The hottest Art & Illustration Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Art & Illustration Topics

GUT Visiting Artist: Gretchen Rubin

DrawTogether with WendyMac • 1257 implied HN points • 22 Oct 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Creativity Senses Drawing Inspiration Community
  1. Gretchen Rubin highlights the link between creativity and happiness, showing how it boosts mood, energy, and social connections.
  2. She shares about her sources of creative inspiration, like reading and visiting the Met museum, and how those experiences lead to new projects.
  3. Gretchen suggests a creative exercise of keeping a Five-Senses Journal to spark memories, ideas, and gratitude through daily sensory experiences.

A Search for Vulnerability in Photography

In the Flash • 2038 implied HN points • 20 Jul 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Photography Creativity Intimacy Writing Emotions
  1. Photography can serve as a shield to hide personal fears and insecurities, but writing can bring out vulnerability more easily.
  2. Starting a newsletter allowed the author to express intimate thoughts and emotions that were hard to convey through photography.
  3. Transitioning from amateur to professional photography can lead to a loss of personal storytelling and a shift towards voyeuristic work.
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The thing that sticks out

Austin Kleon • 2098 implied HN points • 09 May 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Creativity Gardening Metaphors Art Process
  1. It's important to know what to keep in your work and what to remove. Sometimes, cutting out parts you love can help your overall project grow better.
  2. You can take pieces from your creative work, like plant cuttings, and use them in new ways. This allows you to explore fresh ideas or directions.
  3. Giving things time to settle before you repurpose them can make a big difference. Just like letting cuttings dry before replanting, patience is key in creating something new.

I wrote an article for It's Nice That

On Looking • 299 implied HN points • 29 Apr 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Labor Creative industry Visual communication Solidarity
  1. The article is about labor and organizing in the creative industry, highlighting the importance of valuing creative work as labor worth fighting for.
  2. There is a call for better work conditions for creatives and a push for more solidarity among creative workers in different sectors of the industry.
  3. The need to recognize and address abusive practices in the industry and extend care and understanding to everyone involved in the supply chain of creative labor is emphasized.

A Tiny Juggler on a Big Screen

Animation Obsessive • 1614 implied HN points • 17 Jan 25
🎨 Art & Illustration Animation Illustration Film Storytelling
  1. The story of 'The Juggler of Our Lady' explores feelings of hopelessness through a juggler who tries to find his place in the world. It's a tale that many can relate to, especially during tough times.
  2. R. O. Blechman created this work in a short time, drawing from his own experiences of feeling out of place. His unique style and personal connection helped make the story really special.
  3. The animation industry is facing challenges, like the recent wildfires in Los Angeles affecting many workers. It's important to help those in need during these difficult situations.

A Nigerian Tale on the World Stage

Animation Obsessive • 4574 implied HN points • 16 Feb 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Animation Visual art Film Design
  1. The animated film 'Moremi' tells a sci-fi version of the Nigerian Moremi Ajasoro tales, using a unique mix of 2D and 3D animation.
  2. Director Shofela Coker and art director Wian van Bergen collaborated to maintain a visually rich aesthetic, blending Nigerian motifs and traditional painting techniques into the film.
  3. The film's unique visual style was achieved through a custom compositing workflow, blending 3D characters with 2D backgrounds seamlessly, along with incorporating striking neon 2D special effects.

Rodeo by Calvin Lee Martin

The Soup • 1218 implied HN points • 04 Apr 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Personal Essay
  1. The author shares a special edition of her newsletter featuring her son's college essay.
  2. The son's college essay is deeply personal and showcases his writing skills.
  3. The author pays her son for allowing her to share his work in her newsletter.

Masks Full of Feeling

Animation Obsessive • 448 implied HN points • 15 Aug 25
🎨 Art & Illustration Animation Film Visual Arts Creative Process Cultural impact
  1. Kihachiro Kawamoto was a brilliant Japanese animator known for his incredible films. His works, like 'The Demon' and 'House of Flame', offer a stunning visual experience.
  2. The newsletter focuses on the art of masks in animation. Masks are not just for looks; they also convey deep emotions and feelings.
  3. Stop-motion animation is a significant theme of the discussion. It shows a unique and older technique that brings characters to life in a special way.

We're at 50 Pages

OK Doomer • 106 implied HN points • 20 Dec 25
🎨 Art & Illustration Illustration Visual art Book design Graphic design
  1. The illustrated survival guide has reached 50 pages and is now a real, tangible project tackling practical topics to prepare for a changing world.
  2. The work is drawing excitement and support, with more positive updates promised soon.
  3. An overview and project link are available for people to read, share, and send ideas, and the team is pausing for a short trip before the next update.

