Oleander Studios

Hey there! My name is Laura and I am 25 years old.  I am a creative business owner with a passion for creating visual concepts. I created a personal platform for like-minded people who want to learn visual art (painting, drawing, CGI, VFX) and turn their passion into a money making side gig! 

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Want to create money-making artwork?

Join my inner circle in which I share tips, tricks and knowledge about creating stunning and profitable artwork for beginning artists!

5 practical drawing tips you’ve never heard before
If you google practical drawing tips chances are you’ll read the same tips over and over again. Not in this article! I’ve combined drawing tips that really do make a ...
How to draw the iris of the eye | Step by step method
Drawing the iris is pretty easy. It’s basically laying down strokes that point toward the pupil. You blend these and repeat! This method works for both digital and analog art ...
How to draw eyes | A 5 step foolproof method
You’re about to learn once and for all how to draw realistic eyes. All you need to do are 5 steps. You can apply this 5 step method to any ...
How to shade your art in 5 easy steps | Full Guide
Never wonder how to shade your art no more. In this article you’ll learn how to shade your subject, which is different from rendering and texturing so don’t get those ...
What is Procreate Dreams? | Everything you need to know
Have you heard about Procreate’s new app yet? It looks AMAZING. Procreate Dreams is a new animation app made by the original Procreate guys. The best part is that you ...
What are light fast colors? | Everything you need to know
If you work with paints you’re going to find this term everywhere: lightfastness. What does it mean? Lightfast colors are colors that have a high resistance to fading when exposed ...
Easy color theory for the absolute beginner
In my years as an artist, I’ve devoured dozens of books, courses, and hundreds of videos about anything that had to do with color theory. Some books were hard to ...
How to choose the right size drawing paper
With all these different sizes of drawing paper, it gets overwhelming. I’ve been drawing for years and I want to tell you how to pick the right size drawing paper ...
What is cel shading and why is it so popular?
Cel shading is a very popular rendering method in the 3D and in the 2D world. Cel shading, often miswritten as cell shading, is a 3D render style that gives ...
6 crucial steps of drawing you need to go through
After years and years of drawing, I realized something: each and every drawing goes through the same 6 steps. In order for you to learn it way quicker than I ...
What is Bristol Paper: Exploring its Features
You probably have heard of Bristol paper. Personally, and for lots of other artists, it’s my go-to drawing paper. But, what is bristol paper? Bristol paper is a popular type ...
The ultimate guide on how to draw flowers using the Flower Method
I’ve been using a method I came up with that allows me to draw any flower that I want. Even when I have never drawn that particular flower before. I ...
How to draw with colored pencils | Everything to know
After years of drawing with colored pencils, I am here to tell you everything you need to know about making a colored pencil drawing. Feel free to ask questions too! ...
5 reasons why you shouldn’t use Paperlike for iPad
I don’t like to write negative articles but I’ve seen a lot of artists complain about this popular product, and I want you guys to be properly informed. It’s about ...
7 reasons why Skillshare is better than other platforms
Ever heard of Skillshare? Skillshare is an online platform where industry professionals teach you courses. These courses range from photography, art, design, to marketing, entrepreneurship, cooking, and more. You pay ...
Best (free) drawing classes in 2023 | Reviewed & tested
I’ve literally spent over $3000 dollars on drawing (and other creative) classes. Why? Because it’s my hobby and I see these classes as an investment in myself. These newly learned ...
11 reasons why Procreate is worth it
Procreate is one of the -if not the most popular drawing app out there. With millions of users, Procreate must be doing something good. Still need some convincing? Here are ...
Why these 11 art Youtubers deserve your watch
In my opinion, art Youtube can be separated into two main groups: The art Youtubers that educate and the art Youtubers that entertain. The educating group can be again divided ...
The best underpainting techniques explained
Ever heard of an underpainting before? Let me tell you, they come in handy. An underpainting, or underdrawing, is the first layer of paint you apply to your canvas to ...
Everything you need to know about blend modes in Procreate
Sooner or later we all use them: blend modes. But, how do they work? What are they even used for? A blend mode is a specific setting you can add ...
What is direct painting and why you should do it
You can use two main techniques to start a painting: the direct approach and the indirect approach. Direct painting is a painting technique in which you directly apply paint to ...
