Do you enjoy taking your watercolors with you while traveling or to different local settings to create unique, artistic renditions of your experiences? Love exploring new art supplies and sharing them with your creative friends? Do you like bold, bright, expressive color? It's been a month since I first received my Viviva Colorsheets and I'm excited to report that, after having created a little series of paintings with them (some of which I'm including in this post), I'm ready to share my thoughts! In this blog post, I'll not only be including my swatching video for the 16 colors offered in Viviva's watercolor sheets, but I'll also share some information about this amazing brand, the products they currently offer and my observations after having explored them for a bit. This way, you can decide whether to order yourself a set a.s.a.p., or stick to regular watercolor tubes or pans. Viviva's watercolor sheets take the form of a booklet and each sheet contains 2 (6 x 4.5 cms.) highly saturated "plaques" of pigment. To use them, one has to simply touch the color with a slightly wet paintbrush and the color will be immediately activated. This is an idea pioneered by Peerless Watercolors in 1885 and Viviva has succeeded at creating their own modernized, all-around visually appealing version that they're constantly working on improving and providing different iterations of for their audience. Viviva Colorsheets was founded in 2015 by med student Aditya Vadgaonkar, who loved watercolor, but found it hard to make time to paint ever since starting with his university studies. Even when he did have a bit of free time, the set-up process, taking care of required supplies and clean up involved, made things very impractical for him. He longed to continue with his art practice and knew that there probably were lots of people around the world who loved art and felt that eagerness to sit down to create, yet found it too challenging to make time for it in their busy schedules. While working on a med school assignment involving a diagnostic technique that required picking up color from a paper substrate, the idea of creating watercolor sheets that contained color in dried form occurred to him. He thought this would be a great way to make watercolor painting more practical for busy people and for those enjoy sketching/painting outside of the studio, as these sheets would be easy to carry around and required minimal preparation/clean up. Passionate about making his idea come to life, Aditya then worked with an expert on colorants and, after 2 years and lots of different iterations, they arrived at a product that was ready to be offered to the world. They came up with a method to create watercolor sheets using a minimal amount of binder (when compared to regular watercolor pan sets), which gives them their vividness and great color payoff. 
Watercolor flower by Erika Lancaster- Viviva Colorsheets on Hahnemühle watercolor paper.
In May 2017, Viviva launched a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo in order to begin producing their colorsheets in small volumes and start selling worldwide. It was a huge success. Viviva has been working on their product design nonstop, and now offer a wide range of vibrant colors that are not only super bright and easily activated, but portable, durable and eco-friendly. They've added more colors, tabs on the bottom of each sheet so that colors can be easily found, protective water-repellent paper in between each sheet, a small foldable paper palette, and they've even added beautiful and customizable wood covers as an option for your colorsheets (an amazing addition if you want to give these colorsheets away as a gift). They've also been working hard on getting their innovative product into art-enthusiasts' hands worldwide, as they continue spreading their mission to share the joy of being able to paint anytime and without the mess. Today, Viviva is selling their colorsheets to artists and art-lovers all over the world via their website, as well as through art stores in the U.S., Canada, UK, Germany, France, Netherlands, Singapore, Honk Kong, Australia and more.
Viviva currently offers four different sets:
Find out more about their products by visiting their website. Viviva Watercolor SwatchesThe very first thing I did after receiving my colorsheets, was work on swatches for their 16 colors. As you'll see in the video, I also made sure to test out some techniques that I frequently use in my watercolor painting. As I explain in my blog post/YouTube video titled How to Swatch Watercolor and Why It's Important, making time to test out colors before using them in an actual painting will not only give us a feel for the usability of the new set on hand, but will also help us avoid surprises when we're laying down our colors and creating our different color mixtures. Many colors in regular watercolor sets often look very different while in the pan/tube when compared to how they look when they're placed on paper and Viviva's colorsheets are no different (specific colors like Violet, Peacock Blue and Viridian are especially surprising!). Swatching colors out also allows us to have a better understanding of the color range offered.
If you enjoyed this video and found it helpful, make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel. I share a brand new video every week with art tips, drawing and painting tutorials and mindset/productivity tips for artists. *Subscribe HERE*
The 16 colors included in Viviva's Colorsheets are: Crimson Deep Pink Vermillion Dusk Orange Chrome Yellow Gold Ochre Burnt Umber Burnt Sienna Light Green Sap Green Viridian Peacock Blue Persian Blue Violet Magenta Slate Black You'll notice that, in this video included above, I also share my initial thoughts on how these paints compare to regular watercolor pans and tubes. In many ways, these paints act more like dyes than regular watercolors and it's important to take this into account when you start painting with them. This said, I've come across pieces created by different artists using these colorsheets that look like they were painted with regular watercolors. Because of this, I refused to change the way I work and just simplified my method. I came up with something that works similarly to my usual techniques and that I like the look of. As with many art supplies, there's a learning curve involved, for sure. Especially if you already have a specific way of working as well as a style you're trying to achieve. As you'll see in the pieces I share here, I've have managed to use these colorsheets to successfully create beautiful wet-on-wet effects, muted out color mixtures and even a variety of values using layering to provide a bit more realism.
