https://www.coronasartwork.com/blog daily 0.75 2026-04-05 https://www.coronasartwork.com/blog/coloring-outside-the-lines monthly 0.5 2026-04-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69740e32839be067e3332ccd/cfd173e6-3781-443a-afbf-35404022eadf/IMG_5621.jpg Blog - Coloring Outside the Lines - Does artwork need to be perfect to be considered great? I mean, I certainly used to think so. That’s why I spent over ten years toiling to make my drawings appear perfectly identical to my reference photos. I’ve been told all my life to color inside the lines, to portray accurate proportions, to create clean line work, to match the colors and values perfectly. But now I’m being challenged to... intentionally break these rules? But why? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69740e32839be067e3332ccd/0c232679-2de1-463c-b771-1ba77f9bbce6/Reference+Photo Blog - Coloring Outside the Lines - Sketch #1: “Applying ‘correct’ colors” was the rule I focused on breaking during the baseball field sketch. My goal for this piece was to push vibrancy and integrate certain colors that weren’t necessarily present in real life. For example, I added a lot of purple to the shadows (even though they didn’t exist in the location I was drawing) and colored the grass a lime green shade (it was much darker in real life). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69740e32839be067e3332ccd/4ed7427e-537a-4981-aa50-a36994c3aa7a/Untitled_Artwork.JPG Blog - Coloring Outside the Lines - Make it stand out Initial Sketch https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69740e32839be067e3332ccd/8a8ef154-a7d5-426f-bc70-0ae7b0e55b31/Untitled_Artwork+5.png Blog - Coloring Outside the Lines - Make it stand out Final Result: Created on “Procreate” Drawing App https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69740e32839be067e3332ccd/eb2fde31-32cf-45ea-8fd3-952718e3a506/IMG_5751.JPG Blog - Coloring Outside the Lines - For my second sketch, I was primarily focused on replicating what I saw. You caught me… I kind of retreated to what I felt safe doing. Whoops. Therefore, the objective of this piece was to exercise correct perspective. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69740e32839be067e3332ccd/4f386dac-4781-4bd2-b59d-f459c85227d0/Untitled_Artwork+7.JPG Blog - Coloring Outside the Lines - Make it stand out Initial Sketch https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69740e32839be067e3332ccd/29f888f1-8b9d-4c90-ad9c-f6650eb8edd9/Untitled_Artwork+6.JPG Blog - Coloring Outside the Lines - Make it stand out Final Sketch: Completed on “Procreate” Drawing App https://www.coronasartwork.com/blog/one-drawing-at-a-time monthly 0.5 2026-03-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69740e32839be067e3332ccd/8a6022a0-4451-456d-8112-6e28176a21c1/IMG_5119.JPG Blog - One Drawing at a Time - To be honest, I had no idea what he meant until recently… even though he explained it very clearly (Whoops! My bad). I came to understand what he meant while I was participating in the “Life Drawing” exhibition where the entire class’s portraits were displayed. I can’t explain fully explain what I felt in this moment, but I experienced the “rose-tinted glasses” come off while viewing my artwork. Before I state my perspective, I want to clarify that I am very proud of the artwork I’ve created thus far… however, I was hit with the realization that something has always been missing from my artwork. https://www.coronasartwork.com/blog/reflection-on-goodbyes monthly 0.5 2026-03-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69740e32839be067e3332ccd/df473de7-1734-47b0-a4b3-158e215366dc/IMG_5298.JPG Blog - Reflection on “Goodbyes” - I call them weekly and see them in-person every now and then, but I still miss them very much. It’s strange visiting one of your favorite places only to realize it wasn’t the “place” that made it great… it was the people. Initially, I felt sad. But then, I was reminded that I’ve made new friends along the way, and thankfully, the same can be said about my long-distance friends as well. As I drew the gesture sketches for the first assignment, I caught myself pausing a few times to admire the sunset I once watched with my close friends. But now, I paused to watch it with friends that I’ve grown close to in grad school. