My Creative Side
Watercolour and mixed-media art projects and inspiration for FREE.
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The Playful Artist - Ugly and Proud
When someone finds out I’m an artist, I often hear about their own experiences with art. Most people talk about only being able to draw stick figures—I hear that the most—but then there are those who have either given up their creative outlets or feel overwhelmed in starting again. The truth is, as much as I try to be chill about my own art practice, creativity comes hand in hand with fear.
Art Project - Mirror Image Landscape
The kids in my art classes don’t always love to be challenged but I push them a little sometimes. I advised them all to create one thing at a time and copy its reflection right away. Easier said than done.
Because I have multiple art classes in a week, I painted this one a few times and I loved created each one. They all came out so differently! Give it a try.
Creative Warm Up - Watercolour and Black Marker
When kids arrive at my studio for art class after school there’s a mix of energies coming at me. To reset the group I like to always start a class with a creative warm up. It’s different every week. Last week we started with a 2 part warm up, meaning we started it at the beginning of the class and then finished it at the end. It requires some drying time in order for us to be able to put details on top with the black marker.
The Playful Artist - Muscle Memory
I’ve been thinking about muscle memory a lot lately. I’m not going to go deep into what muscle memory is, but to quickly sum it up it’s when physical actions become automatic through repetition. We can easily climb stairs while holding a full basket of clothes without tripping and falling because we’ve climbed those stairs so many times before—we don’t even have to think about it. What I have been wondering is this: can muscle memory be the cause of your artistic style?
Creative Warm Up - Describe and Draw
At the beginning of each kids’ art class I like to have a warm up. It’s a good way to connect our hands to our heart and our eyes. Warm ups change through the season. because I notice when an idea gets old for the kids. Their efforts and excitement starts to dwindle. A month ago I started the Describe and Draw warm up, where I find a picture online (usually Pinterest) and they need to draw a picture based on my words, and their interest came back.
The Playful Artist - Being Green In The Art Studio
As an art instructor, artist, and Mom, I am aware of the waste in art. The amount of paper, canvases, clay, craft supplies, paint, brushes, crayons, and markers that end up in the bins is heartbreaking but unavoidable. Art is a necessity, and stopping is not an option.
Drawing Prompt - River and Mountain Landscape
My goal today is to take this river and mountain photo and turn in into something a little more abstract using my mixed-media tools. You might want to try the same thing or paint this photo how you see it.
The Playful Artist - The Power of Being Seen
There are people we meet in our lifetime who make a huge impact on us and the path we take, and one of them, for me, was my grade 12 English teacher, Mrs. Heimstra. It’s a pretty funny story, looking back, because all she did—and I still don’t know why—was ask me if I wanted to join the small (super elite, in my mind) group of kids representing our school at the Academic Decathlon.
Art Project - Tree Sprouting
The sprouting tree is lush, playful, and open to new ideas. I started very light and built up the colours from there. If you want to se my video, I am posting for all to see. Give it a try!
Drawing Prompt - Lanterns
What beautiful shapes and colours to play with. The trick might be in making the paper lanterns glow. It will take a bit of planning ahead. If you’re using watercolours, I would start very light and then build the colour from there, allowing the lightest areas to stay light.
How To Use Watercolours - Start A Messy Landscape
When I start a messy, abstract landscape painting, this is how I usually begin. Watch how I started My Assurance, a messy landscape painting created from a few brush strokes.
Art Project - Gnome Home
The gnome home art project idea came to me after a birthday party art session and the girls were wanting to paint a gnome or a gnome home. We did the gnome (they rocked it) and then I thought I should do a gnome home still because the possibilities are endless. It’s so fun!
Creative Warm Up - Watercolour Bubbles
I tried to combine the watercolour bubbles with a koi fish painting but, truly, all the kids really wanted to do was create a full page of bubbles in different colours and sizes. It’s a really fun and rewarding thing to do!
The Playful Artist - Artist In Training
Well, this is exciting. I was asked-and even encouraged-to use Fernie Fix as a platform for my own personal agenda: to make everyone start a daily creative practice! Mwaahhahaha! You’re all going to be drawing birds in adorable sweaters in no time.
Creative Warm Up - Imaginative Play
Creative warm ups to keep your imaginations sharp - ripped pieces of paper turned into a picture and a doodle play practice.
Drawing Prompt - Palm Trees
We don’t get a lot of palm trees in Fernie, BC, Canada, so when I see a picture of palm trees, I consider it a challenge. Let’s see how we recreate this row of palm trees! Everyone will work so differently, which is so fascinating to me, and what makes me love art so much. Enjoy!
Art Project - Polar Bear with Salty Sky
The polar bears are the easy part. This piece is more about exploring the sky and trying to find the colour and textures you want to use. In our art classes we used salt and tissue paper to create texture in the sky.
Drawing Prompt - Winter Lodge
This photo reminds me of Island Lake Lodge, a really cool resort just west of Fernie, BC. Since I want to practice evening landscapes, I thought this would be just the right place to start. The contrast of warm light and cool colours will make the cabin really stand out.
Art Project - Gift Labels
Create your own Christmas gift labels or make them for Birthdays, too. These gift labels can be made a couple different ways. I used shipping label paper from Staples and then drew on them with marker and coloured pencils. You can also create these using regular white printer paper and glue or tape them to your presents.
Drawing Challenge - Weekly December Prompts
It’s my first weekly drawing challenge where you get a prompt and try, the best that you can, to draw, paint, etch, sketch the word of the week multiple times. The challenge is to create from the same prompt in different ways each day.