Posts by Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes is a Staff Editor at My Modern Met, Manager of My Modern Met Store, and co-host of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. As an illustrator and writer living in Seattle, she chronicles illustration, embroidery, and beyond through her blog Brown Paper Bag and Instagram @brwnpaperbag. She wrote a book about embroidery artist Sarah K. Benning titled 'Embroidered Life' that was published by Chronicle Books in 2019. Sara is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art. She earned her BFA in Illustration in 2008 and MFA in Illustration Practice in 2013.
Drawing
June 21, 2024

100+ Drawing Ideas That Will Get You Sketching Right Now

Practice is a vital part of perfecting your drawing skills. Learning the basics and repeating them over and over again is the only way to improve. For proof, just check out what a few years of drawing practice can do. It’s truly incredible the progress that you can make by dedicating time to this pursuit. Those who do have gone from scrawling simple figure sketches to fully-rendered portraits in seemingly no time.

Read Article

Art Supplies
May 20, 2024

15 Best Art Marker Sets for Coloring Enthusiasts and Professional Creatives

Do you remember coloring with markers as a kid? Maybe you had an awesome collection of vibrant Crayolas that you’d use when drawing? While we often associate markers with childhood, they still come in handy today—especially if you’re an artist who loves sketching or consider yourself an adult coloring book enthusiast. There are many great reasons to try art markers. One is because of how easy they are to use and their portability.

Read Article

Gift Guide
April 17, 2024

10 of the Best Online Shops for Affordable Mother’s Day Gifts

It goes without saying that our moms are special people, 365 days a year. On Mother’s Day, however, it gives us all the excuse to celebrate the women who shaped who we are and shower them with gifts that convey our never-ending gratitude. We’ve already selected some of our favorite creative products to buy for Mother’s Day, as well as easy DIY projects for the occasion.

Read Article

Resources
January 3, 2024

80+ Painting Ideas That Will Inspire You To Pick Up a Brush Right Now

When it comes to painting, everyone starts out on an even playing field—those that paint well have built their skills over time. Doing so, however, requires patience, and for you to put brush to canvas (or paper) and increase your aptitude stroke by stroke. We’ve seen this happen in a drawing; just a few years of drawing practice can mean the difference between a sketch that’s just okay and one that shows extraordinary talent.

Read Article

Read More Articles

My Modern Met

Celebrating creativity and promoting a positive culture by spotlighting the best sides of humanity—from the lighthearted and fun to the thought-provoking and enlightening.