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69740e32839be067e3332ccd/d4a47d91-0173-4046-b979-b4f21083bd73/IMG_5306.JPG Blog - Reflection on “Goodbyes” - Make it stand out Gesture Sketch & Rendered Sketch of a Caribou https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69740e32839be067e3332ccd/4d21c88a-2956-440e-847c-8f8046d3c4ab/IMG_5308.JPG Blog - Reflection on “Goodbyes” - Make it stand out Gesture Sketch & Render Sketch of a Bobcat https://www.coronasartwork.com/blog/to-be-comfortable-or-not-to-be-that-is-the-question monthly 0.5 2026-03-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69740e32839be067e3332ccd/74658105-33bb-426b-85d4-72ca888dd192/Untitled_Artwork.JPG Blog - To Be Comfortable, Or Not To Be… That Is the Question: - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.coronasartwork.com/blog/risk-taking monthly 0.5 2026-02-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69740e32839be067e3332ccd/33133c6c-bf62-4132-a306-0b964addae19/IMG_4987.JPG Blog - Life Drawing: Risk-taking - On that note, I want to talk about the visually boring artwork I just created. So many little things went wrong with this piece, and the sad part about it is that these “wrong things” were totally preventable (I’ll discuss this more in the technical portion of this blog). Consequently, my “finished result” appeared flat and boring. Although the live drawing session portion of my work was finished, I didn’t feel that way about the piece itself. I left it alone for almost two days because I was too frightened to try and fix it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69740e32839be067e3332ccd/4faced8d-8032-42c5-baa0-16a0adc54c5e/IMG_4985.png Blog - Life Drawing: Risk-taking - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69740e32839be067e3332ccd/2f9c79a8-0999-4d15-8f09-e7827311fe13/IMG_4986.JPG Blog - Life Drawing: Risk-taking - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69740e32839be067e3332ccd/0a9097e5-92c3-4c93-9a64-754805232803/ARTS+512-Week+5+Drawing.jpg Blog - Life Drawing: Risk-taking - Make it stand out Medium: Charcoal Duration: 3 hours https://www.coronasartwork.com/blog/self-portrait-reflection monthly 0.5 2026-02-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69740e32839be067e3332ccd/712ae4c0-6062-44b8-ba0a-09a9e5afae46/IMG_4835.jpg Blog - Self-Portrait: Reflection - Make it stand out The original drawing by my dad https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69740e32839be067e3332ccd/fbc50e36-2275-4768-b3cf-176197e6fbff/IMG_4884.jpg Blog - Self-Portrait: Reflection As with any drawing, I began taking measurements of my subject (in this case, the subject was my reflection). However, a problem arose that I had not considered happening beforehand. While I was sight measuring my facial proportions, my reflection’s hand blocked my view. As a result, I ended up having to take a mental note of the plumblines and proportions. Another problem was that the subject just wouldn’t sit still (whoops, my bad). I knew doing a self-portrait would be challenging, but I didn’t realize it would be this difficult. Personally, that frustration of “not being good at something” made me want to do it even more. In the future, I will do another live self-portrait. However, I will likely use a desk mirror instead of a hanging mirror. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69740e32839be067e3332ccd/1727b5f9-2131-4900-a3bc-868d10369dde/IMG_4912.png Blog - Self-Portrait: Reflection - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69740e32839be067e3332ccd/bde3c27b-f2a6-4121-88cf-b9fff1f49c30/IMG_4863.JPG Blog - Self-Portrait: Reflection - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69740e32839be067e3332ccd/71448b7e-e4ff-486a-bdcd-963c328b4aff/ARTS+512-Week+4+Drawing.jpg Blog - Self-Portrait: Reflection - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.coronasartwork.com/blog/life-drawing-week-3 monthly 0.5 2026-02-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69740e32839be067e3332ccd/85fbb871-adea-45fe-a678-21b045455de5/IMG_4748.jpg Blog - Life Drawing: Week Two - The Story Behind the Drawing What makes an artist “great?” Is it talent? Maybe it’s having the most expensive equipment? I believe the answer is “persistence.” From my experience, it’s never 100% guaranteed that a drawing or painting will turn out the way you hope it will. In fact, you may spend hours, days, weeks, or even years on a piece you absolutely abhor by the end, and that’s a terrible feeling to have. For a lot of people, the possibility of failure prevents them from even starting in the first place. