My Creative Side
New watercolour and mixed-media art projects and inspiration for FREE.
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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.
Art Project - Raahat Kaduji’s The Sea Turtle
Recreating and teaching with another artist’s artwork for my art classes is challenge in itself, as I am trying to figure out how they made it…AND I have to simplify it for my kids who can be as young as 7.
Art Project - Pumpkin Stack
This art project will have 2 parts. We’re going to start with the Pumpkin Stack and then get to the Jack-O-Lantern Stack in a couple weeks…for obvious reasons.
Drawing Prompt - Get Loose Birch Tree
During a walk along the Annex Park path, I snapped a photo of this tree and immediately knew I was going to paint it…or something based on it. I take a lot of pictures with the idea of painting it later.
Drawing Prompt - Bike
Bikes are one of those things I have a hard time drawing if I’m not looking right at one. When I find things difficult, I practice them. So let’s paint a bike together!
Art Project - Mushroom House
Most kids LOVE to draw or paint mushrooms. The shapes are simple and they can be done in any colour. They’re actually fun to paint at any age. So, when I was planning my art camp, I thought it would be cool to turn a mushroom into a home.
Art Project - Coffee (or Tea) Mug Still Life
This idea, of painting the negative space, is a technique I use often. This allows me to create more interesting shapes because I’m not very interested in perfection. This coffee cup is a great exercise in painting the negative space. It’s a fairly simple shape AND you get to create your own mug design.
Drawing Prompt - Story - Shooting Star
A drawing prompt short story to inspire your next drawing, painting, or, perhaps, a longer comic book story. It’s up to you.
Drawing Prompt - Cat
I love how defined the whiskers are on this cat. They kind of steal the show. Try drawing or painting this cat using any tool you have or multiple art tools in your art cart.
Creative Warm Up - Shape Party
We all need to warm up sometimes, especially when we sit at the table with all our supplies and we don’t know how to get started. This is my favourite painting and mark making exercise to get my ideas flowing…or to just play around.
Paint The Things You Find Difficult To Paint
The best advice I got from an art class was, If you find someone difficult to paint, paint it over and over again until it’s not hard anymore.
Art Project - Mountain Road
I came up with Mountain Road for my Summer Art Camp and this one was a challenge for the kids. In order to make it look 3D, you you just have to remember to continue your mountain from the outer edge of the road, not a continuation of the mountain lines.
Drawing Prompt - Pathway
A pathway sends your viewer’s eyes on a journey, so I would suggest painting or drawing this picture with an additional point of interest…or keep them guessing as to where the pathway leads.
Creative Game - Chalk Board Game
Life-Sized Chalk Board Games was a very fun idea for the kids - once they got going, the ideas started flowing. In this game, the kids create their own game where they are the pawns.
Why is a Sketchbook Practice Important?
My sketchbook practice didn’t start until the spring of 2023, when I understood that art is important for me. I need to it every day because it brings me so much joy and peace. A little book with blank pages can do so much for your art practice.
How To Use Watercolours - An Abstract Landscape
Due to the popularity of my abstract landscape paintings on social media, I thought I would create a video of how I do it.
How To Use Watercolours - Metal Surface
I don’t often paint metal surfaces, but when I do, it’s all about the highlights and shadows. Grab a scrap piece of watercolour paper or two and give this a try.
Drawing Prompt - Clouds
There’s an art to painting or drawing clouds. They seem like they should be easy, and they are if you’re going for those fun cartoony clouds, but I think the hardest part is creating something fluffy and dimensional with a few shades of a colour.