Tutorials

Three color-mixing tricks painters use to make small pieces read like big paintings

I love making small paintings that feel expansive — pieces that, at arm’s length, glow with the same presence you’d expect from a larger canvas. There’s a little sleight-of-hand to it: you...

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Five ways to coax wonder from failed experiments and turn them into projects

I have a soft spot for experiments that misbehave. There’s a distinct kind of magic that comes out of a failed attempt — a smudge that looks like a map, a torn edge that suggests a silhouette, a...

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How to storyboard a one-minute visual story that fits on a postcard

I love the challenge of telling a whole tiny story in a very small space — a single-minute sequence that still manages to surprise, amuse or linger. Over the years I’ve turned many of these...

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Turn a single sheet of paper into a pop-up scene in under 20 minutes

I love small, quick projects that still feel like miniature acts of magic. This pop-up scene uses a single sheet of paper and can be made in under 20 minutes — perfect for an afternoon break, a...

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How to photograph reflective miniatures without glare using simple modifiers

I love photographing small, reflective objects — tiny painted metal robots, glossy ceramic miniatures, varnished paper dioramas — because they sit right at the intersection of craft, light and...

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