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69740e32839be067e3332ccd/5fb6d629-c638-413e-9c10-fa05cc460763/IMG_4827.jpg Blog - Life Drawing: Week Two - Linear Drawing First, I began with the initial sketch. After I completed this step, I was concerned that it didn’t look like the person. Once I took a step back, I realized I drew his chin too long, and I quickly corrected this error. Secondly, I made the top of his head too tall, so I brought that line closer to his forehead. Lastly, I initially indicated that his hair strands were higher than they actually were; therefore, I lowered those lines as well. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69740e32839be067e3332ccd/52dc8b1a-9eaa-4aff-8ebd-cccf76d56469/IMG_4828.JPG Blog - Life Drawing: Week Two - Blocking in Values Next, I blocked in the darkest values with my compressed charcoal sticks. This is really when the drawing started to look like the model. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69740e32839be067e3332ccd/d0f5b470-72da-4f39-94e5-5dd26da32946/IMG_4829.JPG Blog - Life Drawing: Week Two - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.coronasartwork.com/blog/mbg6hzhpanlfix64hecf00pg2lb6hw monthly 0.5 2026-02-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69740e32839be067e3332ccd/7555c802-94ce-4681-b976-6a89b7b072df/IMG_4716.jpg Blog - Life Drawing: Week One: Part Three - Lighting For this portrait, my classmates and I decided to place the main light source approximately head-on with the model. Additionally, we positioned the lamp slightly above the model’s face and dimmed the overhead light to create dramatic shadows. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69740e32839be067e3332ccd/de959353-a30a-4bfe-9dde-0859b7a05031/IMG_4709.jpg Blog - Life Drawing: Week One: Part Three - Materials For this piece, I used charcoal pencils, compressed charcoal sticks, a polymer eraser, a pencil eraser, and 18x24 inch drawing paper. Step One: After everyone was set up and ready to go, we began to draw. First, I began by sight-measuring the model’s face to determine her facial proportions. Next, I indicated these measurements on my drawing paper and outlined basic shapes. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69740e32839be067e3332ccd/b81ad938-ba47-4c7c-86cf-30d8a816587c/IMG_4710.jpg Blog - Life Drawing: Week One: Part Three - Step Two: From here, I blocked in the darkest values. At this point in the process, I wasn’t focused on detail. Afterwards, I smudged the charcoal across the paper to darken the overall value of her face. This step helps me determine whether the values are actually correct. I typically use my hand when smudging charcoal because it covers a large amount of space quickly. I could technically use a cloth or paper towel instead, but where’s the fun in that? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69740e32839be067e3332ccd/4dfe54d8-55e9-4567-87fb-9e348b36db54/ARTS+512-Week+2-Drawing+2.jpg Blog - Life Drawing: Week One: Part Three - Make it stand out Date Created: 30 January 2026 Medium: Charcoal on Paper https://www.coronasartwork.com/blog/di675psikj9amly7knbf7om19uljor monthly 0.5 2026-02-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69740e32839be067e3332ccd/14fab7e9-4941-40b3-92d6-977dff977a52/IMG_4701.jpg Blog - Life Drawing: Week One: Part Two - During this week’s class, the other students and I rearranged the room in preparation for our 1.5-hour live drawing session. I placed my drawing easel near the model and positioned the lamp close to her with the intent of creating Rembrandt lighting. There was not enough contrast, so everyone consecutively agreed that the overhead lights needed to be substantially dimmed. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69740e32839be067e3332ccd/1079ddca-868a-4f52-8668-f07a8fe804f8/ARTS+512-Week+2-InClass.jpg Blog - Life Drawing: Week One: Part Two - Make it stand out Created on: 29 January 2026 Medium: Graphite on Paper https://www.coronasartwork.com/blog/bpu7dyp0koearghhypdxyosxeodu17 monthly 0.5 2026-02-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69740e32839be067e3332ccd/396ef0d4-636d-404d-b5dd-a391da8bbaaf/IMG_4667.jpg Blog - Life Drawing: Week One: Part One - Set-Up Preparation is a very important step when it comes to creating a successful piece of artwork. If the workspace around me is too cluttered, it could potentially lead to my workflow being inefficient. Therefore, preparing my easel is typically the first step of the process. During this session, I setup a French Easel and attached my drawing paper to the clip. Next, I sharped my charcoal pencils and laid out the compressed charcoal sticks. From here, I made sure to set my erasers and eraser pencils to the side (I like to use these tools to create highlights within my drawings. As a side note, eraser pencils are my favorite drawing tool). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69740e32839be067e3332ccd/5c750d81-d504-476a-b1ac-f656efba0e46/IMG_4660.jpg Blog - Life Drawing: Week One: Part One - Drawing Once the logistical items are in place, I am ready to begin drawing! This specific process is broken up primarily into three distinct stages. The first stage is creating the “linear sketch.” During this phase, I observe the model’s facial proportions by employing sight-measuring techniques and by observing plumb lines. This is the most essential drawing stage. If the measurements are recorded wrong during this seemingly basic step, then the whole project will be distorted by inaccurate proportions. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69740e32839be067e3332ccd/8e87065e-65ea-4123-9f7a-9368076af1de/IMG_4661.JPG Blog - Life Drawing: Week One: Part One - The second stage includes laying down the “value/shape block-in.” Here, I begin searching for the darkest shadows on the model. Next, I draw those shadows with a compressed charcoal stick. Afterwards, I smudge the charcoal across the entirety of the paper to darken the overall value of my subject (this will be important for later). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69740e32839be067e3332ccd/2d1b444d-7543-419d-a7a9-aa62689119ce/ARTS+512-Week+2-Drawing+1.jpg Blog - Life Drawing: Week One: Part One - The third and final step is completing the artwork. During this stage, I add details to the drawing by sharpening edges and by creating highlights with my eraser. If I didn’t smudge the paper in the previous stage, then the highlights wouldn’t stand out as much and be as effective. After taking additional time to make any last minute adjustments, I consider my drawing complete! In total, this project took about 1.5 hours to complete. Date Created: 26 January 2026 Medium: Charcoal on Paper https://www.coronasartwork.com/about daily 0.75 2026-01-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69740e32839be067e3332ccd/2fb2070a-002a-439c-a63c-0924db8a0975/IMG_4312.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69740e32839be067e3332ccd/7a8d11e9-a50a-4b30-b9ea-e6332b0e6437/IMG_4622.jpg https://www.coronasartwork.com/contact daily 0.75 2026-02-19 https://www.coronasartwork.com/portfolio daily 1.0 2026-02-19 https://www.coronasartwork.com/portfolio/seascapes-paintings monthly 0.5 2026-01-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69740e32839be067e3332ccd/6816aa8a-3331-4a41-a254-dfc886eb4ebe/IMG_3409.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69740e32839be067e3332ccd/135d0b67-2df3-4346-9829-d165fe3bd251/IMG_3408.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69740e32839be067e3332ccd/471d39ac-6d0d-46b6-a836-e95045d266ae/IMG_5843.JPG https://www.coronasartwork.com/portfolio/landscapes monthly 0.5 2026-01-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69740e32839be067e3332ccd/efc0f97a-a027-4e0b-b317-f69c25acd12f/Corona+Yosemite.JPG.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69740e32839be067e3332ccd/bd5c33af-f9e2-4be4-a6da-e62965c7280c/Corona+Mount+Rainier.JPG.jpg