List of best art brands & supplies | What I recommend
I love almost any art medium: Gouache, pastels, watercolors, colored pencils, you name it and I’ve used it. Over the course of the years, I’ve found supplies that work for ...
The best portrait drawing book for artists | Tested & Review
If you’re into portrait drawing or -painting you know you need to study the human head. I’ve scoured the internet looking for the best portrait drawing book for artists and ...
How to make money with art | 3 ways that are proven to work
Do you want to earn some extra money with your hobby art, or do you want to make a full-time living out of art? There are several ways to make ...
How to make dark skin tones in any art medium
Good news! Making dark skin is INCREDIBLY easy. And let me tell you, the color theory of how to make dark skin tones is exactly the same in every medium: ...
The best (free) skin brushes for Procreate according to reviews
As a self-proclaimed digital portrait artist, I’m always on the hunt for the best skin brushes for Procreate. After years of searching, I finally found the perfect skin brush pack: ...
Is black a color? 2 reasons why it’s not & 1 reason why it is
As an artist, you’re expected to know color theory. But sometimes the simplest questions keep us wondering. For example, if black is a color or not. Technically black isn’t a ...
How to import Procreate brushes in less than a minute
Importing brushes into Procreate is very simple. All it takes are two steps and a few seconds. Here’s a step-by-step on how to import Procreate brushes: 1. Navigate to your ...
My secret journey to 10k Instagram followers as an artist | A real-time diary
To get access to this post you must sign up for my monthly artletter. Hi there! So this is a different kind of post than I’d normally write. I decided ...
The easiest way to make a repeating pattern in Procreate
If you wonder how to make a seamless repeating pattern in Procreate wonder no more: the technique I’m about to show you take about 10 seconds to set up. To ...
How to always get the female body proportions in drawing right
I want to share with you the one easy trick I do to get the (female) body proportions right, every single time. The trick to accurately draw body proportions is ...
Christmas art challenge 2022 | Christmas lyrics as prompts
If you’re looking for a fun December Christmas art challenge you came to the right place. The Christmas lyric challenge is a drawing challenge held in December of each year, ...
The best Black Friday art deals in 2022
Black Friday 2022 is coming up, and boy do I have some great art deals for you… One of the best Black Friday art deals going on right now are ...
Best Wacom tablet for beginners | How to choose, tips, + best deal
If you, like me, love to draw but now want to take things digitally you need a drawing tablet! Wacom is one of the, if not the best, drawing tablet ...
Hue vs color: the most important difference explained
The essential thing a (beginner) artist needs to know is the difference between hue and color. Luckily, it’s a super simple color theory! The difference between hue and color is ...
How to record your art | Cheap (overhead) phone setup
Always wanted to record your art as they do on Instagram- but don’t know where to start? Well, you’re about to learn! Recording your art can be easily done by ...
21 Creative Instagram story ideas to keep your followers engaged
You probably already know that reels attract new followers. But now that you’ve attracted a bunch of new followers, how do you keep them engaged? You keep your Instagram following ...
What is AI art? Everything you need to know & how to use it
If you’ve been on the internet for the last couple of weeks you probably have heard of AI-generated art. So, what is it exactly? And is it a threat to ...
41 Christmas gifts for artists | The ultimate gift list
Since Christmas is coming up I’ve created the ultimate Christmas gift list full of creative gifts for the artist in your life! Not only do I know 100% that the ...
How to film digital art | free software + set-up guide
If you’re interested in learning how to film your digital art on your computer or tablet, you came to the right place. To film your digital art process you can ...
How to use 3D in Procreate | Everything you need to know
Are you just as excited as I am about the new 3D paint option in Procreate? Me too! That’s why I’ve written this tutorial on how to use 3D in ...
3 surprising reasons to use complementary colors | What are they?
Did you know that complementary colors have a lot more functions than most people think? As most people know, complementary colors make each other pop. Therefore they are strategically used ...
Trending reels for artists that will make you go viral
If you’re on Instagram you know that reels are taking over. In fact, Instagram reels are the easiest way to reach thousands of people. Currently one of the biggest creative ...
Everything you need to know about Inktober52 | 2023 edition
If you’re looking for an art challenge that lasts a bit longer than the average monthly challenge, Inktober52 is for you. Inktober52 is a year-round art challenge that was created ...