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Watercolor bird by Erika Lancaster- Viviva Colorsheets on Hahnemühle watercolor paper.
Watercolor landscape by Erika Lancaster- Viviva Colorsheets on Hahnemühle watercolor paper
Final Thoughts
Trying out these colorsheets has been a great experience and the product didn't disappoint. I'd recommend it to artists who are looking for convenience/portability and love creating quick paintings or sketches using watercolor, especially those who love bright color and do minimal color mixing.
Viviva's colorsheets are the smallest, most lightweight, portable set that I've ever used, which make them perfect for art on-the-go. Any artist who enjoys creating quick sketches outdoors, in different settings or while traveling, should definitely give these a go!
Though it definitely took me a bit to get used to them in order to produce the results I was after, I think the challenge has expanded my horizons and has made me a better artist.
Thank you for reading!
*Follow Viviva Colors on social media to see inspiring artwork created with their colorsheets, as well as the latest news from them:
Viviva Colors on Instagram
Viviva Colors on Facebook
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*This post contains affiliate links. I receive small commissions for purchases made through these links at no extra cost to you. These commissions help me keep this site up and running, in order for me to keep providing helpful and inspiring art content. :)
Interested in watercolor food illustration, but don't know where do start? How can higher levels of realism be developed using watercolor? Why is layering so important and how does it work when using this tricky painting medium?
In today's blog post/YouTube video, I'm taking you through my full watercolor painting process for a stack of doughnuts. Throughout the video included in this post, I share everything about my technique, no holds barred, as well as provide tons of tips on water control and much more.
I absolutely love painting food!
Food illustration is one of the first kinds of work I started doing when my journey with watercolor began a few years ago, and this is still my go-to subject when I feel blocked or frustrated creatively.
For the painting process I'll be sharing in this post, I used a photo that I took in my own home studio. Here's the photo and the final painting.
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*To get immediate access to a vault of my original art reference photos that gets added to every month and that you can use with no attribution, join us on Patreon!
Check out my blog post titled How to Take Your Own Art Reference Photos Quickly and Easily to find essential tips on taking pictures to work from for future pieces. Forming your own art reference photo library is so powerful!
Or, if you're short on time and are looking to find great art reference photos online that you can use without getting into trouble, check out this blog post.
Below the video, I'll be providing the key takeaways for you.
If you enjoyed this video and found it helpful, make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel. I share a brand new video every week with art tips, drawing and painting tutorials and mindset/productivity tips for artists. *Subscribe HERE*
Key Takeaways from Today's Watercolor Tutorial
1. Use a high-quality reference
When we're looking to develop higher levels of realism, getting information from references is essential. Whether we're using photographs or something we actually have in front of us that we can reach out and touch, we need information on what things actually look like in real life.
When you're looking for a great art reference photo to work from, there are a few things to have in mind. These include: image resolution, lighting, cropping, etc.
You want to work from a photo that'll make the process easier for you and not harder!
In my blog post titled 6 Tips for Realistic Drawing, I provide the key things to have in mind when looking for a great art reference photo for realism in drawing/painting.
If we work purely from our imagination, chances are we're going to be guessing on important details such as different values (highlights, midtones, darks) found throughout the three-dimensional structure of the subject, shadow placement, and small nuances that can really make or break the realism in our painting.
Training ourselves to observe the things around us is essential, especially as representational artists.
When we're going for realism, it's important to remember that we have to draw or paint the subject the way it actually looks like in real life and not what we think it looks like. These are two very different things.
And unless we've been studying a specific subject for a long time, in all sorts of different perspectives and lighting situations, most likely than not, having a reference is going to be necessary.
When you're looking for a great art reference photo to work from, there are a few things to have in mind. These include: image resolution, lighting, cropping, etc.
You want to work from a photo that'll make the process easier for you and not harder!
In my blog post titled 6 Tips for Realistic Drawing, I provide the key things to have in mind when looking for a great art reference photo for realism in drawing/painting.
If we work purely from our imagination, chances are we're going to be guessing on important details such as different values (highlights, midtones, darks) found throughout the three-dimensional structure of the subject, shadow placement, and small nuances that can really make or break the realism in our painting.
Training ourselves to observe the things around us is essential, especially as representational artists.
When we're going for realism, it's important to remember that we have to draw or paint the subject the way it actually looks like in real life and not what we think it looks like. These are two very different things.
And unless we've been studying a specific subject for a long time, in all sorts of different perspectives and lighting situations, most likely than not, having a reference is going to be necessary.
2. Pinpoint highlights and keep them protected throughout the painting process
Before getting started with my painting process, I always make time to pinpoint highlights, midtones and darks in my reference photo or the subject I have in front of me.
