Art

Beginner's guides for art hobbies — gear that matters, gear that doesn't, and a real plan for your first month.

• 

  Pencil Drawing

  Drawing with pencil is the foundation every other visual art builds on. The barrier to starting is almost nothing — a pencil set, a sketchbook, and the willingness to put down bad sketches until the good ones start appearing. What separates beginners who improve from those who stall is daily practice with the right materials. Here's what you need.

  Read the Pencil Drawing guide →
• 

  Watercolor Painting

  Watercolor is famously 'difficult' in ways that dissolve once you understand what the medium is actually doing. Water does most of the work — your job is to learn to guide it rather than fight it. The barrier to a beautiful first painting is lower than you think; the barrier to reliable control is higher. Here's how to set yourself up correctly from the start.

  Read the Watercolor Painting guide →