One day after dropping off my kids at school, I found the car’s automatic door stopped working! Thankfully we can still manually open and close the car. 

But we realized it’s a God-given sign–It’s time to retire our faithful old car of eight years.

Then my husband asked me about what kind of car I like. I thought about it, but I didn’t have a strong preference.

To me, a car is just a car; it doesn’t really represent who I am. 

But this made me think – isn’t it quite the opposite with our art?

Your art is a reflection of your soul. It’s where your true self should shine brightly. 

Whether it’s a canvas, a sculpture, or a photograph, what you create is a piece of your inner world made visible. 

like I said in a previous post–You were born to appreciate beauty in humanity, seek wonder in nature, and pursue happiness in life. Your art should echo these elements.

In a world where trends and external expectations can sway us, it’s vital to anchor ourselves in our true essence. 

Your art style should represent you. It’s your unique fingerprint in the world of creativity.

So, how do we ensure our art is a true representation of ourselves? It starts with introspection. 

Understand your passions, your values, and what stirs your heart. Let these be the guiding forces in your creative process. 

When you create from a place of authenticity, your art not only stands out, but it also connects deeply with others.

Remember, like choosing a car might be for practicality, choosing your art style is for expressing your identity. Don’t shy away from showcasing who you are through your art. It’s your voice, your story, your legacy.

I encourage you all to embrace your unique journey. Let’s not just create art; let’s tell our stories and share our visions.

And as always, for more inspiration and heartfelt discussions, follow me on Instagram here where I post daily videos: https://www.instagram.com/yingmclane/

Keep creating, and keep shining!

With love and support,

Ying 

The post There are somethings you shouldn’t care about in life… appeared first on Ying McLane.

Want an example? Check out a design principle called the “Golden Ratio”. Also known as the Golden Section, Golden Mean, Divine Proportion or Greek letter Phi.  

It is a ratio between two numbers that equals approximately 1.618. Usually written as the Greek letter phi, it is strongly associated with the Fibonacci sequence, a series of numbers wherein each number is added to the last.  To simply put, The Golden Ratio can be written as a mathematical equation of A ÷ B = (A + B) ÷ A = 1.61803398875. In a short form ratio, it is 1:1.618.

If used in design, the golden ratio can be expressed as when a line is divided into two parts and the longer part (a) divided by the smaller part (b) is equal to the sum of (a) + (b) divided by (a), which both equal 1.618.

Before you start running away thinking that you clicked opened a post about math by accident, check this image out–this is a shell I collected on the beach. It shows the perfect golden rule design by nature. 

And how does this golden rule apply to art?  A lot.  

Golden rule has been used by artists and architects throughout the centuries: from the Pyramids in Giza to the Parthenon in Athens; from Michelangelo’s The Creation of Adam on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel to Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa; and many contemporary artists too.  You must have seen this famous painting before: 

Piet Mondrian, Compositions in Red, Blue, and Yellow, 1930 

Piet Mondrian basically used a golden rectangle to design this painting.

In a golden rectangle, the side lengths are in golden ratio. If you take away that square on the left, another rectangle will remain which is also in golden ratio. You can make this design indefinitely.  

And when you spiral a line through the golden rectangle,  you will get the Golden Spiral effect, just like the shell I just showed you.

What is The Rule of Thirds?

You probably heard about The Rule of Thirds in painting and photographing. So what is the relationship between The rule of Thirds and The Golden Ratio?

The rule of thirds is a guideline for both artists and photographers. It says that if you divide your composition into thirds, either vertically or horizontally, and then place focal areas of your scene at the meeting points of them, you will get a more pleasing arrangement and layout for your compositions.

Below is my painting of Sanibel Lighthouse in Sanibel Island, FL. You can see the focal parts of lighthouse, the roof of the house and the edge of the beach landed on the cross section of those lines. 

So what The Rule of Thirds has to do with The Golden Ratio?

