I have too many materials. Too many paints to expect to ever be able to use them all up. And I don’t think I have anywhere near as many paints as many people if the studios I’ve seen online on YouTube are anything to go by. I sometimes wonder why I and others are seemingly …
Watercolor brush sketching is a technique I’ve recently developed that involves creating quick, spontaneous, and expressive artworks using watercolors and brush pens of various types. It captures the essence and impression of a subject with loose brushwork and powerful line work. It’s minimal but strong on detail, and focuses on capturing the overall mood or …
I found this Sea Biscuit on the beach in the Bahamas years ago and have carefully kept it with my collection of found shells. I didn’t know it was called a Sea Biscuit and thought it was a Sand Dollar, but they are actually quite similar. I decided to paint a meditative painting of them, …
Don’t watch this video if you are looking for slick polished content with not a second of breathing space between words! Don’t watch if you want to see a performance of dazzling skill, impressive mastery of a demanding medium over a tricky subject, or a humbling demonstration of nineteen different tricks you should have known …
Most of us say these days that we paint for relaxation, don’t we. We used to talk about our hobbies, but nowadays you rarely hear that term used, as young people love to consider their mental health, their need to relax, the pressure of life and social media, and much much more. Long gone are …
I have only recently discovered Gelli plates, and even more recently started to experiment with using them for creating backgrounds and images. The whole idea of gelli plates is widely covered on YouTube almost exclusively by artists using acrylic paints, maybe various acrylic inks and similar, but I soon discovered that doesn’t mean you can’t …
Adding a bit of whimsical fun to your animal paintings is a great way to make them truly special. If you’re looking for a creative card or gift idea, try adding a few whimsical animals to your work. A delightful creature can really bring a painting to life and give it a unique feel. Whether …
We all need more time to relax in our lives nowadays and what better way than letting the paint flow and the brush glide across the watercolor paper? In this video I’m going to talk about how to create a simple abstract without stress. In fact, the whole process is pleasurable and relaxing. What’s not …
This landscape is ideal for all beginners, and for anyone wanting to move from painting flowers and leaves into the slightly more challenging field of landscape. So let’s break all the rules – of composition, color theory, and technique – and paint a luminous, evocative landscape we would all love to live in! This landscape …
Learn to paint watercolor the fun and easy way In this video I show you how to choose a colorscheme from your Kuretake paint sets, plus ways to use a brush, different types of brushes, water control and much more. Plus you are going to create a super attractive abstract piece of art that will …
Some days it’s hard to raise a smile, let alone a chuckle! But if you can manage to find a paintbrush and stir your stumps as they say in the navy, then you can get your mood to lift and you might even laugh out loud! These pretty butterflies with their simple embroidery-styled embellishments are …
This month we are running a series of tutorials to help you beat the blues and create. What better to lift your spirits than a little bird – or two, or three … So today I’m going to feature the Imperfectly Perfect Circle Birds. You’ve heard the expression “I can’t draw a straight line” and …
If a quick floral is what you are looking for then look no further than these flowers, made simply and without stress to create a stylish image ideal for a greetings card, bookmark and more. The great thing about these flowers is they are totally undemanding and unthreatening. All you need to do is pick …
Sometimes we just don’t want to paint anything particular. For example, we have kids to entertain and couldn’t possibly concentrate on a proper painting. Or we have a headache, or it’s just one of those days. This is when a Galaxy of Abstraction comes to the rescue! This painting can be as much or as …
Along with flowers, birds are top of most watercolorists lists of favorite subjects to paint. And the way to paint them ranges all the way from literally painting every feather on a bird (not my style!) to loose impressionistic renditions of the “essence of bird!” I prefer the essence of bird approach and I also …
Feel like painting something truly messy and scruffy today? Here is my Ronald Searle inspired cat painting tutorial to help you explore the real essence of cat with watercolor, ink and dip pen! Today’s painting emerged from a week of exploring cats and their characters with paint, pencil, pen and paper. Come along and see …
Most of us used to doodle when we were on the phone – perhaps that is less common now that you can speak literally for hours on end whilst doing something else at the same time. But all of us know the pleasure of just playing with a pen or pencil and seeing what happens! …
How to Paint Cute Whimsical Love Birds in Watercolor Read More »
Simple Circles for a Creative Afternoon! Would you like to paint something, but you don’t know what? Are you brand new to painting and don’t know where to start? Or would you like your picture to be simple, easy and full of joy? Then why not simply rely on simple basic shapes – for example …
