This Will Change How You Paint

"Who are you painting for" is kind of a obvious question for an artist, yet I can't remember ever asking this to myself, definitely never thought about it while painting just for me. Thank you Hardy, I'm gonna keep it in mind from now on.

Doing some recent urban environments, I've found adding a strong, angled shadow across a building or the ground, cast from some unseen structure off to the side makes the lighting feel intentional, prevents the surface from looking too flat or evenly lit, and can guide the viewer's eye to a subject. Plus it implies the environment extends beyond the edge of the canvas. I think I picked it up from one of the DPS course tutorials and it's been invaluable!

this video gave me confidence in my art, made me think while making art, showed me how to digitally paint, cured my depression, watered my crops and kissed me on the mouth. thank u so much

I love everything about this video - Ive never considered what you’re saying and it makes so much sense And your illustration is first class Hardy - it makes me want to paint immediately!

Coming here helps me get back into gear and remember what I have to keep doing to get the passion project done, and showcase it in my portfolio. It helps me stop focusing on the worries and frustrations from having no illustration work. Since you mentioned the discord community, it always helps to just be in contact with other artists, I will check it out, not for the brushes but for the community.

I love how so much of your lessons involve deep philosophies taken from experience. When I studied Illustration at the Uni I had to learn that unlike the fine art students a floor down, I was a craftsman who had to take "me" out of the equation when making art for clients. A children book author doesn't want the same as someone wanting a wilderness poster, or someone wanting a book cover, or when the animation department asked for a background, and it didn't offend me that I had to change my style up, it wasn't less me because I was asked to do something that looked water coloresque, in fact it helped me to not get stuck in a box.

I wouldn’t be where I am in my artistic journey if not for you🤟🏻

This video has really felt like meditation for the artists’ mind. Really helped me rethink my reasoning so that I don’t feel like this is all for nothing. Thank you ❤

It’s a hard topic for me. I just realised I have never drawn for myself, I always have done that to just get the validation and likes from others.. just to feel part of society, to feel that i worth something and that I’m a good artist. I don’t know how to draw for myself because I always think then “what’s the point of doing that for myself? I won’t feel anything, I won’t get that serotonin because nobody will pat pat my head saying I did a great job, if I do that to myself I just won’t feel happiness” I think I.. I fail as an artist, I lost my soul, I’m so used to do everything just to please somebody even if I will see that person only once in my whole life.. I just want to be able to love myself again (If I ever have done that at all heh) Thank you so much for your video, it helps me to work on myself.

Such excellent advice as always Hardy! We're finally getting settled from our move and I've only had time to paint "for the job" and it's been a little depressing not having time to paint for myself and work on my skill set. Hopefully I'll get back into that soon, but that mindset of knowing who you're painting for is so important. Certain things don't have to be perfect depending on the application and purpose and remembering that helps me get through when I sometimes get stuck on a particular image.

I really love your process and words of wisdom! I do a similar thing to your photoshop layer trick, except I've been doing it by making a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer and lowering the value, but shifting the hue slightly to a warmer tone (if I'm making warmer shadows) and upping the saturation a tiny bit, and then painting black in the layer mask to 'reveal the light' and it works well, but gray on a multiply layer works well too!

5:52 I really loved this part. I always attempt to remind myself of this when I make art but I really needed to hear it for it to actually set in, thank you.

This is so beautiful. I'm deeply glad I stopped by to listen to your wisdom and see this wonderful art. Thank you for this wonderful video and for sharing your artistic wisdom with us.

Awesome advice Hardy, and I’m really looking forward to the interview! I think my daughter and I are going to have some pretty deep discussions about the ‘who are we painting for’ principle… I don’t know why that concept has bounced off my forehead so many times… but I feel it’s critical to understand as she and I move forward. She and I have decided to pool our resources and create a small freelance studio in an effort to a- give ourselves more accountability with each other, and learn how to play on each others artistic strengths. And b- be able to approach studios that need art with more of a partner perspective than just an artist applying for a job. All with the idea that we need to produce top notch work. Don’t know for sure if it’ll work, but we’re having fun putting it together. Thanks again for the insights Hardy! You’re a fantastic mentor!

I think you did justice to the title, this is quite mind opening, i actually havent done any art in years, ive just been adding these videos to my watch later playlist, in hopes that one day i will suddenly feel inspired and watch all of them and immidietly create art just as good or better when i stopped. But this video was different, i actually clicked on it and watched right when i saw it. Your words really resonated with me, thank you for sharing.

First time seeing your stuff, and I must say, I've always clicked better with the "shadows up" approach, even when relying on linework, but the vast majority of tutorials just... don't do that. Starting with the dark silhouette and building lights/colors always gave me my best results and made the most sense to my brain, but it always seemed "the wrong way". When trying to learn new things this approach complicated any tutorial I tried to understand. Seeing this made me so excited and gave me a sense of "I CAN do this!". You're the first professional I've found who does this method and it gave me hope that this wasn't "the wrong way" and that I don't HAVE to start with the midtones, or start with a dull base later, or do lights to darks in order to get better. I think I need to just treat art the same way I treat writing. Throw out most of the rules and just do what feels natural to ME. Anyway, I know that's not what the vid is about, but that's what really hit me.

Your process is so relaxing

This video is really eye opening! Just wanna say thank you & helping to realize who we should keep in mind when we paint or draw. Great video!

Really cool tips, thanks for sharing!

Thank you! Currently working on a big project for a big client for the first time so I am a bit nervous and found your video really enlightening and inspiring! Thanks for the advice bro!