'Catnapped' Is Weird and Wonderful

Animation Obsessive • 4215 implied HN points • 04 Mar 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Animation Director Film Anime Character design
  1. 'Catnapped' is a unique and imaginative anime feature that is often underrated but holds a special place among fans.
  2. Director Takashi Nakamura's journey from being a core animator on 'Akira' to directing his own films like 'Catnapped' showcases his evolution as an artist with a distinct visual style.
  3. The making of 'Catnapped' involved a team of talented animators, art director, and composer who brought Nakamura's creative vision to life, emphasizing the importance of collaboration in animated filmmaking.

art delivery : 02.10.24

The NO SUCH THING AS TOO MUCH ART Society • 569 implied HN points • 10 Feb 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Artist spotlight Workshops Art events
  1. Michelle Weddle creates large-scale square canvases with brushstrokes influenced by music.
  2. Danielle Krysa is hosting a workshop in Santa Fe with limited spots left, a live session with the European Cultural Academy, and curated a show at the Soo Visual Arts Center.
  3. The art world is abuzz with upcoming events, workshops, and exhibitions ready for art lovers and enthusiasts to participate in.

Drops of enchantment 1

The Art of Enchantment, with Dr Sharon Blackie • 1178 implied HN points • 27 Aug 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Crafting Folklore
  1. The post is about crafting from the land and its stories, emphasizing a connection to nature and folklore.
  2. The author discusses their practice of working with fabric, ink, and found objects, highlighting a handcrafted and creative approach.
  3. The content is available for paid subscribers only, with a mention to subscribe for access to more posts.

Drawing his way to 100k

Kenny’s Sub • 199 implied HN points • 27 May 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Drawing Creative Process Business Strategies Freelancing Content creation
  1. Experimenting is essential. Janis Ozolins tried many different ideas before he found success with drawing. He learned a lot through mistakes and kept exploring until he found what worked for him.
  2. The grind is part of the job. Even if you love what you do, there are always some tasks that can feel tedious, like answering emails or bookkeeping. It’s important to find a balance between fun work and those less enjoyable tasks.
  3. Building an audience matters. Janis didn't rely heavily on freelance work at first. Instead, he focused on creating valuable content and engaging with his audience, which naturally led to opportunities without having to chase them.

Monoganimals

Seven Senses • 519 implied HN points • 17 Feb 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Illustration Zines Visual art Creativity Workshops
  1. There's a new mini zine called 'Monoganimals' that features seven animals known for being monogamous. It's a fun way to learn about these unique animal relationships.
  2. The zine is hand-bound and illustrated, making it a special treat for subscribers. If you've provided your mailing address, you should receive it soon!
  3. There's also a creative workshop series happening, which you can join if interested. It's a chance to explore creativity with others, and recordings are available if you missed the previous sessions.

The Oldest Map Of London... Now In Colour

Londonist: Time Machine • 878 implied HN points • 29 Nov 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Mapping History
  1. The Copperplate map is the earliest-known map of London and showcases the streets, buildings, and people of 16th century London.
  2. The map is a wonder of Tudor engraving, offering a unique glimpse into the history and layout of London from that era.
  3. Accessing the map and detailed information about it may require a subscription to Londonist: Time Machine.

Printmaking with the sun

Austin Kleon • 1458 implied HN points • 11 Jul 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Collage
  1. Summer is a great time for art activities, like making sun prints with nature's elements. It allows you to connect with the outdoors and be creative.
  2. Cicadas are fascinating and have a long history in art, which can inspire our perspectives during summer.
  3. Creating prints and collages from found objects can be a unique way to memorialize nature and reflect on life's cycles.

January 2024 - The story so far...

Development Hell • 631 implied HN points • 20 Jan 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Screenwriting TV shows Social media
  1. The life of a screenwriter is filled with surprises, challenges, disasters, and triumphs, constantly learning new aspects of the business and ways to work and cope.
  2. The television industry is currently facing turmoil due to various factors like Covid, WGA strike, and Wall Street, making it difficult for new projects to materialize, but classics like The West Wing, A Series of Unfortunate Events, and Battlestar Galactica remain timeless.
  3. New tools like Plottr for novelists and screenwriters or strategies like time-blocking mornings for writing and afternoons for other tasks can enhance productivity and creativity.

A Master Animator's Masterwork

Animation Obsessive • 4126 implied HN points • 19 Feb 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Animation Film Awards Artists Technique
  1. Art Babbitt, a renowned animator, considered his best work to be an animation sequence in a lesser-known UPA cartoon called 'Grizzly Golfer'.
  2. Babbitt's animation style for the bear chase scene was a blend of Disney's fluidity and UPA's limited animation approach, showcasing his technical skill and creativity.
  3. The UPA animation style, including 'limited animation,' was a deliberate artistic choice that differed from Disney's constant motion approach, providing a unique aesthetic to animated scenes.