The Rule of Thirds is basically a simplification of the Golden Rule. While its ratio doesn’t equate exactly to that of 1:1.618. But it will give you roughly the same desired effect but is very easy to envision and implement compared to the Golden Ratio.

You see, our mind is created to enjoy interesting designs and variation in spaces.  

Our eyes and brains dislike boring, dead in the center designs or a too busy and messy canvas. 

With the guide of golden ratio, you can create variation and blank space that pleases the eye, and guide the eyes to travel though the canvas, so to provide an enjoyable art experience. 

Of course, you don’t have to rigidly follow the rule of third in your composition. But it should be an important tool in your artist arsenal.  

If you found my post is helpful, click the social media button to hare this post. 

Or leave a comment below about your take away from this post! 

Cheering you on!  

Ying

The post How to use Golden Ratio / Rule of Thirds in your art appeared first on Ying McLane.

In last week’s post, I showed you how to use a grid for painting. I hope you found it helpful.

Just in case you missed it, you can access my grid and grey scale tool here.

https://yingmclane.com/image-converter/

Today I will show you how to use the greyscale on my website to find accurate values.

What is value? Simply put, it’s how light or dark a color is. Here is a simple grey-scale tool you can find on Amazon. 

Value is critical in a realistic painting. If your value is incorrect, your artwork will look flat and cartoonish.  

There are four essential elements in a figurative painting:

Drawing

Value

Composition

Color

When you use greyscale to look at, check, or start a painting, you only need to deal with drawing, value, and composition. Not color yet. So you can focus on getting the fundamentals down before moving on to colors.

To judge the value before starting a painting:

Before I developed the grey scale tool on my website, I used tinted glass and squinted my eyes to judge my painting subject’s value. Now I don’t need to!

To compare the value with my reference photo:

I have taken a picture of my painting in progress, changed the color of it and the reference photo to black and white in my phone”s editing tool, and compared the two. Now I simply upload my picture to see the comparison! like this:

To start an underpainting:

Many artists, including myself, have used the underpainting method. That is basically painting a value scale using colors like grey, raw umber, etc. Now using the grey scale too on my website, it’s so easy to start an underpainting!

I hope this guide will help you along your art journey, friend.

To know more about the four essential elements in art, watch my free mini-course here.

https://yingmclane.com/7-insider-tips/

Cheering you on

Ying

The post <strong>How to Use the Grey Scale to Improve Your Painting (part two)</strong> appeared first on Ying McLane.

This happened to me during the COVID pandemic.

Like so many of you, the pandemic had beaten down my creative spirit to a state of dormancy for over a year. I don’t think I touched my brushes one time during that period.

After things finally got better, I started to have visions in my head: images of women floating underwater, some of them meditating, some of them reaching for the surface. So I created a series of paintings about those visions.

Then one day, I was staring at a big blank canvas. I suddenly had the inspiration to paint the face of Jesus with unusually bright background colors. I also have a gold pen handy, so I scribbled many prophetic Hebrew words about God and Jesus onto it.

Now I know I was creating prophetic art.

In short, prophetic art is created with the Holy Spirit. Thus, it can also be called spirit art.

When I saw women underwater, the Holy Spirit whispered in my ear: paint the images to express this idea: the weight and depth of troubled time can not dim the God-breathed and nurtured human spirit of resilience.

My painting of Jesus is a piece of even more apparent evidence that the Holy Spirit had inspired me.

I Corinthians 3:9 points out:” For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.”(NIV)

Friends, as you can see, we are called to be co-workers of God. Our Father is the Alpha and Omega, the creator of the universe, so we are also called to be His co-creators on this earth— what a noble task!

To know more about prophetic art, check out my mentor Matt Tommey:s article here: https://www.matttommeymentoring.com/what-is-prophetic-art.html

To read more about my thoughts on art and God, check out my post:

The post My Journey to Prophetic Art appeared first on Ying McLane.

