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 little piglets in watercolour taught me a thing or two about attitude.

They showed me just what it might look like to approach everything with gusto, in the spirit of play!

Let me show you…

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.

Ever doubt the importance of your creative hobby? 🤔

Rest assured, creative hobbies offer a range of health benefits that improve our capacity to cope with life in general.

Here’s why…

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.

Children are a subject matter that calls to me so often for this very reason. There seems to be something so fitting about capturing a little of the spirit of childhood in paint.

I think that because of this reverence in which I hold the very idea of childhood, and the fact that drawing children means drawing people, it is a subject that can be as terrifying as it is attractive.

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.

If you are new to watercolour and looking at setting up your paints and palette you may have already discovered so many types of palette available that it makes for a daunting choice!

Let’s break it down and make it simple, shall we?

Here are my thoughts on each of the types of palette available for your watercolours and my advice on how to set up your palette.

A little girl on a swing is one of the most joyful images of childhood I can think of - a perfect subject for a loose expressive watercolour painting.

It can be intimidating to contemplate incorporating a figure into your painting! 😱

Here are 3 tips you can use to be gentle with yourself when it comes to learning to paint the figure.

Colourful interesting scenes beg you to paint them but are often intimidatingly complex - unless you know how to simplify a photo for painting!

I have 3 tips to share (+ a video demonstration) that will have you confidently painting stunning scenes like this flower garden.

Line and wash is a watercolour technique that combines a line drawing with a watercolour painting. Since a lot of the structure of the painting is established by the line drawing itself, often all that is needed from the paint is a little wash of colour - hence the name, line and wash.

Let me show you the sort of effects you can get with line and wash watercolour techniques - yes, there are videos! 🍿🎥

I’ll also tell you about my favourite pens to use in line and wash paintings and explain why line and wash can be a great watercolour technique for beginners.

If you’ve ever wondered if painting is an indulgent waste of time, let me assure you that painting is a great hobby for very many good reasons, and none of these depend on artistic skill.

In fact I have come to realise that painting can make you happier even if you don’t get as far as actually doing the painting part.

No really, let me explain.