Is it time to replace your watercolour brushes?

It can be hard to let go of a beloved painting supply, so it is handy know what to look out for.

Here are my best tips on how to tell if your watercolour brush needs to be replaced and how to look after your new paintbrushes so that you get the most use out of them.

Choosing the best colours to create skin tones in your watercolour painting can seem a daunting task.

Seldom does a watercolour paint set provide a sensible colour to use as a realistic skin tone. Fair enough considering the wondrous variety of skin tones we come across in real life.

So the best bet is to feel comfortable working out how to mix appropriate skin tones in watercolour.

Let’s get started doing just that in this article.

Capture the memories of your holiday and turn them into delightful works of art with watercolour painting. The key to success is choosing the right photo to paint.

Let me guide you through the process of selecting the best vacation photos for watercolour painting. From considering composition and lighting to analysing colour and subject matter, I want to share my tips and tricks to help you make the perfect choice for your next watercolour painting.

Ever started a watercolour class and found it began with loads of boring drills and practice exercises and took FOREVER to get to the fun of creating an actual painting?

Perhaps it’s time to fast track your watercolour adventure by NOT doing this.

Because yes, there is another way to learn, I believe.

Are you looking for an easy way to brighten up your sketchbook and quite probably your day?

Let me suggest adding a little coloured ink to your drawing and painting repertoire.

Shall we dig into the hows and whys of coloured ink?

With all the hustle and bustle, (wonderful though it may be) it is the time of year when one is more in need of a little quiet creative respite than ever. Am I right?

So what I want from my painting is utter simplicity. If you can relate, this might just be the painting project for you too.

Procrastination seems to be a natural part of the creative process, especially the very beginning.

Can creative people have too many ideas?

Here are 3 tips to help you get creatively unstuck…

Inktober is an annual art challenge that anyone with a pen and a piece of paper can enjoy. And that most definitely includes watercolour painters!

There are plenty of benefits to participating for you and your watercolour paintings.

If you think Inktober might be for you, I have a few tips and suggestions about how to design your own Inktober project and boost your watercolour skills.

Did you know that there are at least 7 reasons you DON’T need masking fluid?

Its awful stuff, but luckily there are many alternatives to the dratted masking fluid that allow you to preserve the white space in your watercolour paper with ease.

Let me share 3 reasons NOT to use masking fluid and then show you the many (and infinitely preferable) alternatives that are available.

Creative block is a very familiar feeling to most creative souls. From time to time we all experience the feeling of being unable to make what it is that we usually make, even if we really want to.

So just what is creative block and how can we beat it so that we can get back to painting?

I’m so glad you asked 😉….

Painting from your own photos of your own life is a very satisfying experience.

It can really elevate your painting practice to a whole new level so I have 10 easy tips that you can use to improve your own reference photography - with your phone camera - for better paintings.

If you have been finding it hard to actually get around to doing some art regularly the 100 day project might be just what you’re looking for!

Let’s figure out how to choose the best 100 day project for you. I’ll show you what I did for my 100 day project and give you a few more ideas to try.

Watercolour painting needn’t be complicated - in fact sometimes it doesn’t take much more than a simple line drawing.

This comes in handy rather often, for instance…

What makes good art supplies? It’s such a loaded question. Good on what level?

Figuring out what art supplies are best can be a bit of a minefield, especially for beginners!

Do a bit of research and you are sure to find plenty of contradictory opinions. So let’s ignore those and figure out which art supplies are going to be best for you.

Do you ever doubt your own creativity?

Ever wonder if in fact you are artistic at all? Well, wonder no more, Creative Soul.

Here’s how to tell.

There are a lot of ‘rules’ that you hear about watercolor painting and they are just the sort of thing that can intimidate the beginner and even completely discourage them from even attempting watercolor painting. Stretching the paper is definitely at the top of this list for me.

Here’s what you need to know …

So many people have the urge to do something creative like a spot of painting…. The number of people that actually put brush to paper? Considerably less!

Why is that? What stops us painting?

Let’s figure that out so that we can beat our creative blocks and get painting!

If you have been wondering whether you should paint from imagination, real life or a reference photo, the answer is yes, yes and yes.

There isn’t a right or a wrong way. Imagination, real life and reference photos all have their own merits and drawbacks as painting inspiration. Let’s dive in to each in turn.

Shadows are one of the most important aspects of a painting in my opinion. And the most fun! (Maybe that’s just me…)

here are two main types of shadow that will elevate your painting - cast shadows and form shadows.

Let’s review them both, shall we?

Where does a painter find the inspiration for a watercolour painting?

Do you need to be in front of a stunning landscape or a perfectly styled still life?
Thankfully, not!

I think we can often find the best inspiration to pick up that brush from the littlest things in our everyday life.

Yes, even on the most ordinary of days.