How I create lines in my paintings…
I love creating lines in my work, but I don’t do it by painting them directly. There’s an easier way. By working with values and the paint layers I have, I paint and cover areas, resulting in cool lines that give the work a finished quality. Check this out… Sometimes...
Watch how I create cool effects with crayons!
Happy Sunday! I’m working in my sketchbook with crayons and thought I’d share the cool effects I’m getting. I start by making a simple pattern. Check this out… What I love about crayons is that you can alter the color with layers of other colors. Plus, scratching...
How I drop into my work quickly…
I’m in the studio today with a painting I haven’t worked on in a while. To help me drop back into it quickly, here’s something that I do, that you might want to try too. I unplug from my phone and other distractions and set a timer for 20-30 minutes. It gets me out of...
Working large, small, and everything in between!
What sizes of paintings do you like to make? I work large, small, and everything in between! I have several different sizes going on in the studio now. Let me show you my favorites. Some sizes I choose are based on what people will buy, such as “the above the couch”...
Take a look inside my sketchbook…
I’m coming to the end of one of my sketchbooks. Before it gets tucked away on a shelf, I thought it’d be cool to show you some of its pages. After all, the point of this vlog is to inspire, and you might want to try making a book like this, too! I use this book to...
A time-saving tip to take to your studio
Here is a simple tip that helps me stay in a flow as I paint. It could help you too! I use color-coded bins to keep my paints organized. My paint tubes get so messy that I can’t even tell what color is in them. But if I take them from the bin marked with yellow, then...
The three stages of art-making
I love this Sunday Vlog because it’s a casual place for me to talk about ideas that come up when making my art. So if you’re new to the Art2Life Vlog, welcome! I encourage you to leave a comment so we can keep the conversation going. Today I’m looking at three...
This is the nature of creativity…
A while back, I shared the progress on a Tiny House I'm making with my daughter. We're back at it! The house is on wheels, so this week, we're working on it in a beautiful spot in Chico, CA. Unfortunately, we've hit some roadblocks, and things aren't going as planned....
Gaining Momentum in Your Work
A couple weeks ago, I told you that before leaving the studio, it’s a great idea to make a move on your painting that doesn’t quite fit. When you return, you have something obvious to respond to. Today I’m ready to work on this again and I want to show you how the...
How to problem-solve a painting
I just thought I’d share a tip about my painting process. I’m working on this painting, and the top isn’t working, so I need to make a change. When this happens, I look for clues in other parts of the painting where there is a feeling and energy I like. In this case,...
