Filming Your Art: Process and Helpful Hints
Have you ever watched a video of a painting or drawing being done that grabbed your attention immediately? Did it make it seem like the easiest thing in the world and had you thinking, I know it’s not that easy but how do they make it look like that? Do you want to create engaging content like that on your social media platforms but the intimidation of the tech and tools behind it gives you pause?
The truth is that anyone can film their artwork and make it look like an hours-long process in a quick 60 seconds, you just need a little planning and the proper tools. Read on for a list of helpful hints to keep in mind before you start to film.
Don’t be an eager beaver - plan it out.
I know it feels amazing when inspiration strikes but excitement like that can lead to jumping the gun on posting something before it’s ready or just right. Think about the vision you have for your video. What are you trying to accomplish? Are you entertaining or informing your audience? Do you want it to have a choppy reel-type feel or should it have more flow? These are all good questions to ask and answer before sharing something.
Keep your tools and resources in one place for on-the-fly filming.
There’s nothing worse than having a great idea but not being able to implement it. When filming your process, make sure all of your ducks are in a row before you begin. You don’t want to be mid-brush stroke and have to stop to get up and go grab something you forgot. Try keeping all of your filming equipment in one easy-to-access spot so you know where everything is when you begin and where everything goes when you’re done.
Think: content overload - better to have too much than not enough.
Always, always, always over-film! There is an editing process for a reason. You’d rather realize after the fact that you filmed a little too much than be stuck looking for a clip that you never actually captured on video. You can’t go back and get those shots unless you start the painting all over again so have the camera rolling and get rid of what you don’t need later.
Hit that good light!
I know first-hand that if you’re running a side hustle, there are unfortunately limited hours in the day that you can work with, especially when it comes to documenting your work. The second that sun goes down, you lose something absolutely crucial to filming - natural daylight. Content batching exists because of people like us who need to stock up on content to post on the days we’re not able to actively create. Find a good setup by a window and film in the daylight. There is no artificial light that as flattering as the natural light that pours in from outside.
Don’t get in your own way.
Set up your filming tools in a way that you can actually paint the way you normally would. Trust me, if you’re trying to work around this bulky camera arm, your painting isn’t going to look the way you want it to.
Use consistent platforms and tools to edit your videos.
Consistency is key. Just like the flow you stick to on your Instagram posts, videos should have flow too. You want to be consistent in the way you edit videos both in the brightness/color tone and the transitions you use. Do you film up close or zoomed out? Are your videos light and airy or dark and moody? Do you use short clips or one longer video? These are important things to think about and stick to when filming your artwork!
In my “Paint with Me” process video series, I keep the camera in the same spot but start a new video for each new step I paint. When I edit them together, it flows together without creating an hour-long video for my audience.
