This new season brings with it a host of new artistic possibilities. Embracing the Cozy Winter Studio Mood We never paint with perfection in mind in my studio. Winter painting is all about bright and cheerful seasonal whimsy, the soft snowy greys of skies and landscapes, and the pleasure of revisiting traditional motifs like oldRead more ⟶
Category: Blog
Join us for October Walk: 28 Days, 28 Videos, 28 Sketches – 28 Paintings to be proud of!
October is here again, with all the fun of pumpkins and pie, so it’s time to start our next daily art challenge complete with a great prize for two lucky winners!! Join us each day all month long as we explore my cozy autumn-inspired prompts! I’ll help you build a solid painting habit as weRead more ⟶
Join our first ever Daily Challenge with a PRIZE! #myquiethome
Paint Your Quiet Home This May, Diane Antone Studio is thrilled to announce our latest community event: the “Paint Your Quiet Home” Daily Challenge. If you’re like me, a quiet home is a wonderful blessing and it deserves to be celebrated – which is what we’re inviting you to do in this month’s challenge. ThisRead more ⟶
Letting the Water do the Work: Painting Blobby Blooms!
It’s a familiar moment. You sit down with your paints, thinking it will be a quiet, relaxing half hour, and within minutes you’re clenching your jaw, frowning, concentrating hard, and desperately fiddling with a wash, trying to get everything just right. The petals aren’t quite right, the edges feel awkward, and somehow the whole thingRead more ⟶
Painting with Freedom: Finding Joy in Watercolor Leaves
There’s a quiet pressure that often creeps unbidden into our creative lives. It’s the feeling that we must study before we’re “allowed” to enjoy what we’re doing. Watercolor painting, along with many other pleasurable activities, seems to carry too much of this weight. We think that once we’ve learned enough, then we can start toRead more ⟶
You Have the Power
Nowadays we are finding that, all too often, life just feels overwhelming. The constant bombardment from all the different media competing for our attention raises our blood pressure. We often find ourselves assaulted by noise—whether from crowds, music, traffic, or building works—and, if you’re like me, you find yourself increasingly seeking the calm of aRead more ⟶
Boost your Brain: Gentle Ways to Spark your Creativity
There are days when painting comes naturally, but more often you sit down in front of your paints and the ideas simply don’t arrive. There’s always something else to do—run the vacuum round quickly, put a load of laundry on—anything to avoid having to make a decision and get started. We’ve all been there. IRead more ⟶
Join the #BuildABird Watercolor Challenge!
How to Join In Are you ready for a fun and creative daily watercolor challenge? Introducing #BuildABird, a whimsical and playful way to design your own unique birds, one step at a time! Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced artist, this challenge will help you loosen up, experiment with different shapes, and build aRead more ⟶
I’ve cancelled Christmas this year!
Every year I say the same thing, and every year so far I’ve changed my mind at the last minute. This year will be different! Has your Christmas been cancelled this year? I was sad to hear from a good friend that this year her usual hosting of Thanksgiving had been cancelled for family reasons.Read more ⟶
It’s a New World, but Are We Being Brave?
When fake looks real and real looks fake A YouTube viewer commented recently that she wished our videos were filmed face-to-camera because she likes to know that the people she’s watching are real people. As the lyrics of one of my favorite childhood songs state* – “The idea’s sound, but how will you lift itRead more ⟶
Why REAL ART Matters in an Artificial World…
…and why I’ll never fake my watercolors! We used to worry about copying other people’s work and whether that made our own work less authentic, but now we have something much bigger to worry about — telling the difference between an artist who’s creating a real painting, and a channel which creates the false illusionRead more ⟶
Download Your Free World Watercolor Month 2025 Prompt Sheet
Join us as we celebrate the 10th anniversary of World Watercolor Month this July! Founded in 2016 by Charlie O’Shields of Doodlewash, WWM was created to inspire creativity and raise awareness for art education—and every year, 100% of proceeds from the official shop go to the International Child Art Foundation. I’m proud to serve asRead more ⟶
#buildabird Challenge Stage 1 – Bodies & Legs
As our #buildabird challenge shifts from designing bodies and legs to imagining wings and tails, here is a look back at how I approached Stage 1 of our April Daily Watercolor Challenge, and some of my favorite body and leg creations and combinations. I started by trying to cover all the bases of the promptsRead more ⟶
Watercolor Inspiration from Cairo: Unlocking Creativity with Middle Eastern Mosaic Tiles
If you’ve ever traveled to the Middle East or even just seen photos, you’ve probably noticed the stunning mosaic tiles that adorn everything from fountains to doorways. Here in Cairo, traditional tile designs are everywhere—in homes, shops, and historic buildings—and each tile feels like a small masterpiece. These designs are often complex but beautifully harmonious,Read more ⟶
Crafting the Perfect Fall Palette: A Guide to Mixing Colors for the Season
Discover how to select and mix a perfect fall watercolor palette with just six essential colors. Explore tips for creating rich autumn tones using top watercolor brands like Daniel Smith, Winsor & Newton, Michael Harding, and more. Perfect for artists looking to capture the beauty of the season.
Embracing the Joy (and Chaos) of Watercolor Painting: A Playful Guide for Beginners Over 60
Watercolor painting is like dancing with a slightly tipsy partner—unpredictable, spontaneous, and full of surprises. If you’re over a certain age and diving into watercolor for the first time, congratulations! You’re about to experience an art form that’s as much about letting go as it is about creating something beautiful. Forget perfection; this is aboutRead more ⟶
Exploring Etegami Art: A Watercolor Journey for the Soul
If you’re someone who loves watercolor painting, enjoys creative expression, and values a personal touch in art, then etegami might be a delightful new adventure for you. Etegami, which means “picture letter” in Japanese, is an accessible and heartfelt art form that combines simple watercolor illustrations with thoughtful words. This art style is perfect forRead more ⟶
Starting Your Journey with Watercolor Painting
Watercolor painting is a mesmerizing art form best known for its characteristic transparency and fluidity. Unlike most other mediums, watercolor offers a unique interplay of light and color, resulting in paintings that can be either delicate or vibrant. If you’re considering adding watercolor painting as a hobby, these essential tips and insights will help youRead more ⟶