It wasn’t until I stopped just looking and started truly seeing that things clicked. I picked up an old insect field guide at a used bookstore, and that was my lightbulb moment. The secret wasn’t some ...

I spent my early career in a slick design office. You know the type—fancy chairs that cost more than my first car, professional ergonomic checks, the whole nine yards. So when I went solo and started ...

A lot of people think that making a small bathroom feel bigger is all about picking a pretty tile. That’s definitely part of the fun, but it’s one of the last steps. The real magic happens in the prep ...

A lot of folks start out with simple, cartoony mushrooms, and there’s nothing wrong with that! It’s a great way to begin. But if you want to truly capture their unique character, you have to learn to ...

So many people think of crochet braids as a super quick, easy-peasy style. And while the installation can definitely be faster than, say, individual box braids, the real skill is in the prep work. A ...

I’ve probably inked hundreds of them, from tiny, subtle anchors tucked behind an ear to massive back pieces showing a ship battling the waves. And with every single one, I’m reminded that this isn’t ...

My first real attempt? A complete disaster. I just drew what I thought I saw: a big, lumpy gray blob with a tube for a nose. The result was flat and lifeless, like a sad balloon animal. It taught me ...

That failure taught me the most important lesson of all: to draw a cactus well, you have to understand it first. It’s not about just copying lines; it’s about figuring out how it grows, how it stores ...

Properly caring for stainless steel isn’t about scrubbing for hours or using harsh, smelly chemicals. It’s about understanding what you’re working with. Once you get the hang of a few basic principles ...

The frustration is real. You follow the one rule everyone learns in kindergarten—red + blue = purple—and it just doesn’t work. It’s easy to think you’re missing some secret talent, but I promise you, ...

A lot of people come into the studio thinking it’s a super simple, in-and-out thing. And in a way, it is. The actual piercing takes a split second. But the knowledge behind that one quick moment is ...

I’ve cleaned more paint brushes than I can count over my long career, and let me tell you, a good brush is a serious investment. It’s not a throwaway tool. A quality brush that’s been properly cared ...