My Creative Side
New watercolour and mixed-media art projects and inspiration for FREE.
Find out about Brina’s Creative Side or log in for anyone who wants a little more art instruction. New projects and inspiration weekly for just $55 (until the end of 2025).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Art Project - Wildflower Pollinator
Wildflower Pollinator was created for my 10-12 year old art class who really wanted to paint flowers. It’s something I love to paint so I jumped on the chance. My style of teaching is to show a little and allow them to create their own art because I find kids have such amazing imaginations and I want them to explore their ideas.
Art Project - Oh Greenhouse
Inspired by artwork by Oamul Lu, a fantastic artist that you should look up, I created this Oh Greenhouse art project for an adult art class of mine. I wanted to try the masking fluid I had just purchased to help shape the greenhouse framing. It’s also a cool way to show contrast, between the inside and the outside of the greenhouse.
How To Use Watercolours - Plants and Leaves
When I paint leaves and plants, I let the paint brush do most of the work. The technique is simple, once you get used to it.
Art Project - What’s in the Frame?
What’s In The Frame? was designed after I took a picture of downtown Fernie with these trees framing the buildings in the background. The trees were darker, and ominous, while the town was bright and welcoming. How you frame a painting can send the viewers eyes right where you want them to and tells a greater story.
Art Project - The Curious Whale
The Curious Whale was created for my kids’ art classes soon after I worked on another whale project. It’s about a curious whale swimming up to the surface of the ocean to find out what is floating on the water.