Art on the Go
Artistic and crafty assignments for travelers
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Art School: How to Draw a Prickly Pear Cactus
I have been fortunate to be able to travel to Arizona often as I my in-laws live in Tucson. Every time we visit, I am just in awe of the landscape. It feels so drastically different from California. Although Northern California where I live is a dry climate, it can’t hold a candle to how dry the Sonoran Desert which surrounds the Tucson area is. The landscape is sandy soil terrain filled with cactus for miles backed up against rugged mountains in the distance. Quite stunning! To celebrate the southwest desert look I’ve created a series of cactus tutorials – first up, the prickly pear cactus. Enjoy and be sure…
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The Benefits of Keeping a Travel Journal and Taking Your Art on the Go
I’ve been keeping a travel journal of some sort for as long as I can remember. Some of my journals are purely a diary, a written account of what I did on the trip. Some are filled with simple doodles and some are even conversations between the people I traveled with. But by far, my most favorite travel journals are the ones with art in them. It may be a tiny postage sized stamp drawing, or a watercolor that fills the entire spread. I’ve made some with colored pencil and others with only a black pen. There are even a few that are collaged with found ephemera. Regardless of how…
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Art School: How to Draw – Out the Airplane Window
No matter how many times I get on an airplane, I will never tire of staring out the airplane window! Even at my age, I vie for that window seat so I can watch the show. I have snapped endless pictures out the window, but must admit, it’s much more fun to draw and paint the scene. Here is a simple how to draw the out the airplane window. Get Creative The possibilities are endless of how creative you can be on what to draw out the window. Perhaps you see a galaxy or a constellation, or maybe an alien ship. Don’t limit your imagination!
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Art School: How to Draw a Globe
One of my favorite things to draw is a globe. It’s probably no surprise, since it represents something I’m so passionate about, travel! It’s also the perfect icon to put your favorite travel saying inside and practice your hand lettering. Below is a free printable guide to teach you how to draw a globe. Click on the image and print from your browser to draw your own.
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It’s a Colorful World – December Color Palette
December is one of the best months to get out and about, open your eyes and see the colorful world we live in! Here’s a new palette for the month to keep an eye out for. These are some of my favorite holiday shades– cherry red, crisp turquoise, vibrant chartreuse, forest green and a rich brown. Once you spot these colors, whether it’s thumbing through your holiday ornaments, or at walking by an elaborate Christmas window display, snap a pic, make a quick sketch, then let me know! Post it on social media and tag #itsacolorfulworld, or send me an email! I can’t wait to see what you find. December…
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Art on the Go: Countdown to Christmas Free Printable Art Project
I always find that Christmas creeps up on me faster than ever, so this year, I decided to create a fun art project to countdown the days to Christmas and I’d love for you to join along! This countdown is all about playing with art. I’ve created simple holiday icons for each day and it’s our job to decorate each day however we like — watercolor, crayons, color pencil, markers, glitter, collage, paint, doodle — whatever medium, however you’d like! This project is all about being creative and exploring. There’s not need to worry about staying in the lines, just create and have fun. Be sure to share your countdown…
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Art School: Apple Template & Watercolor Wash Tutorial
There are so many delicious varieties of apples in the stores these days, some are crispy, some soft, some sweet, some tart. There’s really an apple for everyone. Apples also make a great prop for practicing watercolor washes as they come in so many colors as well. Washes are one of my favorite techniques to use when painting with watercolor. The inherent properties of the paint make for beautiful bleeds and unexpected results. Below is a free printable tutorial to practice your watercolor washes making apples. I’ve also included an apple template page if you want help getting started. Free Printable Apple Template Once you’ve completed the exercise, be…
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It’s a Colorful World – November Palette
Many years ago, while traveling with my family we came up with a “game” for the day where we’d pick a color and while we were out touring we would snap a picture when we saw the color. The picture could really be of anything; a door, a flower, some food, a painted wall, a sign. It’s amazing how many pictures each of us would find, and how artsy some of them were! For instance, when touring Istanbul, I picked the color red. It was everywhere, from flags hanging proudly to the bright red trolly in the Taksim neighborhood. I even found this very random red chair, on the side…
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I Am Creative – An Affirmation for All
We live in a world where fears and anxieties can many times overwhelm our own creativity. How many times have you heard, “Oh, I’m just not creative…” or “I can’t seem to come up with any ideas, I must not be that creative…” Our own fears many times preclude us from being the creative person we want to be. Fear of being judged, failure, or not being able to come up with an ideas at all can many times stop us from even trying. It’s really too bad since inherently everyone of us is creative, brimming with ideas and imagination! I recently read a chapter in a book about creative…
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Art on the Go: Art School – Line Basics: Hatch and Marks to Imply Light and Dimension
Hatching or adding hatch marks is a technique used to add dimension and tonality to line art. It adds dimension to a simple line drawing by implying light and shadow. The hatch marks are used to indicated the shadow. It also adds tonality (or a range of tones) to a simple line drawing creating more interest. Hatch lines or marks are a simple and easy way to add pop to your everyday line art. Examples of Different Hatch Marks There are several different ways to create hatch marks. Below are 9 different examples, yet don’t let this list limit you. These are just some of the basic hatching marks, but…
