Celebrating Color in Summer

The joy of new paints is trying out the colors and exploring what you can do with them.

The page "Things Leaves Do" was inspired by nature journaler Hannah Hinchman, author of A Trail Through Leaves: The Journal as a Path to Place.  She fills illustrated journal pages with topics like "Things Snow Does."

Playing with Watercolors

During an afternoon experimenting with watercolors, I took a post card sized piece of watercolor paper that I had painted streaks of blue on and added a heart design with Conte crayons.  I wrote a message on the back to my best friend, slapped on a stamp, and dropped it in the mail to her. 

I find even an hour spent with my brushes, colors and papers feels like a mini vacation from winter & daily stresses.

Salt added to a colorful wash creates a beautiful texture.

I painted this grassy scene and then covered the wet paper with plastic wrap to create additional texture.