Keep Improving Yourself!
Keep Improving Yourself!
Pier 1
Pier 1
Flowers by Bay
Flowers by Bay
Trees by Bay
Trees by Bay
Forest by Bay
Forest by Bay
Valley 1
Valley 1

Welcome to The Beginning of Drawing and Painting!

Updates:


Currently I have come up with a system using a combination of colored pencil and acrylic paint. Two of my latest drawings of this system are in the slideshow above titled 'Pier 1', 'Flower By Bay', 'Trees By Bay', 'Forest by Bay' and 'Valley 1'. More to come! 

My first book Gratitude! Look at Art; Calm the Brain! Over 50 Colored Pencil Sketches To View: Volume 1 has been released as an e-book on Amazon.com. Available now here!:

My art is designed to encourage people to appreciate the small things often overlooked in life. Science has shown people who appreciate the small things in life live happier lives. (Please see the study: 'A Tuesday in the life of a flourisher: the role of positive emotional reactivity in optimal mental health' Lahnna I Catalino et al. Emotion. 2011 Aug. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21859208/)

It is my hope that perhaps my art may inspire people to appreciate the small things in life. Doing this art also helps me because I often forget to appreciate the small things in life too! 

Also I have a link to my friend Mr. Bob Renaud's website about nude modeling. I highly recommend his site for adults because science has shown people who appreciate their bodies just as God made them live happier lives. (Please see the study: 'The Relationship between Body Appreciation and Self-Esteem and Associated Factors among Omani University Students: An Online Cross-Sectional Survey' Atika Khalaf, Iman Al Hashmi, and Omar Al Omari. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8249135/)

This brief website is designed to give adult beginners an opportunity to find online resources related to the specific type of medium they are interested in. Below are some resources for Acrylic, Water Color, and Oil Painting mediums as well as Colored Pencil resources to use in preparation for your art class: 

Acrylic online resources:

Benve, Robie. Step-by-Step Acrylic Painting for Beginners. feltmagnet.com July 15, 2019.Published March 22, 2019. Retrieved 8-12-2019 from https://feltmagnet.com/painting/Acrylic-Painting-for-Beginners-Step-by-Step

Water Color online resources:

Malan, Natalie. Watercolor Painting for Beginners. createlive.com.  retrieved 8-12-2019 from creativelive.com/blog/watercolor-painting-for-beginners/

Oil Painting online Resources:

Scott, Dan. Oil Painting – The Ultimate Guide For Beginners. https://drawpaintacademy.com. June 28, 2018. retrieved 8-12-2019 from https://drawpaintacademy.com/oil-painting/ 

Colored Pencil Resources: 

Colored Pencil Techniques for Beginners www.artistsnetwork.com retrieved 8-12-19 from https://www.artistsnetwork.com/art-techniques/colored-pencil-techniques-for-beginners/ 

Kirsty Partridge Art. DO'S & DON'TS: How to Draw with Colored Pencils. www.youtube.com. Retrieved 8-12-19 from DO'S & DON'TS: How to Draw with Colored Pencils https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZrcj6kq0TE

South, Helen. Steps on How To Apply Spray Fixative to Artwork: Preserve Your Works in Pastels, Charcoal, and Pencil. Hobbies: Hobbies Fine Arts and Crafts. Liveabout.com. July 3, 2019. Retrieved 8-15-19 from https://www.liveabout.com/how-to-apply-spray-fixative-1122561

(I tried workable fixative for the cup sketch shown above in the slideshow per the advice found on this forum https://fineartamerica.com/showmessages.php?messageid=1359263 so far so good)

Advanced Art Composition Resources:

Glover, Tavis Leaf. Master Composition and Dynamic Symmetry. https://youtube.com/c/IPOXstudios. www.YouTube.com. 2008. Retrieved August 1, 2022 from: https://youtube.com/c/IPOXstudios

Useful site for free landscape pictures for drawing and painting for personal or commercial use (most of the pictures are useful though the merits of some of the photos are not of the highest standards):

A youtube video on how to improve in art for any medium (atleast according to the youtuber who made the video):

Yansculpts. The Scientific Way to Improve your Art FAST! - How to Practice and Remember Efficiently. Published Oct 25 2019. Retrieved 11-11-19 from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhG7DENh-uk

Why Create Art?

