Digital Painting Cheat Sheet: Best Digital Painting Tutorials

I’ve spent countless hours of my precious life watching videos, reading blog posts, and generally researching digital painting techniques. I’m compiling all of the best information here in this blog post so that I might save someone else all those same hours. 🙂

This post will be continually updated as I find new and/or better information. For example, I still have not found anyone who can make me understand the elusive art of turning blobs into beautiful fully-rendered paintings.

I watch, it seems like a simple premise, and then I just can’t seem to put it into practice lol. Maybe I’m too impatient. I DIGRESS.

Digital Painting Programs

Either purchase Photoshop or download Krita (a free & open source program). Both make equally beautiful paintings. Remember: practice is more important than equipment.

Brushes

Get yourself some free Photoshop brushes:

Or purchase Kyle T Webster’s popular brush sets.

Get yourself some (obviously) free Krita brushes:

Digital Painting Tutorials & Tips

Lighting
Coloring
Inking

YouTubers to Follow

Sara Tepes because she is a lovely & talented digital painter (who uses Krita).
LavenderTowne because she has a quirky, comic-y style and a soothing voice.

 

Lastly, if you have anything to add or an artist I might include here, please comment below! I hope this saved you some time or brought you a little inspiration. As always, please follow me on social media for my daily art adventures, and subscribe to the newsletter for shop promo codes and other special offers. Thanks for reading!

Make A Zine to Showcase Your Work

Making a zine can be a simple, cost-effective way to print & distribute your artwork without having a find a publisher. I’ve found a few tutorials, examples, and a good start-up guide to help you along. Continue reading “Make A Zine to Showcase Your Work”

Free Coloring Page Printable: Cute House

Want a free coloring page? Better question: who doesn’t want a free coloring page?

This is my first attempt at a coloring book page. I’m honestly really happy with it. For some reason I’m just not a fan of all the teeny-tiny spaces in adult coloring books. They hurt my hand. I guess I must color intensely haha. That’s true because sometimes I forget to breathe while coloring. 😀

Keeping with September’s theme of Home, this is a cute house coloring page. He is happy to be here and ready for you to move in.

Free Coloring Page

Free Coloring Page Printable: Cute House

Click the picture above to view the full-size coloring page. Just right-click save the image. It is:

  • Huge: 2400 px X 3000 px
  • 8″ x 10″ at 300 DPI
  • Going to print beautifully for you 🙂

Click here for a .PDF file of the same image, if you prefer. You can resize it to fit any paper you have handy. I think this would be awesome on card stock. Watercolor paper would be especially nifty if your printer can handle it.

Or pin this page for later. Everyone has a coloring page board, right? Right?

Free Coloring Page

Coloring not your thing?

But like, that’s a pretty cute house still. So I put him on t-shirts and stickers and even duvet covers. Go check out my RedBubble shop to see.

Are you going to color this?

I would love to see it! Tag me on Instagram @ceiltastic. Or, share it my Facebook page.

Ready for more?

Want to peek behind the scenes of Celia Agnes? Maybe you’d like some discounts for my offerings, or to be the first to know about new features and products. Members of my newsletter get those things every Sunday. I would love to see you there!




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DIY Mini Journal from One Sheet of Paper

Yup. It is possible to make a DIY mini journal from just one single sheet of paper. I’m trying to whittle away every last excuse you have for not starting some type of journaling. 🙂

These tiny booklets are versatile little things. They are great for recording your day, either in words or pictures. A seven day week fits inside perfectly, with room for a front or back cover. You can even print your digital work on them beforehand, then fold them into small zines or brochures. Wouldn’t that be an adorable freebie for your clients or customers? I would be stoked on 8 little pages from my favorite artist.

DIY Mini JournalDIY Mini Journal

DIY Mini Journal Supplies

  • One sheet of paper, any size or type.
  • Scissors or a craft knife
  • Ruler if you’re using a knife
  • Optional glue stick, adhesive roller, or tape if you want to seal the pages
  • Optional deco like washi tape, stickers, labels etc.

Keep in mind that this is not perfect bookbinding. The paper will get slightly distorted from folding. You can trim the edges when you’re done. Or you can embrace the mild chaos. It’s up to you.

Thicker papers will show distortion a lot more. You can fudge the pages around in the last step to get them to lie better. Just keep that in mind if you decide to print on thicker papers.

DIY Mini Journal

Step One

Fold the paper short ways. Hamburger style. Unfold and recrease in the opposite direction, like origami. Unfold.

DIY Mini Journal

Step Two

Fold the paper long ways. Hotdog style. Unfold and recrease in the opposite direction. Keep it folded.

DIY Mini Journal

DIY Mini Journal

Step Three

Fold one end to the middle crease. Unfold and recrease in the opposite direction. Repeat on the opposite end. Unfold.

