Ever had that sinking feeling when you step back from your watercolour-in-progress, only to realise it's turning out to be about as striking as a pebble on a beach?

Well, fear not. Easy Notan sketches are your secret weapon against the dreaded "meh" painting. Set yourself up for success with this quick (and fun) two-minute exercise before you get out those paints.

Let me show you how this simple step can transform your watercolours from "bland to grand" faster than you can rinse your brush.

This step by step tutorial will have you using tonal values in painting a watercolour swan with in less than an hour. It is a quick fun project that is also tremendously helpful in building the skills you need in your painting arsenal.

Let’s begin!

Are you considering painting palm trees in watercolor?

Great idea!

Let’s get your painting off to an easy start with 7 tips on how to paint palm trees in watercolor. Oh, and would a youtube video demonstration on watercolor palm trees be helpful? I’ll include one or two of those too.

There are many ways to incorporate glorious texture into your watercolour backgrounds. Its part of what gives watercolour paintings so much life and interest!

Here are 4 of my favourite techniques for adding watercolour texture.

Do you have a sketchbook (or 6) that you wish you used more? We all do! If you are looking for some straight forwards suggestions about how to work in your sketchbook a bit more often, read on!

I have found the greatest success at filling up my sketchbook by applying these 2 simple tips:

1️⃣ Use a small sketchbook

2️⃣ Use a limited palette of colour pencils

Yes, it really can be as simple as that to fill more of your sketchbook pages (with a lot of ease and fun!)

Let me explain.

Do you need metallic watercolour paint? Well, need is a funny word… as in how many pairs of shoes does a woman ‘need’...?

It is much the same with art supplies. We don’t actually need that much. A loose watercolour painter really only needs…

How marvellous is it that looking at a picture can instantly change your mood?

The reason we love art is that it stirs an emotional reaction - it makes us feel something. An image can convey so much in an instant and each of us has our own unique response.

So how do you create a mood in your painting?

Let’s start with these 6 tips…

Looking for affordable watercolour paints that deliver professional results? Aren’t we all!

I just received a Meilang set of 36 Watercolour Tubes to review. I’ve been very curious to see how they compare to my existing palette of paints from renowned brands.

I want to know whether investing in expensive paints is truly necessary and I’m hoping to find some substitutes for beloved colours within this affordable set of watercolours.

You too? Well let’s dive in then!

Ever want to paint but just feel too….

tired,

under the weather,

busy?

One of the reasons I chose watercolour as a medium in the first place is because it requires very little in the way of supplies, set up and clean up. Even so, there are times when I simply can’t be asked to get off the couch, painting urges notwithstanding.

I’d say that happens to all of us.

Either way, what’s a busy painter to do?

How about this…

You often hear people bemoaning the appearance of muted or ‘muddy’ colours in their paintings. In general, we all want clean vibrant colours. Muddy colour is the affectionate name given to muted (dull or grey) colour.

When you were hoping for clean vibrant colours, muddy or muted ones can be disappointing.

But these muted tones are not poor cousins of the vibrant ones - far from it. They have a beauty all of their own and can be used quite effectively to tell a part of the story in your watercolour painting.

Have you ever had a bright lively painting in mind, but when you painted it the result seemed a little dull?

Or have you tried to mix a nice modern purple only to find you end up with a sort of grey?

It’s not just you.

It could be more about whether you are working with colours based on the CMYK scheme or the RBY scheme.

Let’s figure how this might affect your watercolour painting.

If you are thinking about your watercolour painting goals and wondering what your strategy should be, I have a simple approach to share.

There’s one thing your watercolour painting process really needs. It also happens to be the simplest way to set your painting goals and measure your success.

Sometimes all it takes to invigorate your sketchbook practice is a change of sketchbook.

Let’s discuss 5 reasons you might want to use a toned sketchbooks and 3 ways you can try one out before you buy it!

You don’t need to find your artistic style. It isn’t lost. Let me explain…

Some of the most joyful watercolour pigments you will find are in the family of pinks and reds - but alas the one you like best is described as ‘fugitive’.

And let me guess… you just had one of those fervent know-it-alls condemn the use of a colour like opera pink because of this particular characteristic. 😲

So let's first clarify what a fugitive paint is and then figure out how much we should care about that in our watercolour adventures.

Tight briefs are good for painters… Not those 🩲 briefs 🙈 - creative briefs! Let me explain.

I know it sounds counterintuitive because we all love the romantic notion of free spirited creatives with limitless possibilities.

But when it comes down to it, infinite possibilities are not as much of a blessing as one might think.

So. sketchbook, visual diary or art journal… what's the difference?

Which one should a beginner take up?

Let’s investigate and find out which one is right for you.

Ever heard that artists should work in a series?

In part, this conventional wisdom is to do with the more commercial aspect of an artist's work - developing  a body of work for which they are known. But really I think this undershadows some of the more important benefits that arise when you work in a series.

Wherever you are in your creative journey there is merit to taking on board some of the ethos of working in a series.

In fact, even if your creative project is your big beautiful life as opposed to a particular creative hobby there is merit to giving yourself some sort of 'series' to work on in order to reap these benefits.