Science says its good for the brain! For instance looking at art decreases stress levels. 1. Creating visual art improves psychological resilience and increases brain activity. 2. So if you want to become an artist... good choice! You are helping others to relieve stress while improving your brain activity and psychological resiliance at the same time! I wish you all the best in this beginning of your artistic journey.

Notes: 

1. Bergado, Gabe. Science Shows Art Can Do Incredible Things for Your Mind and Body. www.mic.com. Dec 15, 2014. https://www.mic.com/articles/106504/science-shows-that-art-is-having-fantastic-effects-on-our-brains-and-bodies retrieved 8-12-2019.

2. (ibid)

Here is an article I wrote on why it is helpful to stay positive so we can be more productive and create better art or life a better life:

'How to Transform Negativity into Positivity with Surplus Gains'

By Nicholas Evans July 30, 2022 

Science has shown remote prayer really has an effect. 1.

Science has also shown relaxed breathing can control emotions and how we breathe affects our emotional state.

If we force our bodies to breathe in a controlled relaxed manner even during a negative event the body will stay calm and we can control our emotions. For instance breathe in 4 seconds and breathe out 4 seconds. 2. 

Here is a formula to neutralize the negative emotional effects of negative events through meditation and gain a net positive outcome from the negative events through prayer.

Anytime a unique negative event happens remember to breathe to neutralize the negative effects of the negative event, then pray.* 

The neutralization of a negative event through breathing and then praying afterward can be demonstrated in basic algebraic form:

[-a(1)+a(1))+(-b(1)+b(1))+(-c(1)+c(1)...(-i(1)+i(1)]+(aA(1)+bB(1)+cC(1))...iI(1)=x

Let -a, -b,-c…-i be the unique type of negative events in one day

Let a, b, c....i be the number of meditations through relaxed breathing focusing on associated -a, -b, -c… -i negative events

Let aA, bB, cC….iI be the sum

This formula demonstrates in a negative situation you can not only neutralize negativity through controlled relaxed breathing but also gain positively through prayer as a result of the negative event.

References

1. W S Harris et al. ‘A randomized, controlled trial of the effects of remote, intercessory prayer on outcomes in patients admitted to the coronary care unit’ Arch Intern Med. 1999.

2. Seppala, Emma. ‘The Happiness Track’ HarperOne: New York. 2016. Pp 56-57.

* I personally also follow the teachings of Jesus influenced by my friend and hero Mr. Renaud

About me: My name is Nick Evans. I originally was interested in animation and attempted to enroll in Cal Arts. I passed the first round of elimnation but not the second round. As time went by I became less interested in art however lately my friend Bob who is into the science of nude modeling renewed my interest in art. I will put my latest artwork on the slideshow of this website when time permits. I like creating artwork that shows the beauty of nature and gratitude for the small things in life. My influences that shape my life and/or artwork include Benjamin R. Tucker, P.J. Proudhon, Nondenominational Christian views, Sylvain Chomet, Giorgio Morandi, Masahiro Ito, Oscar-Claude Monet, Vincent Van Gogh, Mike Steirnagle, Kirsty Partridge, Tavis Leaf Glover, Bob Renaud and many numerous friends who to me are Angels. 

A Website I Highly Recommend:

Highly recommended for nude life drawing models or prospective models is brother Bob Renaud's excellent site The Art of Figure Drawing, The Science of Modeling available here:

I recommend his site because not only for nude models or prospective nude models for life drawing but I also recommend the adult non-model to be open to the attitude that we should not be ashamed of our bodies but accept them as God created us. I believe the world would be a better place is everyone took the attitude of not being ashamed of the human body as people would in my opinion have a more positive outlook for themselves and others because they would appreciate God's creation of the human body regardless of how it looks.

Contact: thebeginningofpainting@gmail.com