Happy 20th birthday, Nightmage’s Learn to Draw!
Today is a very special day for me and my website, Nightmage’s Learn to Draw, because we are celebrating our 20th anniversary!
Since May 14, 2004, I have been online and in these two decades, I have inspired and supported many creative minds.
A Look Back: The Beginnings
The idea for Nightmage’s Learn to Draw came about during my initial training. Even back then, I knew I wanted to become a web designer, and I wanted to share my passion for drawing. So in 2004, the first version of the website went online under nightmage.de. At that time, there were hardly any German-language sites on this topic, and I felt like a pioneer.
My Website Family Grows
Over the years, my site grew both in content and technically. Additional domains were added, including zeichnen-lernen.net in 2007 (under which this site now ultimately operates) and online-zeichenkurs.de in 2008, which I have been writing as a weekly blog about drawing, painting, materials, and techniques since 2013.
In 2005, I also founded a forum for artists, which can now be found at zeichnen-forum.de and has developed into a lively community.
Continuous Development
My site has always been evolving and has served to develop not only my drawing skills but also my technical skills in web design.
After a major overhaul in 2013, when I made the site responsive, a comprehensive overhaul followed in 2019. I switched to WordPress to make content maintenance easier and to make the site more dynamic.
Since then, I have been continuously working on improving and updating the content. The switch involved a lot of work, but it was worth it: Today, the site offers comprehensive information from the basics of drawing to color theory to more complex topics such as perspective and spatial drawing.
In 2020, I had to replace a large number of supposedly free photographs because the platform Pixabay unfortunately did not prove to be a safe image source. For this, I went into image research and took numerous own photos, which had to be edited and replaced.
The Significance of the Site
What is particularly close to my heart is the help I was able to offer to many people. From beginners to those returning to drawing to advanced artists – I am pleased to see how my site gives them courage and supports them in their artistic development. Your positive feedback and occasional praise are my strongest motivation to keep going.
A Thank You to the Community
Despite some challenges and critical comments over the years, I remain highly motivated because every effort is worth it if I can help even one person. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for visiting, using, and appreciating the site. Your questions, suggestions, and participation in the drawing competitions enrich the site and our wonderful community.
In my drawing forum, like-minded people can exchange ideas about drawing techniques, materials, or their pictures. There are also many fun projects that invite you to join in creatively and general chats. Feel free to drop by!
History
Here is a brief overview of the history of my websites and their domains, listed by registration date:
- 14.05.2004 nightmage.de
- 14.02.2007 zeichnen-lernen.net
- 25.02.2008 online-zeichenkurs.de
- 13.12.2009 zeichnen-forum.de
Anniversaries
So far, I have been able to celebrate several anniversaries.
- This site turns 10 years old
- This site turns 20 years old (current article)
- The forum turns 10 years old
- The blog turns 10 years old
Looking to the Future
After 20 years, I look back with pride but also look forward with anticipation. There are still many ideas and projects I want to implement. Collaboration with the community and other websites will continue to be an important part.
For over a year, I have been working, as time allows, on translating the entire website into English, French, and Spanish. Additionally, I am restructuring the pictorial drawing instructions from several individual images into cohesive tutorials.
Of course, new tutorials, as well as revisions and additions to existing content, are also not to be missed. Currently, many smaller video tutorials are being created, which you can find on my YouTube and other social media channels.
I look forward to the coming years and hope that Nightmage’s Learn to Draw will continue to inspire and support you.
Contact and Exchange
All the work has been fully implemented by me alone as a private person in my free time. Therefore, I am always happy to receive serious offers of help.
If you have any questions or suggestions, do not hesitate to email me. I always appreciate feedback and interaction with you.
Thank you for your loyalty and trust over the past 20 years. Here’s to the next 20 years of creativity and inspiration!
Best regards, Steffi
