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melissahelene
- Apr 15
- 2 min
Why You Need Your Own Artist Website and Tips to Build One
A website is your place to shine and a space where you control your audiences' experience. You can take them on a journey through your work, your processes, your story and guide them along the way. A website, blog, online gallery or portfolio allows you to showcase your work in exactly the way you want. You can tell stories and share information about each piece, as well as provide information about how you work and where they can see your work in person. Having your own plat
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melissahelene
- Apr 8
- 2 min
Tool Feature: The Other Tools in my Kit
There are two tools in my scratchboard tool kit that I use on EVERY SINGLE piece that I create - the small fiberglass brush and x-acto knife - but you won't find them here. This post is about all the other tools that are in my kit. They may not be used as often as my two favorites, but they do have specific purposes and can be used in different ways. Let's dive in! Most of these tools came from a scratchboard tool set that I got when I first started learning scratchboard. The
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melissahelene
- Apr 1
- 2 min
Social Media Topic Ideas for Artists
50 Social Media Topic Ideas for Artists Social media marketing is about building a community and strengthening relationships with your audience, which means that you need to be intentional with what you post and consistent in showing up to engage with your audience. If you're struggling to come up with things to post, other than your finished artwork, I have a list of 50 ideas to help kickstart your content strategy and planning. 1. Finished Artwork 2. Works-in-Progress (deta
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melissahelene
- Mar 25
- 4 min
Scratchboard Tutorial: Creating Photo-Realistic Eyes with Life and Soul
Today I am talking all about EYES! The eyes are my favorite part of every single piece. I work on them first, when I'm fresh with a new piece, and take the most time with these specific details. I also believe that they can make or break a photo-realistic piece. I am going to share with you the steps that I take to create photo-realistic eyes in my scratchboard wildlife artwork, share the tools I use for specific textures, and share video examples of each step. Most of the sc
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colorcodedcreative
- Mar 17
- 4 min
Ten Ways to Make Money With Your Art Practice
Building a successful career as an artist requires more than just creating beautiful works of art. You must don hats of every shape and color - head of marketing, customer service rep, technical support, accountant, packaging and shipping...you name it. If your goal is to build a sustainable career that you can support yourself on or contribute to your family income, then you also must think like a business owner. Your art is your business! One of the most important tasks of
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melissahelene
- Mar 11
- 3 min
Scratchboard Tool Feature: Inks
Fixing Mistakes One of the most common questions that I get asked, especially at art festivals, is about fixing "mistakes" on a scratchboard. I use quotes on mistake because it's artwork and it can be whatever I want - so mistakes are completely subjective. BUT I know what they mean is, how do you change marks that you've put down on a scratchboard if you can't erase them? The short answer is...India ink pens and scratchboard ink washes. The more in-depth answer that I usuall
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colorcodedcreative
- Mar 4
- 3 min
Five Ways to Get Organized in Your Creative Business
Do you ever feel overwhelmed by your physical or mental space? Do you forget to do things because you don't have a central location for your projects and tasks? Does managing your business finances give you butterflies? If your answers were YES, please know that you are certainly not alone and I am here to help you straighten that all out. My superpower is organization and I have FIVE tips to help you organize your work and your business! Organization will save you time, mone
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melissahelene
- Feb 25
- 3 min
The Importance of Art Festivals in My Business
Business As An Artist "Why don't you just sell online?" "Are you selling your work on social media?" "...but they're having an online event, that's a good alternative, right?" Yes, but also a big NO. Art festivals are my chosen business model for a few very important reasons and while I do sell online through my Scratchboard Shop, promote and sell on social media, offer reproductions and small original work, host seasonal sales, and participate in and host virtual events, non
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melissahelene
- Feb 10
- 2 min
Scratchboard Tool Feature: The X-Acto Blade
The X-Acto blade is the second most important tool in my kit. This tool is very easy to get your hands on - you can find it in any arts and craft store and many other places because it serves so many different functions. I use the x-acto knife in many different ways - the first of which is to create the striking and individual details in each of my scratchboard wildlife portraits. Unlike the fiberglass brush that creates many very fine strokes within one pull of the tool, the
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melissahelene
- Sep 9, 2020
- 4 min
Frequently Asked Questions | Third Edition | Scratchboard