The best hair brushes for Procreate (review + (free) downloads)
I went on the ultimate quest to find the best hair brushes for Procreate in 2022 and here’s what I have found: The best hair brushes for Procreate in 2022 ...
Everything you need to know about Inktober 2023
Inktober 2023 is coming up and what’s better than to be as best prepared as you can? Inktober is a 31-day art challenge in which you must create a piece ...
How to make a stamp brush in Procreate in under a minute | 2022
Did you know that you can create a stamp brush in Procreate that imitates a real stamp? This comes in handy for many occasions like watermarks, logo’s, grids and proportions. ...
Cyan vs blue: What is the difference? | Cyan compared to similar colors
When it comes to identifying colors one must know the subtle differences between hues. Take for example cyan vs blue. What colors are they exactly? And when do differentiate between ...
How to make anything glow in Procreate + DIY glow brush tutorial
Learn how to create a glow effect in Procreate. You can either create a glow brush using the step-by-step tutorial in this article or turn an existing drawing into a ...
How to accurately trace an image in Procreate | Best brushes + tips
To accurately trace an image in Procreate you don’t need much. Just your image, iPad, Apple pencil and about 10 seconds to set things up. keep reading to find out ...
The quickest way to add shadow in Procreate | Step by step + video
In Procreate you add shadow by duplicating the subject you want to add a shadow to, then turn that layer into a dark color, drag it below your subject and ...
How to draw a realistic sunflower | Step by step tutorial + tips
In this easy step-by-step guide on how to draw a realistic sunflower, you’ll be learning how to make your own sunflower. Whether you want to illustrate in colored pencil, graphite ...
What is stippling? Stipple technique explained in 3 easy steps
Stippling is gaining more and more popularity each day. It’s very popular within the minimalistic art style community. So, what is stippling? Stippling is a drawing technique in which an ...
What wood are pencils made of?
Ever wondered what wooden pencils are made of? And why specifically that wood? Most wooden pencils are made out of Cedarwood. Cedarwood is a softwood that’s excellent for pencil production. ...
Best pencils for sketching and shading (best brand, best type & best set)
Drawing doesn’t have to be expensive at all. In fact, sketching is one of the cheapest art forms there is! But which pencils are best for sketching and shading? The ...
How to easily blend 2 colored pencils for an ultra smooth result | Step by step guide
The secret to smoothly blending 2 colored pencils together is: layering! You don’t need to use anything other than the pencils you have. No rubbing alcohol, paint thinner, or colorless ...
40 things to include in a Meet The Artist post (tips, ideas, templates and more)
Haven’t posted a Meet The Artist post to your social media yet? Well, if you were waiting for a sign, this is it! Typically a Meet The Artist Post includes ...
Everything you need to know about layers in Procreate | How to use, blend modes & more
This is the one article you need to read when you’re a Procreate beginner. Learn all about layers in just a few minutes! Trust me, layers couldn’t be easier. You ...
How to draw a mermaid tail (step by step, template & tips)
With MerMay coming up you might be wondering how to draw mermaids. The top half of a mermaid is human, so if you’ve already drawn characters before you’ve got this ...
How to change color in Procreate | 3 ways
Sometimes you’ve spent quite a while on a certain subject but then you don’t like the color anymore. Instead of painting it all over again, you can simply change the ...
How to create pastel paint colors (mixing guide + tips)
Pastels: lovely soft and calming colors that remind us of spring. But what are they exactly and how do we create pastel paint colors? You create pastel paint colors by ...
11 easy Easter Egg designs that look cute at Easter’s brunch
Need some cute easter egg design inspiration this year? Here are 11 designs that look good on your Easter brunch table! 1. The Classic Bun Use a pastel color to ...
Is it safe to eat painted easter eggs? An expert weighs in
With Easter approaching, you might be wondering if it’s safe to eat painted Easter Eggs. It is safe to eat painted easter eggs as long as no heavy paints are ...
How to paint easter eggs with acrylic paint | 9 simple steps
Blow your guests away with colorful eggs this Easter! In just 7 simple steps you’ll be able to paint any design you want. Let’s start! Easter eggs painted with acrylic ...
How to Create a Color Palette for Your Next Painting | A complete guide
When creating a painting you often have an idea of which colors to use: greens for foliage, blues for water, reds for flowers etc. But how do you know how ...
