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Let’s Go to Hawaii and Paint Tropical Fish
Who doesn’t want to head to the tropics? Come on a virtual trip to Hawaii with me and let’s dive into the water and learn how to draw and watercolor tropical fish in this quick how to video! Be sure to pause the video along the way so you can practice drawing fun fish shapes, and adding splashes of watercolor in your favorite colors!
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Creative Wanderlust Prompt: Inspired by Maui, Hawaii
Maui, the second largest island in the Hawaiian island chain behind the Big Island of Hawaii, is nicknamed the Valley Isle. This name derives from the fact that the island is made up of two volcanoes (a volcanic doublet), where the lava flowed between the two to create an isthmus or valley connecting them. The older volcano to the west rises 5,777 feet above sea level and the younger volcano, Haleakala is more than 10,000 feet above sea level! Like most islands, Maui is filled with microclimates, from extremely wet areas to drier regions; warm regions to surprisingly cold ones (10,000’ elevation on Haleakala will do that, even if on…
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Art Lesson in Less than 5 Minutes: Learn How to Draw and Paint Decorative Masks
Follow along to this quick art lesson as I walk you through the process of learning how to draw and watercolor decorative masks one might see at Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Carnevale in Venice, Canaval do Brasil or at a masked ball any time of year!
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Creative Wanderlust Prompt: Mardi Gras
I can only imagine the buzz that is happening in Rio de Janiero, Brazil;, New Orleans, Louisiana; and Venice, Italy right now! It is Mardi Gras time (otherwise known as Carnevale in Venice and Carnaval do Brasil in Rio.) These cities are living it up before the religious season of Lent begins. Lent is a 40 day period that comes before Easter in the Christian calendar. It begins on Ash Wednesday, and ends with the Easter celebration. It is a season to reflect on the passion and sacrifices made by Jesus with fasting and penitence. Thus, the week before Lent begins cities around the world celebrate with one long party!! The…
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15 Minute Art Lesson: Learn How to Draw a Historic New Orleans Home
Follow along with this ~15 minute lesson and learn how to draw a New Orleans Garden District house, the Morris-Israel Home. We will virtually travel to NOLA where I will tell you a little about the house. Then, I will teach you a doodle approach to drawing the iron work sometimes called “iron lace” to give the impression of intricacy yet with a loose impressionistic approach. Following this lesson will not only show you how to draw this specific New Orleans home, but also teach your techniques to be able to draw houses and building around the world with similar ornate ironwork detailing. Be sure to share this video and…
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Creative Wanderlust Prompt: New Orleans
New Orleans or NOLA as many like to call it, is a city full of vibrancy, energy, color and personality! It’s hard to find a city that embodies so must creative spirit, diversity and fascinating cultural aspects; music, food, religion, history, architecture, nature, traditions and so much more. Each one tells an inspirational story that can prompt endless amounts of creativity. Like most of the cities across the United States, NOLA is a true melting pot of people and traditions dating back to before the nation was even formed. Its proximity to the Caribbean as well as its French roots gives it an individual flavor unlike any other location in…
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15 Minute Art Lesson: Paint a Ski Mountain
It’s hard to find time to create art. I get it! Even though this is my profession, I can find it challenging too, yet devoting just 10 or 15 minutes can make me feel so good! I’ll be releasing a bunch of new short art lesson videos on You Tube over the next coming months with this heuristic in mind – quick, fun, easy 10-20 minute art lessons you can do and feel great about the outcome. First up, painting a ski mountain! Learn How to Paint a Ski Mountain Painting snow in watercolor can be quite challenging, as snow is inherently white, and although white does appear in many…
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Creative Wanderlust Prompt: Ski Week
The long days of winter can be exhausting for many in cold climates. I wonder if that is why schools across America embraced the notion of “Ski Week.” It’s not officially called this, it’s usually referred to as winter break, but out here in California, many call it ski week as people love to adventure to Lake Tahoe or other ski areas and celebrate the snow. I was fortunate to grow up going to Lake Tahoe often as a child. My grandparents had a condo at Lake Tahoe and this is where we spent many, many winter weekends and vacations. My dad loved to ski – even his dad was…
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Draw on a Photograph: Adding Murals to Buildings You See (Digital Art School)
Painting a mural on a building is quite a feat! I am friends with a few illustrators who take on these projects and I’m always in awe! Not only does it take buckets (and buckets) of paint, equipment like a ladder or lift and time, it also takes a lot of training. It’s one thing to paint or illustrate an 8″x10″ image, and quite another to tackle the side of a twelve story apartment building in, say, New York City! The perspective one needs to view their art from a distance while painting it up close is a skill of its own. Perhaps it is a dream of yours to…
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Discover Mural and Street Art While Traveling: Uncover History, Stories, and the Personality of the Location
I love mural art. Whenever I travel, I make a point of wandering neighborhoods and cities seeking out the districts or areas where mural artists have made their mark. Melbourne, Australia; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Bergen, Norway; I can’t tell you how many cities embrace and celebrate this incredible art form! Not only does it brighten up an urban landscape, but the subject matter can be so indicative of the personality of the location. One may find a quote that is being expressed. Is this a saying or belief strongly held by locals? One may see a portrait of a person. Is this person of historic importance or significance to the city?…
