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The Psychology of Yellow
Yellow just makes me happy! I love spotting it on my walks (a front door? a yellow center of a daisy) as well as wearing it – in a sweater, scarf, t-shirt! We only moved once during my childhood, and my parents selected the yellow bedroom to be mine before I had seen it. The room had yellow checked wallpaper. It was so cheery! Perhaps that is where my love for yellow started! The Psychology of Yellow It’s no surprise to find the psychological reactions that yellow can people. Here are just a few feelings and thoughts people have when they see yellow: optimism happiness hope positive thinking friendship good…
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At Home Creative Adventures: Floral Bouquet
To brighten up your environment, create a floral bouquet just for you! This creative prompt will get you outside looking for blooms, and inside creating a masterpiece. An impressionistic style is the best approach to making a colorful bouquet worthy to prop by your desk! Here are the blooms I found in my yard, inspiration for my bouquet. If you don’t have flowers in your yard, feel free to use mine as inspiration or head to the internet for more! Below is the time-lapse of me creating my bouquet. Notice the looseness of the lines, and watercolor. Also, the varied size interpretation of each bloom. The pansy bloom is actually…
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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: 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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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…
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Art on the Go: Art School: Line Basics – Blind Contour Drawings
A blind contour drawing is where you only look at the object you are drawing, and not at the paper you are drawing on. The purpose of this type of drawing is to have your brain focus solely on the object – to really look at it and see it for all it’s details. Obviously, since you are not looking at your paper, it doesn’t always translate like you expect, but sometimes these haphazard drawings can be quite fun. Blind contours also have the benefit of improving your eye hand coordination. It’s a simple art exercise that does not take much time, but can build your drawing skills and produce…
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Art on the Go: Art School – Line Weight
Experimenting with line weights in your sketching can open up a world of possibilities to your drawings. There’s something quite clean and straightforward about a line drawing that is created using one single line weight. It’s one of my favorite go-to styles when creating a travel sketch. But playing with different line weights can also allow for a whole host of effects (subtle or bold) to enhance that same sketch. So, how does one achieve a varied line weight in a drawing. Well, it’s quite simple. You can use varied weight pens, or a brush pen. Just as pencils have many different types of lead that vary in softness (that change…
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Art on the Go: Art School Line Basics: Contour vs. Gestural vs. Implied
One of my goals this year is to kick off a new Art on the Go series called “Art School.” Although I attended art school many, many years ago, like any profession, it’s always great review to go back to the basics and brush up your skills. I hope in going through my journey I can also inspire you to pick up your pencil, pen, or brush and join in. There are so many wonderful things to draw either at home or on a trip, so time to get started! Today’s “Art School” lesson will be studying 3 basic types of line drawing; contour, gestural and implied. These lines are the basis…
