approach.

I watched numerous Reels and YouTube videos by Polina Bright, repeatedly, and here what I learned:

👉 Lessons I stole: smooth process

What I observed was that she uses simple lines, focusing on maintaining a steady and harmonious brushstroke. By studying her process, I identified the main steps:

1️⃣ Establishing proportion with basic shapes

2️⃣ Defining the design and adding details.

3️⃣ Partially erasing with a kneaded eraser and building powerful linework on the erased lines.

4️⃣ Creating shadows and light through multiple layers of hatching.

Since then, I have incorporated the exact same process into my own drawings.

3. Jennifer Healy and her design choices

Jennyfer Healy's portraits are truly impressive, carrying powerful meaning and storytelling within them. I have learned many valuable lessons by studying her work:

👉 Lessons I stole:

1️⃣ Drawing hair. OBy observing how she draws hair, I realized that I shouldn't attempt to depict every single hair strand. On the contrary, I should avoid being too vague about the haircut. Jennifer Healy creates a comprehensive and meaningful appearance of hair by using chunky strokes. She carefully designs each chunk of hair to achieve a beautiful, flowing, and dynamic rendering.

2️⃣ Drawing the nose. I compared many of her nose drawings with reference pictures to understand how she reproduces them so effectively with a touch of stylization. From that, I grasped the different parts that compose a nose. I also learned that drawing a nose realistically isn't necessary, and simplifying the different shapes of the nose can lead to accuracy and interesting stylization.

3️⃣ Composition: When I find myself unsure about how to arrange various elements in my portraits, I often turn to Jennyfer Healy's work to study her compositions. I consistently notice her affinity for symmetry, yet she manages to maintain an organic feel. She places focal points in the center while arranging storytelling elements around the face. She frequently uses the hair to link all the elements together and create a harmonious composition.

When I’m creating, I often come back to her portraits to understand how she solved some problematic I might encounter. I don’t replicate her solution, but I adapt it to my own process, which makes me save a lot of time.

Tips to steal like an artist

👉 TIP 1: Do it properly, even if it takes time! Allow yourself the time to truly learn and understand. It can be tempting to rush through the process and simply replicate what other artists do. However, this approach is more akin to theft rather than the artistic practice of stealing. To steal like an artist, you need to invest time in studying other artists and comprehending the underlying lessons that you can adapt to your own unique art style. Patience and dedication are key to truly benefit from this process.

👉 TIP 2: Don't hesitate to reproduce the art you admire. When studying other artists, it's possible that simply observing their artwork won't provide you with all the answers you seek. In such cases, it can be beneficial to reproduce certain parts of their work as faithfully as possible to truly grasp what makes it unique and special. By engaging in this process, you can gain deeper insights and understanding into their artistic techniques and concepts. Just remember to approach reproduction with the intention of learning and exploring, rather than claiming the work as your own.

👉 TIP 3: Implement what you've learned immediately. When you discover new insights and techniques from other artists, it's important to put them into practice right away. Delaying implementation can lead to losing momentum and potentially forgetting or overlooking valuable lessons.

Now, you have everything you need to start stealing like an artist and bring your art to another level!

Now, I want you to:

1️⃣ Choose an artist whom you admire and resonate with.

2️⃣ Identify a specific element or aspect in their artwork that captivates you.

3️⃣ Study their artwork, focusing on this particular element and examining it in detail. Take the time you need to do so!

4️⃣ Incorporate the lessons you learn from this artist into your own creative process, creating a new artwork that reflects your unique interpretation and style.

5️⃣ Share this artwork with the world!

Next week’s special event

Next week, I'm excited to announce a special event in the Art Missive called "An Evening by the Fire”. This event aims to create a sense of belonging and unity among our community of artists.

I want you to feel that you are part of a tribe, a gathering of like-minded individuals who share a passion for being an artist.

To do so, I will be hosting the event in next Monday’s Art Missive where you’ll be able to personal stories from other artists. Imagine sitting by the fire, sharing heartfelt experiences and connecting.

I invite you to share your own art story. I will be collecting these stories and selecting the ones that resonate the most the goal of the event.

The chosen storytellers will have their personal stories and Instagram Art Account showcased to give them an opportunity their inspiration with others.

If you're interested in sharing your art story with the Demon community, simply complete the survey 👉 Complete the Google Form

I can't wait to read your fascinating stories and share them with everyone in our next edition.

Let's gather together next week, where you'll have the chance to read inspiring stories from fellow artists and feel the warmth of our creative community.