How to easily trace a picture (with supplies you already own)
Do you have a photo or an image that you want to trace? By following this 5 step guide you can trace any picture you want. The best part is ...
How to create a character drawing from photos (guide + tips)
Today you’ll learn how to create a stylized character drawing from a reference picture. With the following guide, you can turn any person into a stylized character. Let’s find out ...
What is a visual library? (How to build one + practical tips)
As artists, we need to use references to accurately visualize our concepts. But, how do we create things off the top of our heads when we don’t have a reference ...
Best Procreate Canvas Settings (step by step on how to set up your canvas)
After creating hundreds of illustrations in Procreate I’ve found the best way to set up my canvas for sketching. I’ll show you the ideal canvas settings for sketching, illustrating, and ...
25 Procreate tips and tricks for absolute beginners
Congrats on purchasing Procreate! At least, that’s what I assume is why you’re here. If you’re new to digital painting it might seem a little daunting where to begin. But ...
What is an art bible? (Examples + practical tips)
When I first started to research how to keep a cohesive art style, I wondered how animation studios do it. Turns out, studios like Pixar and Dreamworks document their art ...
Are the realistic brush packs by Laura H. Rubin worth a buy?
Imagine this: you open up Procreate to paint a realistic portrait. You get the sketch down and everything looks ready to render. You use Procreates native brushes to create a ...
10 must-have art supplies you should get during Black Friday
The craziest day of sales is near so I have compiled a list of 10 black Friday art supplies you should get. Let’s not waste any time- quickly before it’s ...
How to draw a Christmas tree step by step
Just in before the holidays: A how to draw a Christmas tree step by step guide! You probably already know how to draw one, but just in case: here are ...
10 Christmas color palettes for your holiday art in 2021
When it’s the most wonderful time of the year I like to capture it with my art. What’s better to capture the Christmas Spirit with color? Here’s a list of ...
Christmas art challenge 2021 | 25 days of Christmas lyrics
As Christmas season is upon us I decided to create an art challenge. December is my favourite time of year so why not combine it with my favourite hobby? This ...
How to avoid muddy colors when painting
Painting with watercolors is often intimidating because it’s very easy to get muddy paintings. But no more after you read this article! I’ll show you how to avoid muddy colors ...
Mystery solved: the important difference between violet and purple
When talking about which hue comes from mixing blues and reds, some speak of violet and some speak of purple. But, is there a difference? Or are they the same ...
Which primaries are best? Difference between BYR, CMY and RGB
If you google the 3 primary colors you see that you get contradictory results. In elementary school, you learn about red blue, and yellow. In high school, you learn that ...
How to use a color wheel? | Color Theory for beginners
In this part of ”Color Theory For Beginners” you’ll learn how to use a color wheel and why it is such a handy tool. I always keep a color wheel ...
How to avoid getting your paintbrush clogged by masking fluid
Masking fluid is perfect for masking areas you wish not to touch when painting with watercolors. But if you don’t know how to use it it can give you more ...
5 easy pumpkin drawings for Halloween 2021
Happy Halloween! Okay, technically Halloween is 31 days away but it’s Spooky Month nonetheless. Today I’ll show you 5 easy peasy Halloween pumpkin drawings. Also known as Jack o lanterns ...
How to draw a pumpkin step by step drawing 2021
Happy Autumn! ‘Tis the month of pumpkin spiced lattes, cozy sweathers, pumpkin pie and… fall art! Today I’ll be showing you how to draw a pumpkin step by step. This ...
The ultimate guide on how to make skin color
It always amazes me how often people ask me these questions: How do you mix skin tones? How do you mix dark skin tones? What color is skin? To answer ...
How to turn grayscale to color Procreate for beginners2022
You’re going to learn 3 things today: How to turn an image that’s in grayscale to color Procreate wise, how to color grayscale skin to color, and how to use ...
Drawing tip: How to design a drawing using bounding boxes
You might have noticed that I use the word bounding box a lot in my drawing tutorials. Today I’ll show you how to design a drawing with these bounding boxes. ...
10 valuable drawing tips and tricks you need to know
Like any other skill, learning how to draw takes time. But, you don’t have to draw boring exercises to learn. Draw what you want to draw! Here are 10 valuable drawing tips ...
