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ABOUT ME
ARTIST. EDUCATOR. STORYTELLER.
I combine traditional training with imagination to create characters, worlds and stories that connect.

STUDIO NOTES
DRAWING, PAINTING & VISUAL STORYTELLING
A growing library documenting everything I learn about visual storytelling.
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How to Draw a Boat
Learn a simple construction method for drawing a boat by breaking the hull into basic forms and building it in perspective.

James Otto Allen
1 min read
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How to Invent a Face: Drawing a Head From Imagination
A simple approach to inventing a face from imagination, using basic head construction, facial proportions and shape design to build a believable character.

James Otto Allen
1 min read
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How To Draw A Sphere
Learn how to draw a sphere by first constructing a cube. This simple technique makes drawing forms in perspective much easier and is a useful foundation for constructive drawing and character design.

James Otto Allen
1 min read
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How to Make Your Drawings Look More 3D (7 Techniques That Actually Work)
Why do some drawings feel flat while others feel solid and three-dimensional? In this article I share seven practical techniques that helped me think in forms rather than outlines, from perspective and construction to line weight and overlap.

James Otto Allen
4 min read
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How To Space Anything In Perspective
Learn a simple construction method for spacing objects evenly in perspective. A quick drawing lesson for building fences, windows, floor tiles and repeating forms.

James Otto Allen
1 min read
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How To Draw A Circle In Perspective
Learn a simple construction method for drawing accurate circles in perspective using guide lines. A quick lesson for improving your perspective drawing skills.

James Otto Allen
1 min read
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How to Draw a Top Hat in Perspective (The Simple Method)
Learn how to draw a top hat in perspective using simple construction techniques. A quick drawing lesson covering ellipses, cylinders and solid forms.

James Otto Allen
1 min read
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How to Draw a Head (A Simple Construction Method)
Learn a simple method for constructing the head using basic forms before adding facial features. A quick drawing lesson for building stronger portraits and character designs.

James Otto Allen
1 min read
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How to Find the Centre in Perspective (Simple Construction Method)
Learn a simple construction method for finding the centre of a shape in perspective. A quick drawing lesson for more accurate perspective drawing and object construction.

James Otto Allen
1 min read
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