A few days ago, I posted a TikTok breaking down different camera shots using the same painting, just filmed from different perspectives. “It’s pretty fast and you may have to pause or watch a few times” I’ll be sure to slow it down in the next video.
You can watch the video below.
The point?
Same painting. Different perspectives. Completely different energy.
If you want your art videos to feel more alive, more cinematic, and more intentional, you have to study shots the same way you study your craft.
Let’s break it down.
Why Your Art Videos Might Feel Flat
Most artists hit record, prop the phone up, and film from one angle.
Usually:
- Medium shot
- Slight top down angle
- No movement
- Same framing the entire time
There’s nothing wrong with that. But it doesn’t create rhythm. It doesn’t create emotion. It doesn’t guide the viewer’s eye.
Cinematography does.
And you don’t need a film degree to use it.
Shots You Can Start Using Today
Here are the shots I used in the video, and how you can use them in your own art content.
Establishing Shot
Show your studio. Your setup. Your space.
This gives context before the painting begins.
Full Body Shot
Let people see you painting.
It builds connection and reminds viewers there’s a human behind the work.
POV Shot
Film from your perspective.
Let the audience see what you see. It’s immersive and powerful.
Wide Shot / Super Wide Shot / Extreme Wide Shot
Step back. Show scale.
This works beautifully for large canvases or dramatic studio setups.
Cowboy Shot
Framed mid thigh up, cinematic and underrated for artists.
Perfect for showing body movement while painting.
Over The Shoulder Shot
One of my favorites.
It feels intimate, like the viewer is standing right behind you.
Close-Up
Show the brush strokes. The texture. The details.
This is where the magic lives.
Wide Framing Shot
Leave space around the subject.
Negative space adds drama and intention.
High Angle Shot
Shoot slightly from above.
It changes the power dynamic and adds visual interest.
Medium Shot
Classic. Reliable. Clean.
Use it, just don’t only use it.
Same Painting. Different Energy.
Here’s the part that matters:
Nothing changed about the artwork.
Only the framing did.
And suddenly:
- It felt more cinematic
- More intentional
- More engaging
- More professional
That’s the power of perspective.
Study Shots Like You Study Your Craft
As artists, we obsess over:
- Color theory
- Composition
- Technique
- Lighting
But when it comes to video, we hit record and hope for the best.
If you’re serious about growing your audience, your storytelling matters just as much as your skill.
Highly recommend “100 Cinematography Ideas to Spark Your Creativity.”
It will genuinely change how you see the frame. You’ll start noticing angles everywhere, in movies, commercials, even your own studio.
Once you see it, you can’t unsee it.
Your Next Video Challenge
Use one painting.
Film it from:
- 5 different shots minimum (I record up to one minute clips then change angles)
- At least one wide
- At least one close up
- At least one perspective shift
Edit them together.
Watch how different it feels.
Art doesn’t just live on the canvas anymore.
It lives in the frame.
And if you learn how to control the frame, you control the story.
Now go steal my shots.
Hope this helps,
-B
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