DIY Mini Journal

 

Step Four

Fold the paper short ways, hamburger style, again. There will be a crease down the center. Starting at the creased edge of your hamburger, cut to the middle of the center crease. This partial cut allows you to make the book. Unfold.

one-page-art-step-6DIY Mini JournalDIY Mini Journalone-page-art-step-9

Step Five

Fold the paper long ways, hotdog style, again. Push the ends towards each other. The paper will start to buckle up. Finesse the pages in to a book as show.

Boom. You can stop here if you like and get to filling in your new journal. You can stick the open side together to form more solid pages. Or you can hide secret drawings between them. *wiggly fingers*

Are you making one of these? I would love to see it. Tag me @ceiltastic on Instagram and Twitter, or post to the Celia Agnes Facebook page.

DIY Mini Journal

Ready for more?

Want to peek behind the scenes of Celia Agnes? Maybe you’d like some discounts for my offerings, or to be the first to know about new features and products. Members of my newsletter get those things every Sunday. I would love to see you there!




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Easy Custom T-Shirt: Doodle on Your Tee

Easy Custom T-Shirt

Here’s an easy custom t-shirt option. I love wearing clothes that are perfectly “me”, but they can be pretty hard to find. That’s especially true since I’ve decided to only shop thrift or sew my own clothes. However, there is plenty of potential in a good ol’ white tee. All you really need is a fabric marker, and a few household items I think every crafter probably has. 🙂

Easy Custom T-Shirt Supplies

Easy Custom T-Shirt Supplies:
  • Plain white tee (or any light color)
  • Fabric marker (any fine-tip, permanent one will do)
  • Plain paper
  • Bold permanent marker
  • Ball Point Pins

Easy Custom T-Shirt Sketch

Step one:

I began by sketching out my design. Start in pencil if you like, but really you can go straight in with your bold pen. It doesn’t matter if you mess up, just don’t trace over that part on your shirt. 🙂 You’ll see I didn’t use any of the smaller mountain lines in my final design.

Easy Custom T-Shirt

Step two:

Lay out your shirt nice and flat. 🙂

Easy Custom T-Shirt Placement

Step three:

Next, slide your sketch between the layers. Adjust it until you’re happy with the placement. Then pin it in place so it won’t move around on you.

Easy Custom T-Shirt Trace

Step four:

Now trace gently over your sketch using your fabric marker. I found it easiest to go with the “grain” of the t-shirt (up, in my case). Also, I used more of a dotting motion rather than dragging the marker along the lines. This results in a light image, so definitely go over your work a second time. Then your lines will be nice and bold. 🙂

Easy Custom T-Shirt Set

Step five:

Always heat set your work! Most markers come with instructions for heat setting. But basically, use the heat setting called for on your t-shirt’s care label. Then, move the iron around all over your image for a minute or so. This step is very important so that your shirt can be washed normally. Make sure to get your entire drawing. I also use a pressing cloth (or, another t-shirt haha) just to extra-avoid scorching anything. 🙂

Easy Custom T-Shirt Final

And you’re all good to go! I have to say I really love how this came out. I wore this shirt to the farmer’s market with some cut-offs, and I may or may not be wearing it as I type this. 🙂

Have you ever drawn on your clothes before? If you make something similar, I would love to see it! Tag @ceiltastic on Instagram.

Easy Custom T-Shirt Pinterest

DIY Festival Top, No-Sew

DIY Festival Top

As much as I like to be warm, I’m not a hot-weather person (just check out that, um, “fair” complexion). So when it gets above 90, I want to live in the fridge and look up fall desserts, or maybe photos of snowy mountains. But some of us like to party in the literal desert. Or the humid forest. So this DIY festival top is with you in mind. 🙂

DIY Festival Top

DIY Festival Top Supplies:

  • A tshirt or muscle tee, any size will work. Mine happened to be a kids shirt. A too-big shirt will work too.
  • Scissors

I know, supply-intensive right? And because this DIY will take you all of 10 minutes, your excuses are evaporating.

DIY Festival Top

Step one:

First, layout your tee all nice and flat.

DIY Festival TopDIY Festival Top

Step two:

Then, if you like, lay a halter top that fits you over the tee as a guide. Or just free-hand it. Either way, trim off the sleeves and make a nice scoop up to the collar. Go through both layers. Just make sure you leave a solid 1-inch piece at the thinnest point.

DIY Festival Top

Step three:

Next, flip your tee over, and make a horizontal cut through the top layer (closest to you) only. Start where the arm holes end and give it a little scoop action. 🙂

diy-festival-top-step-5

Step four:

Now make the straps that will tie behind your neck. Cut up vertically from your back-scoop to the collar. Meet up with the cuts you made on the front, again making sure that your strap is at least 1-inch thick at it’s thinnest. I flared out the ends of my straps, but you do you.

