List of study topics for artists. (by Suzanne Helmigh ←- my Twitter account)

Disclaimer: I will keep adding to this list.

Message on July 1st 2020: Use this list to guide you with topics to study. There is not 1 particular order in which to do so, but try and find a balance for yourself. Please do not overwork yourself. These are a lot of topics and by no means does it apply that you should master ALL.

Mental health is important and burnouts are serious consequences.

Message on November 8 2020: Yes, it's a rather overwhelming list, this is why it's not something someone can ever fully master, but see how far you can get in your lifetime!

Tip: [Learn+Apply] x repeat= Best results!

Anatomy types:

* Human anatomy.

* Animal anatomy.

* Insect anatomy.

* Imaginary (or fused) anatomy. (fused anatomy? : think mermaids, centaurs etc)

Anatomy sections within those types:

* Skeleton.

* Muscles.

* Movability.

* Fat.

* Skins, pelts,scales.

* Human (and non human) hair.

* Eyes.

* Veins, cartilage, tendons, nails, claws, teeth, tusks, horns etc.

* Organs.

* Decay and aging.

* Life cycle.

* Gesture and action.

* Body language.

* Expressions.

Nature elements:

* Material properties of water.

* Material properties of rocks, gems, dirts, metals.

* Material properties, and life cycle of plants.

* Climates and their flora.

* Clouds, skies, weather.

* Formation and shifting of tectonic plates, craters, canyons, hills and mountains, vulcanos, cliffs etc.

* Geology in a broad sense.

* Prehistoric flora and fauna (check anatomy sections).

Culture/Anthropology:

* Various belief systems that are current and old.

* Various social behaviour and law systems that are current and old.

* Various mythologies and urban tales that are current and old.

* Fashion! Fabrics, colours, materials, and the cultural meaning behind them.

* Hairstyles (technically also falls under Fashion and art, but big enough to be mentioned separately).

* Architecture.

* Art from other cultures throughout history. (household utilities, theatre, statues etc etc)

Perspective:

* Rules of two point perspective.

* Rules of three point perspective.

* Rules of panoramic perspective. (also fisheye perspective)

* Rules of emotional storytelling behind perspectives (check composition)

* How to paint depth (in focus, out of focus) in terms of detail (or blur).

Storytelling through imagery:

* Check, culture/anthropology.

* Cinematic storytelling in films (camera angles and compositions that relay emotional meaning/effects)

* Composition (check: lighting, form, colour, culture, anatomy etc it all comes together here)

* Story methods like: story mirroring, pre-cursors, prop placement (look them up, it’s fascinating)

Human made structures and utilities:

* Architecture.

* Machines.

* Utilities.

Sections to research for Human made structures and utilities:

* What does it do?

* How are they made?

* Why are they made that way?

* How do they work?

* What are they made of?

* How did we do it before?

* How does it break?

* Cultural influences.

Colour and value (lighting):

* Base object colours.

* Colour relations.

* Colour influenced by various light sources.

* Materials influenced by various light sources.

* Emotional and cultural meaning behind colours.

* Bounce light.

* Rim light.

* Subsurface scattering.

* Dappled light.

* Various degrees of sunlight.

* Fire light.

* Glow light.

* Moon light.

* (there are so many more light sources to mention).

* Contrast.

Art styles and methods:

* Various mediums, from pencil, ink, paints, crayons, digital painting, 3d sculpting, clay etc etc.

* Realism versus stylisation and simplification and the workings behind it.

* Cultural meaning behind certain art styles.

* The rules and cornerstones that define a style (What makes World of Warcraft, World of Warcraft? etc.)

ADDING MOOOREEEE