Looking out the studio window at my bird table gave me the idea to paint this tutorial. You can put any birds on the painting, blue tits and robins would be great for a European setting, and chickadees or cardinals suit the North American natural world very well. If you need help painting those otherRead more ⟶
Category: Blog
Barn Owl and Snowy Winter Scene
Here’s a a little landscape that will delight you if you are a fan of snowy winter landscapes! I decided to paint a barn owl floating over the snow in the half light, with a log cabin snug and warm among the snow covered fir trees. It would make a nice Christmas card or gift.Read more ⟶
A Candle in the Window Watercolor for Christmas
Our YouTube channel is approaching its first birthday and we are hoping that this November we will attain the lofty heights of 20,000 subscribers – a marathon effort when you consider that this time last year we had just achieved 200 subs and thought we had hit the big-time! A few months later we wereRead more ⟶
Comparing Arches and Viviva Watercolor Paper
In this video I am comparing a piece of Arches and Viviva 140lb watercolor paper. Using a demanding technique of thick, intense paint and heavy scratching out I wanted to put the paper through its paces. I decided to do a quick little wintry sketch today using one color and several tools, so I settledRead more ⟶
How to Paint a Thanksgiving Cornucopia or Horn of Plenty
Here is a quick cornucopia or horn of plenty painting tutorial, which would be useful for invitations, gift tags or cards. I did it in a pen and wash style. I also demonstrate in this video a technique for drawing the horn in which might be helpful when you draw yours.
Happy Halloween Jack o’Lantern Painting!
Happy Halloween Jack o’Lantern Painting! Here is a last minute quick and easy painting for halloween using Arches paper and bright watercolor paints. We grew a wonderful crop of bright orange pumpkins this year, from seeds we had saved from last year’s harvest. We had them stacked up outside the studio for a while, butRead more ⟶
Watercolor Butterflies in Loose Style
When we ask ourselves why butterflies are so loved by everyone, the answer is easy. According to my nature encyclopaedia, butterflies are some of the least destructive and most beautiful of insects. For the artist, they are a limitless source of inspiration and fascination, as we explore their infinite shapes and mixtures of colors. AsRead more ⟶
How to paint a pair of Red Cardinals in Watercolor
In many areas of the US, northern red cardinals stay around throughout the winter, adding a nice burst of color and the sweet sound of music to your back yard all year long. When it comes to finding shelter and making their nests, northern red cardinals are very private birds. They look for areas thatRead more ⟶
Black-Eyed Susans on Arches Paper
If you’re wondering how to paint something cheerful this autumn why not give my method of painting Black Eyed Susans a go? You can paint sunflowers or chrysanthemums or daisies like this too – any flower, in fact. And watch as I find out whether the Arches watercolor paper I just received is as goodRead more ⟶
How to Paint a Moose in Watercolor in a Fall setting
Here’s a wonderful idea for a Christmas card or even a little gift for a nature lover – especially those hard to buy for people in our lives, otherwise known as men! – who have absolutely everything they could need. Reminiscent of the mood written by Thoreau in On Walden Pond, this nature image isRead more ⟶
The First Snowman to the Party – Snowman Christmas Card
Started getting ready for Christmas yet? If you plan to paint your own Christmas cards this year, you can’t start too soon, as all the other jobs quickly pile up and push painting into the background. So here’s my first card of the season for you to make! I did a video of a similarRead more ⟶
Free-Form Watercolor Autumn Flowers, Seeds and Berries
Today I’m exploring painting Free-Form Watercolor Autumn Flowers, Seeds and Berries in a loose, semi-abstract way to capture the atmosphere of fall. Autumn is the season which brings not only mists and mellow fruitfulness, but also a lot of mixed feelings for many of us. By October, summer has faded and is turning into winterRead more ⟶
Autumn Woodland Scene in Big Brush Watercolour
I learnt to paint with the renowned and now late Ron Ranson many years ago. He was a watercolour iconoclast, meaning he had no time for rules and myths about how watercolor should be painted. To achieve his loose style, he advocated using a big flat goat hair brush from Japan, which you’d think atRead more ⟶
Autumn Maple Leaves with Water Droplets
In this painting I’ve tried to capture the autumnal color of maple leaves coupled with a hint of holiday seasons to come by means of a dark pine green background. Watch the video here: Shop my Supplies Here Clairefontaine Etival Watercolor Paper Schmincke Horadam Watercolor Tubes – Olive Green, Burnt Sienna, Quinacridone Gold, Burnt UmberRead more ⟶
How to Paint Watercolor Mushrooms in a Woodland Setting
This beautiful mushroom painting is beginner-friendly, and easy to make bigger or smaller depending on whether you want a painting or a greetings card! It might look a little complicated but I show you how to draw a mushroom and then we will work through the painting step by step to make the whole thingRead more ⟶
Autumn Lakeside Landscape for Fall
Capturing the dramatic colors of fall in watercolor is a challenge and often watercolor paintings become cluttered and lose focus because we try to incorporate too much color, too many trees, just too much. So this is a way of depicting a single tree beside a lake, conveying the atmosphere of autumn without too muchRead more ⟶
Cute Autumn Birds on a Wire in Watercolor
As the chilly days start to bring a fall feeling to our paintings, I thought it would be nice to paint some warm-toned little birds to give us a cheery glow this October! This little painting is really a warm up as much as anything and is ideal for trying out a new palette ofRead more ⟶
Chickadees and Pumpkins – in the mood for fall
Chickadees and Pumpkins – in the mood for fall! Today we are going to paint birds, leaves, seeds and pumpkins! Let’s choose a subtle palette and get started! If you would like the sketch for this painting you can download it free of charge here: I decided I wanted a slightly more muted palette forRead more ⟶