DIY Festival Top DIY Festival Top

Step five:

Next, stretch out the fabric along ALL your cuts. The edges will roll up and give you a more finished look without sewing. 🙂 You can pull pretty hard, just be gentle on the seams at the collar. Your top will stretch A LOT, but don’t freak out, we’ll make it tighter in the next step.

DIY Festival Top

Step 6:

Then from the center back, measure down about 2-inches and cut horizontally across the whole back. Cut just to the side seams, and only through the top layer (closest to you). Then cut this new strip in half. Stretch these out like you did in the last step. You’ll use these back straps to tighten the body of your top to your liking. This is why this tutorial will work with any size shirt, you can simply adjust the fit with these straps. 🙂

DIY Festival Top

Finally, try it on, tie it up, and you’re all done! I’m going to make a few more of these and experiment a little with the strap and fringe size. It’s definitely hot enough now to have a few these on hand. Happy summer!

DIY Festival Top

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DIY Kimono From a T-Shirt (No-Sew Option)

DIY Kimono, After

See what I’m up to on Instagram: @celiaagnesartwork

One of the best ways to be responsible with your style choices, in my opinion, is to embrace DIY fashion and thrifting. It’s easily the most fun form of recycling, am I right? And I mean who doesn’t like spending $2 on a shirt??

I knew there had to be a use for all those super soft t-shirts that were just too big for me. I also knew I wanted a kimono, but I knew I could make one. Unfortunately I just moved and my sewing machine is in storage.  So a no-sew, DIY kimono it is!

diy-kimono-beforediy-kimono-suppliesDIY Kimono Supplies:

  • Oversize t-shirt
  • 2 yards of fabric trim (any kind will do; tassel, feather, ruffles, whatever suits your style)
  • Permanent fabric glue
  • Fray stopper (if your trim will fray like mine)
  • Fabric pencil/marker/chalk
  • Fabric scissors
  • Ball point needle & matching thread (if you want extra reinforcement, totally optional)

If you have to buy everything, excluding scissors and needles, this will cost about $15. This project will only take you about an hour (if that), excluding glue-drying time.

See that blue ribbon? Didn’t use it. It was not ribbon, it was elastic. 🙂 Always read the label, guys, always read the label. But a contrasting ribbon would be a nice touch, don’t you think?

diy-kimono-close

DIY Kimono

Lay your shirt out flat, and find the center. You can mark it with your pencil to help you cut straight, but it doesn’t need to be perfect. 🙂

DIY Kimono

Cut down the entire center, including the collar, on the top layer only.

DIY Kimono

You’ll now have a vest-type deal, so let’s kimono it instead.

DIY Kimono

Sketch out a curved neckline (see below), or you can just free-hand it like I did. You want to take off the whole collar and leave a nice, smooth line.

DIY Kimono

Trim up any jagged edges (it still doesn’t have to be perfect). Then stretch the fabric along the cuts. Stretch vertically down the middle, and side to side on the back of the collar. This will roll up the raw edge for you, no need to hem. You’ve probably seen t-shirts with this unfinished edge before.

You can tug pretty hard for most of it, just be gentle on the top shoulder seams or they will rip. 🙂

DIY Kimono

Now flip your kimono over to the back and lay your trim on top of it.

DIY KimonoDIY Kimono

Put fray stopper on the edges if you need to.

DIY Kimono

If not, get your permanent fabric glue and start running a steady line beneath the top edge of your trim. I used the top stitching of the bottom hem as a guide. Press the trim down gently as you go.

Most good-quality glues will dry clear, so don’t worry too much about any show-through. If you make a big mistake, you can wipe it up while it’s still wet with a warm rag.

DIY Kimono

Let the glue get tacky for a few minutes. Then, press the trim down firmly with your fingers along the glue line. Let it all dry flat and undisturbed for the recommended time. Mine dried for about 3 hours.

Now because I’m paranoid, I also hand stitched my trim in place. A simple running or whip stitch will do the trick. You can also just do this instead of gluing. Use ball point needles on knits (t-shirt material), so you don’t split the tiny threads that make up the fabric.

DIY Kimono

You don’t have to hand sew. Permanent fabric glue will be washer-safe in cool water, on the gentle cycle. You do have to wait a few days for the glue to fully cure before washing, just follow the instructions. If you plan to do a lot of embellishing type DIYs, I would spend the $3 on mesh laundry bags so you can be extra-gentle when washing your creations.

That’s it! I couldn’t believe how quick and simple this was, and I was taking pictures of the whole thing. You can knock this out in no time and it’s a great addition to your wardrobe. Or a friend’s, if you need a quick gift. 😉

Think you’ll make a DIY kimono? Tag me on Instagram, I’d love to see it! @ceiltastic

DIY KimonoDIY Kimono Pinterest

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