stephenbaumanartwork

Idio Podcast III - with Joe Hawkins

Nobody is more convinced than me that representational art in 2025 could benefit from the storytelling we find in movies and TV! This interview and portrait session with Joe Hawkins is the first of what I hope are many discussions that revolve around exactly that field.

So, I'm very excited and honoured to present to you and interview with a legit storytelling pro in this episode of the idiosyncratic nightmare podcast!

Features In Focus, The Nose

The nose is the keystone of the face. A physical and structural landmark that you cannot afford to not know enough about. So, let's get after it!

Materials you will need:

• Graphite pencils

• Sketchbook or drawing paper

• Paper stump

• Downloadable source image of an eye (provided in the description)

Idio Podcast II - with Tania Rivilis

People! What can I say about Tania Rivilis??? For starters, she is an incredible person and artist. Michael and I were so honoured to have her on the show.

What really stood out to me with how no nonsense and totally real she was in this interview. It's not always the case that when you get somebody in front of a camera they're just themselves and they open up- but that's what Tania gave us.

I hope you enjoy this interview as much as we enjoyed making it, and please remember to su...

Block In Bootcamp, Sprints II

Group critique: https://youtu.be/cxbHgmLLtMQ

Coming up this month, we're gonna dive deeper and get more effective with our 15 minute sketches. This is literally the fastest and most invigorating drawing experience you are likely to have, and I genuinely think it will change the way that you draw portraits.

We're gonna make five 15 minute studies on February 15! The materials you need are the same as all other Boo...

Heavy Metal, The Style Guide

A style guide is basically a set of rules or guidelines that define how something looks and feels. In drawing, it’s like a blueprint that helps you understand what makes a particular artistic style unique—things like how lines are drawn, how shadows are used, or how textures are created. It’s not about copying but about learning the “why” behind the choices.

For example, think about Grebennikov’s style. His bold shadows, detailed textures, and willingness to take risks make ...

Idio Podcast I - with Eddie Rochat

Huraaaaaaaaaah 🚀 the first episode is coming out in a couple of days on Youtube and I am so pleased to be able to share an early version of it with you here on Patreon!

We are starting from scratch building our audience so please consider subscribing to our YouTube channel. This link will take you to a quick subscribe button: https://www.stephenbaumanartwork.com/idio-podcast

Our guest is o...

The POD Arrives Feb. 1st ❤️‍🔥💯💫

I’ve been dreaming of creating something like this for years—combining painting, meaningful conversations, and the stories behind the creativity. Every attempt seemed to fall short until I teamed up with my friend Michael Klein. Together, we finally made it happen.

This podcast is more than just demos (though there are plenty of those). It’s about what drives creative people to make their best work and how they interface with that process.

All the episodes are free, the firs...

All The Model Packs

All the model packs you will need to work alongside my Patreon tutorials. This pack is TOTALLY free for all Patreon subscribers. Including: Drawing Essentials, The Atelier Tier, Block In Bootcamp, Alla Prima Painting, Studying With Sargent, Graphite Quick Sketch, Classical Portrait Process, Graphite + Grisaille + Full Color, Sepia Chalk Drawing, Studying Proportion in Graphite + The Pear Project, Graphite, Chalk, Tempera, 1 + 2, Limited Palette Portrait Painting, Block In Concepts For Portrait...

Block In Bootcamp, Sprints I

Group critique: https://youtu.be/R8_cZE01i98

I’m thrilled about this upcoming lesson, inspired by one of my subscribers, Sampo Peltola. He asked, “How do you draw really fast?” and suggested an idea that I’d describe as sprint-style practice. This month in Boot Camp, we’ll be diving into this concept by creating six drawings, each completed in just 15 minutes.

You’ll need the same materials as in prev...

Heavy Metal Portrait Drawing, Phase 1 Wrap

I see Vassily as a master of vision and design, whose work is full of "strangeness" and unexpected solutions. To me, his drawings are not about replicating what he sees, but about a personal interpretation of the subject- communicated through his use of shapes and values.

