5 Ways To Get In The Creative Zone - #3

SPRING FANCY

10x15 watercolor on rice paper

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I find it helps me creatively to constantly fill my head with inspiration from art books, magazines and my own photos. Take a trip to the art store and see what new supplies and materials are available to play with. Go to an art show or museum and see what other artists are doing. Look at art, think about art and you will want to create art!

5 Ways To Get In The Creative Zone - #2

SUNSHINE IRISES

8x15 Watercolor

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I find it helpful to keep several creative projects going at once in different stages. As I am finishing up one painting I can be thinking about the next step for another one and maybe how I want to begin a new watercolor. It helps to keep the creative juices flowing and takes the pressure off of having all your eggs in one basket!

5 Ways To Get In The Creative Zone - #1

HIBISCUS GLOW

10x10

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A common complaint among artists is that it is sometimes hard to get 'In the creative zone.' I would like to share 5 ways that often help me get and stay in that artistic place we all love to be.

The first, is to trick yourself into getting started working on something creative. We often think we need a lot of open time in our schedule to sit down and paint but if you tell yourself you have 5 minutes to fool around you will soon be hooked and realize that you actually do have time to be creative. 

Roses and Watercolor

ROSES 

 Watercolor - 11x15

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Roses can be intimidating to paint because they are such a perfect looking flower. I always begin any floral painting with wet paper, applying the paint quickly and loosely for a soft background.

While the paint is still wet, I begin to use thicker, darker paint with little water to begin defining some of the roses and petals. I let that dry and then come back in on dry paper and start adding definition to the roses and leaves.

An Elephant, Funky Colors and Spatter

ELEPHANT WALK

Watercolor 11x14

SOLD

Years ago, my grandpa spent time in India and brought my brother back a small, wood carving of an elephant and he has collected them every since. I had so much fun using off beat colors for this painting - you don't really think purple, orange and turquoise when talking about elephants. Add a vignette and some spatters and you have a fun, colorful and unique painting.

Elephant Walk now has a new home in Minnesota with Tanya - thanks

Sunflower, Old Metal and Instant Coffee

SUNFLOWER FENCE

Watercolor - 15x21

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I have to admit that I am not a coffee drinker - at all. And no, I don't like tea either. It kind of puts me out of step with most people since it has become so popular for everyone to drink all kinds of fancy coffees but I do like using it in my paintings. Yes, coffee and watercolor.

If you sprinkle instant coffee grounds on wet paint it will dissolve somewhat and create great color and texture. It works great for rusty metal, old wood and backgrounds.

Walk By Art and BIRD IN TREE

BIRD IN TREE

Watercolor 11x15

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I have taught watercolor classes for over fifteen years now and one of the most common things I hear from students is that they have a hard time getting any painting done at home. My advice is that it really helps to have a place where you can set up your paints, water and paper and leave them out. If you are always having to set things up and then put them away you will never get any painting done. If everything is already out, you can stop and paint anytime you walk by - even if it is for five minutes. Do you have your own place set up to paint at home?

SWAN LAKE and Your Creative Zone

SWAN LAKE

Watercolor - 11x15

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I recently found this painting in my stack of unfinished watercolors. Several years ago we were focusing on swans in my weekly classes and I had started this as the class demo but never completed it. I sometimes find it hard to rediscover the initial creative spark when I am trying to get back into a painting but I have learned that if I just make myself sit down, pick up the brush and put some paint on it I will soon get back in to the creative groove and have fun seeing it to completion. How do you get yourself in the artistic zone?

Sailboats and New Home on the Lake

SAILING WATERS

Watercolor - 11x15

SOLD

I love keeping in touch with the people who have purchased my paintings and especially enjoy seeing the final piece in its new home. Sonja sent this photo of Sailing Waters matted and framed in the bunk room of their new home on the lake in Texas - isn't that perfect?

Water, Tissue Paper and Colorful Flowers

BOUQUET OF COLOR

Watercolor - 11x15

Purchace Info

As many of you know I love to experiment and use different techniques along with traditional watercolor methods. For Bouquet of Color I painted wet on wet through tissue paper to create fun and interesting texture as seen in the detail photos below.

When everything was dry, I removed the tissue and used negative painting to define the flowers and leaves. I love starting a painting this way because it forces me to deal creatively with the texture marks and figure out how to incorporate them into the final piece.

I would love to hear from any of you that have tried this method before? Did you enjoy it?

Irises and Painting on Masa Rice Paper

IRISES

Watercolor on rice paper - 10x18

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I love experimenting with different painting surfaces and Masa rice paper is one of my favorites. I first crumpled the rice paper and soaked it in some water, then glued it to 140 lb watercolor paper. While it was still wet, I began painting in color for the background and the irises, being careful to leaves some white areas. I used negative painting to further define the ruffled edges of the iris petals. You can see some of my step-by-step photos of painting on masa paper here

Colorful Koi and Summer Memories

KOI JEWELS

Watercolor - 11x15

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Every summer, since our oldest daughter was born, we have visited my parents in Texas for a few weeks of fun and sun. One of the things we would do is take the kids to the Botanical Gardens and let them feed the beautiful koi fish swimming around the lily pads - such wonderful memories!

SALE Section of My Etsy Shop

SPRING IN A JAR

Watercolor 11x15

Purchase Info

We are in the middle of summer now but there are still flowers blooming here and there. Spring in a Jar is in the SALE section of my Etsy Shop where I have reduced the price of several of my original watercolor paintings. You can check out all SALE paintings here

My Mom, the Color Pink and Great Memories

SOFT LIGHT

Watercolor - 11x15

Purchase Info

I grew up in an older house with a lot of charm and my mom decorated the guest room in soft shades of pink with antique furniture. There are twin beds and many feminine touches so it was the perfect room for our two girls to stay in whenever we visited. Soft Light is my tribute to the wonderful times we always have visiting my parents in Texas.

A New Home for a Cowboy Boot and Sunflowers

WESTERN BOUQUET

Watercolor - 11x15

SOLD

I had so much fun connecting with my Texas roots when I painted this cowboy boot filled with bright sunflowers. Western Bouquet now has a new home with Kaycee in beautiful Arizona.