Five years ago, we had hurricane Irma. 

We evacuated Ft. Myers on the last day and drove to Georgia with three little kids.  The roads were packed and the drive took twice the time it should have. 

Last year, we moved to the next town, Naples, FL, and we decided to hunker down this time.

Monday, September 26: I made the last groceries trip, filled up the gas, and anxiously checked on the latest hurricane movement. 

Tuesday: everything was calm, and we had hope rising in our hearts. We did a lot of praying for our house and city.

Wednesday morning: everything went downhill. We lost power early that morning. The wind was blowing like crazy and the rain poured in buckets The water kept rising in our backyard  I made a mental note of the water level on our play set ladder, and it slowly crept up.

But by the end of the day: we could sense the worst was over. Our backyard became a lake. But thankfully, water never made its way into our house.

We were very fortunate, but my heart hurt for the many people who suffered unimaginable loss.

Like my kid’s sweet violin teacher, the flooding was so dangerous that she had to get on her roof with her elderly father But thankfully, the rescue boat saved them both. 

The thought of the damage to her bright yellow house and her being homeless today made my heart ache.

This is why I am painting a series called “Florida Strong.”  It consists of the iconic scenery in my area. I plan to do a fundraiser, and all the proceeds will go to hurricane victims.

What is your hurricane story? Please feel free to share in the comments.

If you like to contribute to the FL Hurricane relief program, check out these links below

https://www.redcross.org/about-us/our-work/disaster-relief/hurricane-relief.html

https://www.volunteerflorida.org/donatefdf/

:https://www.floridadisaster.org/

To see my other artworks, go to https://yingmclane.com/modern-art/

See you soon!

Blessings!

Ying

The post Our Hurricane Ian Story appeared first on Ying McLane.

I’ve seen similar situations happen in many people’s lives: so my conclusion is: Your childhood passion will catch up with you sooner or later.

But the purpose is different.

The purpose is what you do for other people; What’s the meaning of your life on this earth?

A life lived only for itself is sad. A life without purpose is hopeless.

I have been thinking and asking God what’s my purpose for the gifts he gave me.

Because I know He will bless me if I will align with His will. I don’t want to waste my passions and plans that are not within His parameters for me.

The purpose is the force that pushes your engine to your destination; the shining light that will brighten your darkest days.

Passion will fade when the grind of life gets heavy. But the purpose is the unquenchable fire that will burn off all the doubts and defeats along the way and press you on until you make it into a reality.

My purpose is to spread positivity, encouragement, and the good news led by the Spirit in my circle of influence. What is your purpose? I hope God will give you directions and abundant blessings in your daily walk!

Ying

The post Passion and Purpose appeared first on Ying McLane.

When I decided to turn my art hobby into a serious online business, I started diving into research. I wanted to see what other people were doing in the digital world and what I needed to do to catch up.

And I got overwhelmed very quickly.

I know I needed an artist’s website and to do some social media posting, but strange words like funnels, landing pages, and email marketing threw me into the rabbit hole.

I knew I needed help.

So I posted a job description on a freelance website for a social media consultant. I needed someone who knew how to package and market my art. I don’t know much about marketing, but I do know in this day and time, an artist can’t afford just to stay home and paint. It’s an artist’s job to get her work out in the digital marketplace. 

Several agencies replied. And I was very excited. But after I gave them the details about my expectations, I heard crickets.

Only one agency kept in touch with me, but they asked for an excessive amount of investment I was not planning on spending.

During all this, a thought crept into my mind: You are not marketable. Those people are professionals, and when they don’t want your business, they must think you suck.

This thought was like a poisoned apple lingering in my mind. But I didn’t give up.

I have consulted God many times, and He made it clear that He wants me to use my gifts fully, including getting my works out there for His glory.

Then I accidentally heard this saying from a marketing agent: “we are not magicians. We can help a client with his mission. But the client is the magic, not us.”