Welcome to the Third Edition of the Frequently Asked Questions series where I answer, in greater depth, all of your burning questions about scratchboard and my wildlife artwork, specifically. Let's dive it! #1 Where Do I Find the Extra Thin (or Mini) Fiberglass Brush? My favorite tool is the small fiberglass brush. I use it for EVERY piece that I create. It is the most VERSATILE tool in my kit. The brush can be used to create soft and fluffy fur textures, smooth skin and the
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melissahelene
- Sep 9, 2020
- 2 min
Frequently Asked Question | Second Edition | Scratchboard Wildlife Artwork
Hey there everyone! I am back with the second edition of my Frequently Asked Questions blog post series. I will be answering more of the questions I get asked at every art festival in greater length here and hope that it makes things more clear for you. Scratchboard is not a well known artistic medium, so I'm happy to be able to give you a glimpse into the world of highly detailed, photorealistic, black and white scratchboard wildlife artwork! Here we go! #1 How do you fix a
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melissahelene
- Sep 9, 2020
- 2 min
African Elephant | Endangered Species Series
African Elephant (Loxodonta africana) Quick Facts: Status: Threatened Population: 470,000 Height: 8.2 - 13 ft Weight: 5,000 - 14,000 lbs Average Lifespan: up to 70 years Habitat: Tropical and Subtropical Moist Broadleaf Forests, Flooded Grasslands and Savannahs, Miombo woodlands, Acacia savannahs Range: Central and Southern Africa Diet: Herbivores - roots, grasses, fruit, and bark; they consume up to 300 lbs in one day African Elephants are the largest land animals and are sl
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melissahelene
- Sep 9, 2020
- 2 min
Bonobo | Endangered Species Series
Bonobo (Pan paniscus) Quick Facts: Status: ENDANGERED Population: 10,000 - 50,000 individuals Height: 28 - 35 in Weight: 68 - 86 lbs Habitat: Rainfoorest Range: Congo Basin Diet: Frugivores - half their diet is fruit, supplemented with insects, worms, eggs, and small animals The bonobo, also known as the pygmy chimpanzee, is smaller, leaner, and darker than the chimpanzee with pink lips and a smaller head and ears, though they both share 98% of their DNA with humans - making
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melissahelene
- Sep 9, 2020
- 2 min
Amur Leopard | Endangered Species Series
Amur Leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis) Quick Facts: Status: CRITICALLY ENDANGERED Population: around 60 individuals Body Length: up to 5 feet Weight: 70 - 105lbs Lifespan: 10 - 15 years Habitat: temperate, broadleaf, and mixed forests Diet: roe and sika deer, hares, badgers, mice, and other small animals The amur leopard, the world's rarest cat, is found in the northern-most part of the species' range, Far East Russia. This rare species has adapted to life in the temperat
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melissahelene
- Sep 9, 2020
- 2 min
Orangutan | Endangered Species Series
Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) Quick Facts: ENDANGERED Population: 40,000 (down from 60,000 just a decade ago) Height: 4 to 5 ft Weight: 73 - 180 lbs Arm Span: males may stretch their arms up to 7 ft Average Life Span: 30 - 40 years Habitat: tropical rainforest Range: Sumatra and Borneo (the only species of ape to come from Asia) Diet: fruit, leaves, bark, insects, and on rare occasions, meat The long-haired, orange primates are closely related to humans (sharing 97% of the same
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melissahelene
- Sep 9, 2020
- 2 min
Red Panda | Endangered Species Series
Red Panda (Ailurus fulgens) Quick Facts: Size - Head and body, 20 to 26 in (50 to 65 cm); Tail, 12 to 20 in (30 to 50 cm) Weight - 12 to 20 lbs (5.4 to 9 kg) Lifespan - 8 years Diet - herbivore; bamboo, fruits, acorns, roots, eggs Habitat - high-altitude forests and mountains; Nepal, Myanmar, and central China Population - less than 10,000 individuals STATUS: Endangered The red panda has been classified as a relative to the giant panda, as well as the raccoon. They are curre
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melissahelene
- Sep 9, 2020
- 3 min
Grey Wolf | Endangered Species Series
Grey Wolf (Canus Lupus) - ENDANGERED Once almost completely disappeared from the lower 48 states, the grey wolf is making a comeback in the Great Lakes, northern Rockies, and the Southwestern United States. There are an estimated 7,000 - 11,200 in Alaska, 3,700 in the Great Lakes region, and 1,675 in the Southwest. The ancestor of our domestic dog, the grey wolf ranges in color from grizzled grey or black to white. Wolves play a key role in sustaining healthy ecosystems. T
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melissahelene
- Sep 9, 2020
- 2 min
Polar Bears | Endangered Species Series
Polar Bears...the romantic symbol for the plight of the endangered species. Polar bears have become one of the head figures for the global climate change movement and for this reason, they may be one of the lucky ones. All endangered species need our attention and our help to preserve their habitat and protect them from harm, but there are so many of those species that no one in the general public knows about or cares about. The polar bear is a large, beautiful creature an
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melissahelene
- Sep 9, 2020
- 2 min
Rhinoceros | Endangered Species Series
There are five different species of rhinoceros, with 11 subspecies, that are at different levels of endangerment, but continue to be threatened (human encroachment, poaching, etc) and need our protection to stabilize, grow, and thrive. Ranging from 1300 - 6000 lbs, 3 - 6.5 ft at the shoulder, and 6.5 - 15 ft from head to tail, the different species of rhinos have unique features, including number of horns and snout shape, but all are herbivores. The specific vegetation they
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