Paint with me LIVE today at 12 noon ET on YouTube!

Hi friends! It’s a snow day in my part of the world, who wants to stay home and paint? We will paint this vintage light bulb. I painted it originally this summer during World Watercolor Month and I had many requests to do a tutorial on it so here we are!

Class News!

• I am adding 3 new ornaments to the Hand Painted Holiday Class this week! I am also putting the class on sale for 40% off (it’s already my most affordable class, Regular price $39, sale $23.40) Use the coupon code 40OFFNOV22 if the discount doesn’t appear automatically *Offer ends 12/4/22 (If you have bought this class in the past you will find the new lessons in your account later this week, no need to rebuy!)
• My Alcohol Marker Workshop is on 50% off Launch Month Special now through 11/30/22 *Use coupon code MARKER50 if the discount doesn’t appear automatically **Regular price $79, with coupon $39.50

You can watch the live stream or the replay in the video player below but if you want to ask me questions or chat live with friends please tune in on YouTube at 12noon EST today!

Supplies (affiliate links used)

• Boku Undu Sumie watercolors
• Derwent Graphitint pan paints
• Watercolor paper: The sample was painted in an arches watercolor sketchbook handmade by Artsirosi on Etsy
• Derwent Chromaflow pencils: *There is a good sale on these on Amazon at the time of posting! *BUT* I found a better deal at Blick, use coupon code v22d2 to get the Derwent Chromaflow 72 set for $77.50 and free shipping (sale price is $93 but the discount is given when you add the coupon code! Other things are probably less with that code too, I found it in my sale catalog) You also get a free e-gift card if you spend over $50 with that coupon code!
• white gel pen, paint pen or gouache
• Reference photo

Please feel free to use whatever watercolors and colored pencils you have for today’s project. It is fun to grab some weird ones from time to time to play with tho. See you at noon! Happy crafting!

Trying to repaint a painting from my sketchbook (and struggling)

Hi friends, I had a lot of requests to paint this bee eater bird after I shared a painting I did on one from World Watercolor Month.

So I got out a sheet of fancy watercolor paper and even fancier paint and thought, this will be a piece of cake. Spoiler alert, it wasn’t. I decided to post this video in it’s entirety because we all have struggles in our art and seeing how other’s deal with them can be helpful. I hope you enjoy it.

Supplies: (Affiliate links used)

• The Art Whale Watercolors that I used on the original bird in the sketchbook are back in stock if you wanted to snag them
• I used M Graham in the video because these were unavailable. M Graham is a higher quality paint but the granulation in the Art Whale really brought my original to like I think. (yellow ochre, English red, viridian, ultramarine, pthalo blue)
• Gouache
• Prismacolor Pencils
• Reference photo

SALE! Looking for stand alone workshops on a specific topic? I have one on painting birds! Check out my other courses and save 40% with coupon code FUN40 through the end of the month. *Stand alone courses priced $39-$79 include lifetime access so you can buy now and watch whenever. **Click add coupon at checkout and type in FUN40 in the coupon box to receive your discount. Offer good through 8/31/21

Happy crafting!

Feeling rusty? You won’t after this!

Hi friends! Last weekend I posted a painting of a section of rusty chain link fence on my Instagram and several people asked for a tutorial.

So that is what I have for you today! Grab your supplies and paint along. You can pause or rewind whenever you need to. This is designed to be a paint with me lesson. Enjoy!

I have another rusty painting here. Want more lessons? I have in-depth classes in my online school.

Supplies (affiliate links used)

• Winsor & Newton watercolors *The bijou box I have is no longer available. Colors: Yellow ochre, burnt sienna, ultramarine, Intense (pthalo) green, Intense (pthalo) blue, perm. Rose, Winsor Yellow (lemon) and Scarlet Lake (any warm red is fine)
• Arches watercolor paper
• Mimik brushes:
• Colored pencils (Prismacolor in browns, cream, oranges and patina colors)
• References: Unsplash and my photo on Instagram.

That’s all for today! I am planning to do a live flip through of all of my 31 world watercolor month paintings tomorrow at noon eastern time on YouTube if you are around. Otherwise there will be a relpay available. Just wanted to give you the heads up. Happy crafting!

Get the Most from Granulating Colors (you already have!) Watercolor Techniques Video!

Hi friends, it seems like every art supply company is coming out with specialty granulating watercolor sets these days and while they are tempting they are quite pricy and chances are you have many of the colors already. Granulation happens when large pigment particles settle out in wet washes and dry on your paper in intersting textures. The wetter your paper is the better effect you will get. Earth tones containing iron are good granulators, as well as cobalt colors and ultramarine. Most mineral based colors granulate well too and if you mix a mineral based pigment with a dye you get some really pretty color separation and granulation (think of Daniel Smiths most famous mixes like Moonglow and Rose of Ultramarine.)

Today we will use ultramarine blue, burnt umber (or burnt sienna or Van Dyke Brown), yellow ochre and a transparent red-brown to create some muted granulating mixes for these birds on a wire. Let’s paint!

Supplies (affiliate links used)

• Watercolors: Mission gold watercolors at Blick or Amazon
• Strathmore 6″x18″ watercolor paper (Way cheaper at Blick but also on amazon
• Creative mark brushes
• Eraser shield: Blick or Amazon
• Magic eraser
• Water pots (Paint puck) Blick or Amazon.
• Reference

I hope you enjoyed this project and granulation lesson and til next time happy crafting!

PS If you love to paint birds I have a class for that! Check out my Feather’s and Fowl Class!

Paint a bunny with me in watercolor!

Hi friends! Got some extra time this weekend? Well, grab your supplies and let’s paint this sweet bunny!

Watch the video and paint along!