Yes!! That’s why I didn’t hear back from those marketing agencies. Because of my niche: Christian artist and Christian writer is probably too unique for them to market. They don’t know how to market my art business. I need to prove that there is a market for Christian artists to strive for. And my art and my writing are special. I am the magic. Not them.

So I started right back to work. Today, I have built a successful art business with my own hands. 

Friends, if you have been overlooked, felt defeated, or don’t have the confidence to pursue your dreams, don’t give up without a fight.

Ask God’s permission and advice first. Because sometimes, what you want is not in His plan.

But if you are sure about His will, then, by all means, go ahead and give all you got.

May God bless you!

Ying

To know more about my art and spiritual journey, go to this page: https://yingmclane.com/about/

To know more about Christian artists and Christian art, check out this website: https://christian.art.com

The post Chase Your Calling appeared first on Ying McLane.

1 John 4:16 NIV

I just finished this long-overdue painting of my boys. Because my hands and eyes are rusty from not painting oil for an extended period, this is not an easy start for me.

Often I was frustrated and discouraged. I had to repaint some areas over and over. But in the end, I am reasonably pleased with the final product.

When I think about how my creator sees me, I am still amazed and sometimes in disbelief— that despite the rough and far-from-perfect image I see in myself, my God sees me as the lovely and wonderful child of God He has made.

Like my final painting is far different from the beginning and middle stages, He sees the final product I am meant to be.

Ephesians 2:10 tells us: For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works.

Yes, it’s hard to believe that the times we mess up, again and again, the times we don’t even like ourselves, the times we are broken and full of remorse, our God still loves, forgives, and cares about us as His precious newborn babies. We are masterpieces in our Father’s eyes.

Let this truth sink in, friends, hope it will refresh your heart today as it does to mine.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for blessing us with all spiritual blessings in the heavenly realm. You designed each of us with a special purpose, and you already know what we could become, not what we have done.

Please enable me to use my gifts to encourage others and inspire their walks with you. Continue to give me good works in my hands so your glory will shine through all of my efforts.

In Jesus’s name

Amen

Ask yourself

What difference did you see in yourself before you knew Jesus and after?

How can you draw on Christ’s power even more in your daily walk with him?

The post Come As You Are appeared first on Ying McLane.

1: Forget your phone; say a prayer instead.

Do you take daily vitamins? Prayer is the vitamin for our souls.

Here is a prayer I like to say when I wake up.

Dear heavenly Father,

Please give me a heart of wisdom and a clear mind today.

Give me eyes to see what I should see, and ears to hear what I should listen to. Give me words to say and the right food to eat.

Provide me with good works for my hands and a straight path for my feet to walk on.

In Jesus name: Amen.

You could either pray out loud or pray in your head.

Either way, there is nothing better to start your day than a little talk with God. It will position your mind and heart to a clear path.

2: stretch.

A simple stretch exercise will wake up your body.

You don’t need to do a whole yoga routine. Three minutes of a simple stretch to the head, neck, shoulders, back and legs is enough. More than likely after a day of sitting in your office, your back will thank you later.

3: Treat yourself with a healthy breakfast.

Plan ahead your breakfast for the day.

Breakfast usually takes a back seat to other meals but it’s actually the most important meal. A healthy breakfast will nurture your body for the mental challenge of keeping a consistent work pace .

On the contrary, too many sugars and coffee will make you crash and burn later.

4: Plan your day.

Look over your schedule and allow room for unexpected changes. It always happens, right?

A little trick: “Eat the frog first”—do the things that you procrastinate or are difficult to complete. Put them first so you can move on knowing you have already completed the “chore”.

5: leave time for grooming.

Even if you work from home, a clean face with simple make-up and a lovely dress or a nice shirt will make you feel refreshed. Self-care is self-love. Now you can go conquer the world!

Love 

Ying 

The post Five morning routines to start a productive day appeared first on Ying McLane.