Just posted a video for Pixlr X on youtube. It goes over the basic tools. A great options I’ve used with students as a Photoshop Clone. Free and browser-based.
Author: Messy Art Teacher
I am an art teacher/artist and a little of everything in between. I share art lessons, art advice, and career tips.
3.10 Anna Brettschneider, Textile and Rug Designer
Today I had Anna Brettschneider, textile and rug designer based out of NYC. Here is more about Anna.
Anna is currently a textile & rug designer at Crosby Street Studios and resides in New York City. She focuses on designing hand-painted surface patterns with bright, bold and modern color schemes. While incorporating her skills in painting, drawing, and printmaking her design work maintains a very organic style and upbeat aesthetic. Vibrant color and spirited use of linework can be found in all of her work. When she is not creating, you will find her reading design magazines, researching and shopping upcoming trends, and also seeking adventure while traveling to new spots.
3.09 Marjorie Crosby-Fairall, Children’s Book Illustrator
In this episode, I got to talk with award-winning children’s book illustrator Marjorie Crosby-Fairall. She is based out of Australia. Here is more about Marjorie.
When I was a little girl I escaped to the library as often as possible where I spent hours devouring picture books and minutely examining their illustrations. I was very young when I decided to become an illustrator like my then-favorite illustrator C.W. Anderson (what little girl doesn’t love horse drawings?). Encouraged by my creative family, I gained a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration from Northern Illinois University. Following my move to Australia, I worked in many areas of illustration, including picture book illustrations.
I live in Sydney with my husband and son and spend my days happily illustrating books in the company of my dog, Junior. I love to experiment with new techniques for my illustrations, but always seem to return to my beloved and well-used color pencils.
Released November 2016, One Christmas Eve (by Corinne Fenton for Black Dog Books an imprint of Walker Books) was the inspiration for the 2016 Meyer Christmas Windows in Melbourne.
I was awarded the CBCA Eve Pownall Award for my first picture book, Killer Plants (Penguin). My books appear on the Premier’s Reading Challenge lists and have been shortlisted or won awards, including My Little World (Omnibus), which was shortlisted for the 2012 Wilderness Society Environment Award, and The Croc & the Platypus (Walker Books), which was shortlisted for the 2015 Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year.
To see Marjorie’s illustrations visit her website
iPad PVC Stand Plans
I’ve had people ask me how do record my video demos. I use a stand I made from PVC pipe. I’m posting a video on youtube and here are the plans. I’ve also included a photo of what the cutters look like. $6 at my local hardware store. I made 11 of these stands. The cost was about $3 for each stand.
Here are the related videos for what I use to make my videos.
3.08 Jen Dunlap textile designer and owner of Bon & Venture
I interviewed Jen Dunlap a talented textile designer and owner of Bon & Venture based in Savannah, Georgia. She has a lovely selection of scarves, kaftans, and bags with her textile designs. The designs capture the charm and feel of living in the South. It was a really informative interview and learned so much about how she got into the business of textile design.
To see her work visit her store site
Listen to the interview at My Creative Life.
How to Draw a Stylized Mouse
I made a video recording of how I would stylize a mouse. I also included details about what types of pencils I like to use to draw with. My background is in illustration and I teach graphic design, photography, and animation to high school students.
3.07 Katelyn Yoder, Surface Designer and Illustrator
I had a wonderful time talking with Katelyn Yoder, surface designer, and illustrator. She does beautiful work. Here is a bit about her.
My name is Katelyn Yoder. I am an illustrator, painter, textile designer, and crafter who wants to bring happiness to others my joy for life and passion for friendship and faith with my art. I use a variety of mediums to express illustrative arts, such as watercolor, pen and ink, graphite, oil, acrylic, embroidery, printmaking, and digital art. I am proficient in technology such as Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign and Procreate. I am an outgoing, energetic, person with a passion for travel, nature, and food with a great sense of humor who is very easy to get along with. I always make sure my art is a work of heart.
To see more of her work visit her website.
New Photoshop CC Lessons
I’ve posted several new lessons
for Photoshop that can be modified to work with Photopea or Pixlr. Visit the Messy Art Teacher TPT
Drawing Head Proportions
I just made a video tutorial of how to quickly get the proportions for drawing a head using Loomis technique. This is good for secondary, but with some coaching, you could do this in elementary.
Distance Learning Options for Graphic Design
If you have been tasked with continuing lessons for your graphic design students in high school this video covers some options that students can use online. You need internet access, works on Chromebooks, Mac or PC. Pixlr offers an app FREE for iPhone or Andriod. I’m going to post some options and tutorials based on these FREE browser-based options. Photopea.com Pixlr.com Canva.com Spark.Adobe.com. If you know of other please comment!
How to draw a Magpie bird using pencil
Posted a tutorial on how to draw a Magpie Bird using a pencil.
Here is the low opacity file if you just want to try inking. Free for personal use.
Positive Message
Here is the final Updated May 16, 2020.
I think with all the turmoil that is going on in the world right now I wanted to work collaboratively with my fellow people to share a positive message. I feel for those that are struggling. This virus is like nothing I have seen in my life. The closest is probably 911. It’s a time that leaves us uncertain of the future, but I truly feel that things will get better. This place we call the USA has so many great things going for it. I feel fortunate that my parents that were immigrants moved to this country for us to have a better life. I feel lucky when I became a US citizen.
My wonderful creative friends have come together to help out with a word in the message. They come from all over the United States. CA, NY, GA, and IL. There are probably more states, but it’s hard to keep track.
The message is “We may be apart but we’re in this together. Social distancing. Stay safe. We’ll meet again.”
I’m posting a template of what we have so far and I’ll update it as I get more of the words added. Please be well and safe.
Mrs. Miller - Messy Art Teacher Blog 