Supplies (Affiliate links used)

• Camel watercolors
• Arteza Sketchbook 9″x12”
• Optional: Watercolor pencil for sketching (brown) *I used an Albrecht Durer watercolor pencil but you don’t need something that high end.
• Colored pencils (Prismacolor)
• Gel pen (white) *I linked to Uniball because the Arteza ones I used in this project are giving me trouble and the uni-ball is more reliable
• Reference photo

I hope you get some creative time this weekend and til next time happy crafting!

Serene Watercolor…

Hi friends! What a week! I actually tried to blog some projects earlier this week but my blog kept crashing. I’ll catch up sometime but for now I thought I post a relaxing watercolor tutorial.

Watch the video and follow along!

Supplies (affiliate links used)

• Watercolor: Altenew
• Watercolor sketchbook: Stillman & Birn Beta Series Mixed media (8.5″x5.5″)
• Watercolor brushes
• reference photo

How are you doing? I feel adrift this week with everything going on in the world. Art is so important during these times because you can turn off the worry side of your brain and get lost in the flow of creativity. If you are having trouble relaxing and getting started just pick up a pencil, brush or crayon and start drawing. Maybe swatch a supply or organize your supplies while listening to music or an audio book. If you have kids at home you can make a coffee table craft kit so you can create together while watching a happy movie. These times can be special if we use the time to be creative and spend time with the people we love. Take care and happy crafting.

Sweet Sleepy Watercolor Fox

Hi friends! I hope you are enjoying a lovely Thanksgiving.

Here is a sweet, easy watercolor tutorials if you find yourself with some free time today and you want to create. If you are busy today, don’t worry, you can watch it when you want to.

Want more quick watercolor projects for Christmas? check out my new class Handpainted Holidays and save 50$ with coupon code XMASTREAT through 12/1/19 or by clicking this discount link.

Supplies available at sponsor Jerry’s Artarama! Use coupon code: frugal20FS49 for 20% off $49 + Free Shipping (Excludes: Sale, Super Sale, Egift Cards, Buy It Try It’s and Vendor restricted items. Look for the green coupon eligible icon on the product listing.

Supplies:

• Turner watercolors: Yellow ochre, burnt sienna, Quin Rose, Ultramarine
• Mimik watercolor brushes (faux squirrel)
• 100% cotton paper
• Colrease pencil in Terra Cotta for sketching or you can use a regular pencil
• Reference photo

I hope you have a wonderful day! Happy painting!

Let’s Paint a Beautiful Blue Ball Jar With Bittersweet Berries!

Hi friends! I hope you are free this evening for a fun paint and chat on YouTube at 8pm eastern time. We are painting this pretty still life.

My friend Glenna took me to lunch yesterday and on the way home we spotted these pretty berries growing along the side of the road. We stopped and clipped some because we thought they would be fun to use in fall decorating or maybe wreath making but judging by how many berries fall off when we handle them we would end up with a stick wreath, not a berry one LOL! Feel free to use my reference photo to draw or paint from. You can also print it out and trace it if you don’t want to draw.

I will be premiering this tutorial at 8pm eastern time tonight on YouTube. I will be hanging out live in chat so I hope you come by. Make sure you watch on the YouTube watch page if you want to ask me questions as we go along or chat with fellow painters. You can watch it on my blog but the live chat is only on YouTube. The tutorial will take about 1 hour and 30 minutes but a replay will be available. I figured a long holiday weekend is the perfect time for a long tutorial as you can stop and take a break and come back to us when you have time.

Supplies

• Watercolors (Paul Rubens new tubes in the pink palette)
• Brushes (Creative Mark Mimik)
• Watercolor Block 8″x10″ hot press Paul Rubens
• Optional (I used the following for accents) White gel pen, Prismacolor colored pencils

NEW Class! Hand-painted Holiday! 50% off Launch Special!

Have you ever wanted to send beautiful watercolor Christmas cards? How about decorate your gifts with gorgeous hand-painted tags that can be used as bookmarks or ornaments? In Hand-painted Holidays, new mini-course suitable for all levels, I’ll show you how! I’ll offer tips of making the most of your time and supplies and offer advice on making prints of your cards if you don’t want to hand-paint them all. I’ll show you haw to transfer a pattern (patterns are available for the 4 featured greeting cards) so you can start off on the right foot, and then we will warm up with 6 freehand gift tags that you will draw and paint with me step by step! Before you know it you will be painting beautiful Christmas motifs right beside me that you can proudly mail your friends and family. Best of all you will have time to complete these projects before the holidays roll around! This class sells for $39 but, as always, I give my friends 50% off when I launch my classes. Use coupon code XMASTREAT or click one of the special discount links in the blog post to enroll in Hand-painted Holidays for $19.50. I hope to see you in class, thanks!

If you have any question about the class you can leave a comment here or join me tonight at 8pm ET on YouTube for the live chat. See you then!

Big, Bold & Beautiful!

Hi friends! I had a lot of fun on this painting!

I was inspired by these silk flowers, boy, they make some really pretty ones now!

Watch the video for a full, real time tutorial!

Want to learn to paint gorgeous flowers in a loose style? Check out my Watercolor flower Workshop! Use coupon code YAYFLOWERS if the discount doesn’t appear. 25% off discount is good on one-time purchase and payment plan.

Supplies (affiliate links used)

• Watercolors in Sap Green, Alizarin Crimson, Rose Madder/Permanent Rose(optional), Cad Yellow Light or lemon, Sap Green, Ultramarine Blue, Burnt sienna Tubes or Pans
• This is the palette I have
• Paper: Hahnemule Cezanne #140 CP 11″x14″ (cut from a full sheet) also available at most fine art retailers
• Brushes (various) here are a couple affordable sets: These for loose and splashy techniques and these for tighter detailed techniques
• Gouache for accents
• White posca pen ex fine

Happy painting!