Armchair Travels with a Brush

A recent Google search (unrelated to finding photos to create from) brought up an image of this gorgeous Greek villa that swept me away.  

I sketched the scene with my Lamy fountain pen and waterproof black ink on Arches cold press watercolor paper, then added Winsor & Newton watercolors loosely. 

Have you recently been dreaming of a fantasy vacation?  Why not paint or draw your imagined getaway?  You can visit your own personal paradise every time to look at your artwork.

Happy Creating! 

A Watercolor Sketch of Alaska

I have this image as my screen saver, and every time I look at it, I get the peaceful feeling of awakening on board the Queen Elizabeth, sailing through the crisp Alaskan wilderness to Icy Strait Point.  

I instantly feel relaxed & invigorated.

As I awoke on a recent morning, the image of a green swoosh in a blue field came to mind.  I had programmed this image into my creative thinking, and now was the time to paint it.

 I opened my laptop. I pulled out my paints and a sample of New York Central Supply 100% cotton watercolor paper (140#).  I didn't tape it down or make a pencil sketch.  My goal was just to play & sketch. 

I mixed colors: 

• phthalo blue and new gamboge yellow for the hillside; 
• phthalo blue, burnt umber and a touch of alizarin crimson for the shadows; and 
• pure phthalo blue for the sky peeking through the clouds.

It felt good to explore the Alaskan coast again.

Your vacation photos, or other favorite pics can provide a treasure trove of material to paint or draw from.  

What memories would you like to revisit? 

As you return to your favorite place or time to create, remind yourself that you are not a camera, and you don't have to make your drawing or painting "perfect." 

As an artist, you will create your version of the photo.  That's the goal!

I hope you find inspiration to create today.

Happy Creating!

Beach Postcard Painting Inspiration

One way to keep enjoying your vacation once you return home is to create from your photos. 

 I have been diving back into pics from our recent Florida trip.

 The beauty of the wild dunes and the clean ocean sand made me wish I had more time to paint the scene while there in person, so I snapped this photo with my cell phone.

I've used this photo to create a little postcard.  This one is roughly 3" x 6".  The first washes were made with a number 8 round brush.

I finished the card with a number 1 rigger brush (shown in the top picture). 

Why not dig out your favorite photos from a past trip and immerse yourself in them artfully?  

Or find a photo of a place you'd like to visit and make a journal entry, a post card or a painting. 

 Follow your intuition!

And remember that you're not a camera, you're not trying to create an exact replica of the scene in the photograph.  Your goal can be to simply experience the beauty you see in a photo.