How to draw a nose step by step
If you ask someone: ”What’s the hardest facial feature to draw?” most of them will say noses. I always thought this was strange. To me, noses are the easiest to ...
Draw a daisy flower with this mind-blowingly simple tutorial
Who doesn’t love flowers? I sure do! I love all kinds of flowers and plants. It’s why I named my studio Oleander! In this tutorial, we’re going to draw an ...
Step by step tutorial: How to draw a perfect square
When we construct our drawings we often find ourselves having to draw primitives. Let’s explore how to draw a perfect square with just a few easy steps! How to draw ...
Color psychology: how color can make a massive difference
Color psychology: We know that emotion affects your mood. Did you also know that color affects your emotions? This means that people are mentally, emotionally (and even physically!) manipulable through ...
Warm vs cool colors: how to easily tell them apart | 3-step method
A very important part of color theory is knowing how to identify warm and cool colors. But this knowledge also applies to picking out colors for your interior. Typically, a ...
Hue Value and Saturation very easily explained in 3 steps
Hue value and saturation are the first things you need to know when you are learning color theory.  Hue Value and Saturation are the 3 components of color. It’s important ...
How to easily draw Among Us crewmates
In this step by step tutorial on how to draw Among Us characters, you will learn how to draw your favorite crewmates very quickly. Let’s start! How to easily draw ...
Edge lighting: How to add interest to your character art
In this tutorial, we’re going to add an interesting effect to our character by adding edge lighting. Let’s jump right into it! Edge lighting: How to add interest to your ...
How to draw a circle the right way
Knowing how to draw basic shapes is one of the fundamentals of drawing. It’s simple, but can be tricky. Knowing how to draw a circle is, for sketching purposes, a ...
How to draw a realistic rose for beginners
In this simple how to draw a realistic rose tutorial we will demystify the complexity of a rose. Drawing flowers can often be daunting, but don’t you worry: if you ...
How to master storytelling through visual art
Ever watched a creative competitive show in which competitors have to compete with each other by creating something like an outfit or a cake? Chances are you have heard the ...
Is textured watercolor paper better?
It’s important to buy the right kind of art supplies to fit your needs. For pencil sketches and coloured pencil drawings, you can draw on pretty much any paper, as ...
MerMay diaries: My first week of suffering through the Mermay2021 challenge
Happy May everyone! I don’t know if you have noticed, but the art part of Instagram is full of mermaids. Why? Because it’s Mermay! Mermay is an online art challenge ...
Everything you need to know about MerMay 2023
In just a few days from now, a new month of Mermay will start. So, to help you be prepared as much as you can I’m going to tell you ...
The controversy surrounding NFT art and its moral conflicts
You might have heard of someone named Beeple selling his digital artwork for $69 million dollars. How did he do this you might ask? By creating an NFT! But, how ...
What is hatching? A beginner’s guide on how to hatch
One of the things I do very often right before I go to bed are quick portrait sketches. It’s a nice time to relax doing what I like but I’m ...
How to get skin tone colour from 3 coloured pencils
Do you need a skin colour for your colored pencil project, but don’t have one? In this article I’ll show you how to get a skin tone color from 3 ...
5 Reasons Why You Should Buy Hahnemuhle Watercolor Book Review
In this Hahnemuhle watercolor book review I’ll show you 5 reasons why I think you should buy it :)   Once upon a time, I saw a picture of beautiful ...
Why do people create art? | 5 awarding reasons to create art in the new year
Happy new year! I hope you’re NYE was fun (and safe). Did you make New Year’s resolutions? My 2020 resolutions were to pick up my old art account on Instagram, ...
Drawing pencils for art: My amazing graphite art supplies
Did you know that the modern pencil was invented in 1795 by Nicholas-Jacques Conte, a scientist serving in the army of Napoleon Bonaparte? Thanks to him, we can use our ...
Arthur Christmas movie breakdown: how to draw Steve
If you’re on a Christmas movie spree like I am, you might have seen the Arthur Christmas movie (available on Netflix!). It was produced by Aardman productions (yes, the studio ...
Is tracing cheating in art? | Multimillion-selling artists weigh in
Have you ever heard people saying tracing a drawing is bad? Telling you you shouldn’t trace because you’re not going to learn how to draw for real this way? Well, ...