
with host artist Miriam Schulman
Let’s talk about the dirty secret most professional artists don’t want you to know about. Before you go any further, it’s important to note that this episode isn’t about shaming or challenging anyone’s talents or skills as a portrait artist. It’s about giving you the inspiration you need to try a new medium of art with a skill that can be developed with time and practice.
Using photography, projectors, and tracing is a secret most portrait artists won’t talk about, but it’s been used by artists in some form since as early as the 1600s, if not earlier.
In this episode, I share how famous artists such as Johannes Vermeer, who painted The Girl with a Pearl Earring, and Norman Rockwell, an American painter known for his illustrations, also used photography and projection to create portraits.
I am convinced that watercolor is the medium for creating portraits, and if you’ve never done so before, my Watercolor Portrait Academy gets into more details. You can watch me paint, and you can learn how I use these techniques to create amazing portraits.
In this podcast, you will discover…
Knowing this taboo technique is a game-changer for so many people. A few things I think you’ll need to know about watercolor and this artist’s secret is:
- There is no shame in using these techniques to create your own portraits
- You can totally elevate your skill level and confidence
- Using these techniques is a creative art of its own
“By calling out these other artists is not to shame anybody […], but to let you know there’s no shame in doing this. There’s no shame in using photography and your art.” -Miriam Schulman
Links Mentioned
Episode mentioned you’ll want to check out also:
How Portraits Can Turn Passion into Profits
Check out Miriam’s Favorite Art Supplies
Miriam’s free resources
Schulman Art Instagram
Free portrait demo: http://www.schulmanart.com/demo
About the host, Miriam Schulman

In case we haven’t met yet, I’m an artist and founder of The Inspiration Place, where I help other artists learn how to profit from their passion. Through online classes, business coaching programs, and a top-ranked podcast, I’ve helped thousands of artists around the world develop their skill sets and create more time and freedom to do what they love. My signature coaching program, The Artist Incubator, helps artists go from so-so sales to sold-out collections.
After witnessing 9/11, I abandoned a lucrative hedge fund job to work on my art full time. Since then, my art and story have been featured in major publications including Forbes, What Women Create, The New York Times, Art of Man, Art Journaling magazine, Professional Artist Magazine, Igniting Creativity as well as featured on NBC’s “Parenthood” and the Amazon series “Hunters” with Al Pacino. Check out my best-selling book with HarperCollins Leadership, Artpreneur: The Step-by-Step Guide to Making a Sustainable Living From Your Creativity, wherever books are sold. When I’m not in the studio, I split my time between New York City and a farmhouse in the country. I’d love to invite you to check out one of my free resources for art lovers (of every passion level) at schulmanart.com/freebies
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Listener shout out of the week!

Episode 147
☆☆☆☆☆
Great podcast, Miriam is always inspiring us to push ourselves further.
~@Angies_Island_Handcrafts
Chelsea Artpreneur Studio · New York City
What’s the biggest bottleneck holding your art business back?
Maybe it feels like pricing. Maybe it’s finding the right collectors, choosing the right opportunities, or figuring out what deserves your attention next. Or maybe you can see 3 different directions your business could go, and you’re tired of guessing which one is right.
That’s what we’re working on at the Chelsea Artpreneur Studio, October 28–29 in New York City.
This isn’t a conference or another workshop where you leave with forty new ideas. I’m bringing together a small group of established artists for two days of hands-on strategy built around the actual problems you bring into the room. We’ll look at your business, figure out what’s really holding it back, make the decisions, and map out exactly what comes next.
You’ll also have a professional branding portrait session, plus plenty of time around the table with a small group of artists who take their businesses as seriously as you do.
You’ll leave knowing what’s actually holding your business back, what needs to change, and most of all, what to do next.
By application · Limited seats
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