Here are some of the key elements from this lesson:

Intentionality and Design: Even though the marks might seem rough, there is a clear sense of intent...

Block In Bootcamp, My Favorite Underpainting Technique

Link to the group critique: https://youtu.be/xP6aySvPFV8

Materials you will need for this lesson:

• 1 tube of brown earth pigment. Raw umber, sepia extra, anything like that will do

• 1 tube of white oil paint. I use lead, you can use what you like

• A few synthetic brushes and a few hog bristle brushes. Mostly filbert shape

• An oil or acrylic primed linen, fine ...

  2024-12-12 15:37:28 +0000 UTC View Post

A Super Casual Vid About Thumbnailing

So, I am working on a commission- a really cool one actually. I will be making several portraits over the next 5 years or so of a client's 2 children as they grow up.

To do this I will need to make several thumbnail drawings to show to this client so that we can land on the same page Vision-wise.

I thought while I was at it this could be a useful real-world example of how a pro artist goes about making sketches for a commision. So I turned on my cameras and this stream of my thoug...

Heavy Metal Portrait Drawing, Into the Deep End

If I had to start the conversation about these lessons with one sentence it would be this: It's not about what you say, it's about how you say it.

This lesson focuses on analyzing and replicating the drawing style of Vasily Grebennikov, a little-known 20th-century artist who studied at the Repin Academy in St. Petersburg. The goal is to understand Grebennikov's artistic choices and develop a deeper understanding of his "form sense" through meticulous observation an...

APA, Skull Sketches + Labels #1

This is a repost of a previous lesson that ,due to a Patreon glitch, could not be updated.

As an artist, you CANNOT afford to learn anatomy without drawing 💯

We are after an applied knowledge and in this lesson you will take a major step in your progress towards proficiency. Remember, every portrait is heavily influenced by the forms of the skull.

You will be making 2 drawings of a skull and labeling all of the relevant anatomical features along with...

Sculpting the Skull, Phase 3

In this lesson, I walk through the process of sculpting a skull, focusing on getting the proportions right and understanding the structural symmetry. I go over techniques for setting up dimensions, highlight why the muzzle form is so crucial, and explain the back-and-forth of refining proportions as you go. I try to keep it casual and remind everyone that sculpting is a bit complex—but the progress you make is worth celebrating as you get the hang of this 3D business.

This video has b...

⚡️ Intro to HEAVY METAL Portrait Drawing ⚡️

It's here...

The course that has been my recent obsession is starting to come together. Its a course not like any other that I have made, or even seen elsewhere for that matter. It is a deep dive on the mechanics of style and how you can understand and incorporate into your own work almost any style you choose.

For this series of lessons we are focusing in on one artist: Vasily Grebennikov

No need to go into more detail here- just press play on the ...

Features In Focus, The Lips

Here we are, about to get into to what is arguably the most difficult feature to draw. In this lesson I cover all of the information that I believe will help you draw them better.

Materials to use:

• Graphite pencils

• Sketchbook or drawing paper

• Paper stump

• Downloadable source image of an eye (provided in the description)

Town Hall, September

Another fun town hall meeting in the books! I've added chapters and a list of bullet points to help you navigate it more easily 👌

Topics include:

- Discussion on photography and lighting techniques for artwork

- Exploration of using AI to generate reference images for drawing and painting

- Implications of AI on ownership, creativity, and legal/ethical issues in artwork creation

- Consideration of ethical concerns in using AI-generated faces for artistic works...

The Atelier Tier, Color Study #3, Complimentary

Here we go! This is the final installment of the Atelier Tier as I originally planned it.

The projects that are out now go from the 1st Bargue project all the way to painting in FULL color. This is a 50 part series that covers your drawing and painting foundation in the western atelier style.

In this lesson we are wrapping up the color painting stage that will compliment the underpainting we completed last lesson.

Materials you will need to complete this lesson:

2024-09-01 07:46:18 +0000 UTC View Post

Town Hall, Live Recording

It is a rough cut and it is super chatty, but it is also a group of people just like you talking about topics I guarantee that you will care about.

So, put it on in the background while you are drawing and feel the vibes 🧠❤️‍🔥⚡️

Features in Focus, The Eye

The more you know the better you can draw. In this lesson you will learn the most important bits about the human eye as it pertains to portrait drawing.

Materials to use:

• Graphite pencils

• Sketchbook or drawing paper

• Paper stump

• Downloadable source image of an eye (provided in the description)

Model Pack: Ingvild

500+ pictures of Ingvild. This product is TOTALLY free for all Patreon subscribers at and above the Atelier Tier ⚡️

APA, Sculpting the Skull, Phase 2

We're going to continue our sculpting project by transforming our generic planes-of-the-head block-in into a more detailed sculpture of a skull, starting with the left-hand side. This exercise is designed to elaborate on the more simplified form concepts we started with.

We'll begin by refining those basic geometric forms into the distinct anatomical features of the skull. Focus on the frontal bone, zygomatic bone, and mandible first. These are the key landmarks that will help guide the...

The Atelier Tier, Color Project, Complimentary Colors

This is the start of the final project in the Atelier curriculum as I have set it out.

Working with a more complex subject you are going to learn how to make an efficient and practical underpainting.

Materials you will need:

• Synthetic filberts and rounds, small to medium sizes

• Raw umber oil paint

• Acrylic or oil primed linen, stretched or on panel

• A few drops of linseed oil

APA, Blocking in a skull in clay 💥

Ever wanted to accelerate your drawing skills? Right. So here is what sculpting along with this lesson will do for you:

Working in three dimensions helps you perceive and internalize the spatial relationships between the anatomical landmarks on the skull. This comprehension is crucial when translating these forms onto a flat surface. The experience of sculpting the skull allows for a more intuitive grasp of how light interacts with these forms, casting shadows and creating depth.

...

APA, Sculpting the Skull, Materials

IT'S HAPPENING! The sculpture section of Anatomy for Portrait Artists is here. This intro has all the info you will need before you can get started with you 1st sculpture lesson.

I am sure you'll have a ton of question about these materials. I will do my best to sort it all out in the comment section on this post, so don't hesitate to ask.

Below is a list of places you can go to get the materials in this video... These are the places I shop- if they don't ship to your location I ...

Block In Bootcamp, Master Study II

Group critique: https://youtu.be/YeF92G1o1UI

Jules Bastien-Lepage. One of the great 19th century masters- arguably the greatest. In this edition of Bootcamp we will ask the question, how do we practically solve a block in where there is not discernable light source direction? Think of all of those live drawing sessions you've had at your local art center with light coming from EVERY direction 😅

As always there...

Composition for Portraiture, Vol. 3

This final lesson in the series is all about thumbnail sketching, with a special focus on creating a dynamic composition. Our goal is to use preliminary sketches to contrast and compare various compositional possibilities, exploring different arrangements, perspectives, and focal points before committing to a final piece. We will utilize a range of techniques, from quick gestural lines to the selective emphasis of key anatomical landmarks, to imbue our sketches with life and energy.

Cen...

Patreon Town Hall (UPDATE: Recording posted)

Press play on the video player above for the full uncensored version...

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It's time again to hang out and chop up some hot topics in and around the atelier space.

Your questions about your art career, study practice, life in general and anything else are up for discussion.

See you there- 4pm Oslo time on Sunday, March 3rd.

Block In Bootcamp, Master Study

Group critique: https://youtu.be/rVt-9_6wgxc

Who is John Singer Sargent? Well, he is just the guy who laid the foundation portrait painting in the 20th century.

In this Bootcamp lesson we are going to walk a mile in his shoes to help us better understand the choices he made on his way to creating this amazing portrait painting.

Tools you will need:

• Graphite pencils- from 2H-4B
• Paper- wh...
  2024-02-17 10:55:01 +0000 UTC View Post