By doing this, you can map them out in your preliminary outline sketch (lightly!) and keep them protected throughout the painting process.
Remember that, when working with watercolor, the whiteness of your paper is going to stand for your highlights. If we cover them up, we're getting rid of that lightest value and there's no way to go back to the whiteness the paper once had.
Not to mention, when we're going for higher levels of realism, we need to develop a wide range of values starting from highlights, lightest lights, a wide range of midtones, and darkest darks.
With watercolor, we're using the medium's translucency, in combination with the lightness of the paper underneath it, to develop these different values.
If we're afraid of going in with darker/more saturated color and leave our painting very light all throughout, OR if we go in super dark and saturated right away and leave out lighter values, our painting will probably look very flat and/or heavy.
This is cool, if we're going for a more illustrative style, but not optimal if we want to create a sensation of three-dimensional form or depth in our painting.
By doing this, you can map them out in your preliminary outline sketch (lightly!) and keep them protected throughout the painting process.
Remember that, when working with watercolor, the whiteness of your paper is going to stand for your highlights. If we cover them up, we're getting rid of that lightest value and there's no way to go back to the whiteness the paper once had.
Not to mention, when we're going for higher levels of realism, we need to develop a wide range of values starting from highlights, lightest lights, a wide range of midtones, and darkest darks.
With watercolor, we're using the medium's translucency, in combination with the lightness of the paper underneath it, to develop these different values.
If we're afraid of going in with darker/more saturated color and leave our painting very light all throughout, OR if we go in super dark and saturated right away and leave out lighter values, our painting will probably look very flat and/or heavy.
This is cool, if we're going for a more illustrative style, but not optimal if we want to create a sensation of three-dimensional form or depth in our painting.
3. Use layering
When using watercolor, I like working from lights to darks, as this provides me greater control and helps me stay away from accidents that are hard to correct.
Also, I love using wet-on-wet for my beginning layers in order to create soft gradations and edges, and later move on to wet-on-dry techniques for my darker values and other details. In other words, I tend to use less and less water as the painting process moves forward.
Layering is awesome, but there are a few things to have in mind.
When painting with watercolor, it's important to remember that we're working on paper. Even though this paper is intended for water-soluble mediums, wet paper is fragile paper, and we need to stay mindful of when it's time to take a step back and allow it to regain its strength.
Especially when we're just getting started and haven't gotten our water control down, it's very easy to overwork/damage our paper.
It's okay to move the paint around a bit or even do some lifting with an absorbent towel while it's still wet if you do so gently, but going over the same spot again and again with your paintbrush is usually not the best.
Move the paint around minimally (if needed) and to allow that layer of paint to dry before going back in to darken certain areas or add further detail.
Also, it's important to have some sort of plan for your layers. Visualize and ask yourself how many layers you're going to need to create your painting and what techniques you're going to use for each layer to get the results you're after.
Ask yourself: Am I looking for the paint to blur out and create softer edges? Am I going for sharp, defined edges or marks?
If you want edges to be blurred out, go in while the paper is still wet (the level of wetness will determine how much your paint blurs out). If you want defined edges, make sure you've allowed your painting to dry completely.
Finally, remember to be patient! Achieving higher levels of realism is almost always going to take quite a bit longer than more expressive, loose pieces do.
But it'll totally be worth it!
Also, I love using wet-on-wet for my beginning layers in order to create soft gradations and edges, and later move on to wet-on-dry techniques for my darker values and other details. In other words, I tend to use less and less water as the painting process moves forward.
Layering is awesome, but there are a few things to have in mind.
When painting with watercolor, it's important to remember that we're working on paper. Even though this paper is intended for water-soluble mediums, wet paper is fragile paper, and we need to stay mindful of when it's time to take a step back and allow it to regain its strength.
Especially when we're just getting started and haven't gotten our water control down, it's very easy to overwork/damage our paper.
It's okay to move the paint around a bit or even do some lifting with an absorbent towel while it's still wet if you do so gently, but going over the same spot again and again with your paintbrush is usually not the best.
Move the paint around minimally (if needed) and to allow that layer of paint to dry before going back in to darken certain areas or add further detail.
Also, it's important to have some sort of plan for your layers. Visualize and ask yourself how many layers you're going to need to create your painting and what techniques you're going to use for each layer to get the results you're after.
Ask yourself: Am I looking for the paint to blur out and create softer edges? Am I going for sharp, defined edges or marks?
If you want edges to be blurred out, go in while the paper is still wet (the level of wetness will determine how much your paint blurs out). If you want defined edges, make sure you've allowed your painting to dry completely.
Finally, remember to be patient! Achieving higher levels of realism is almost always going to take quite a bit longer than more expressive, loose pieces do.
But it'll totally be worth it!
4. Stay away from stark looking shapes or marks, as well as obvious outlines
Not sure if you've heard this before but, in realism there are no outlines.
The way we're able to tell one plane from the next or one element from another element, is because there is a difference in values amongst them, not because there is an outline in between them.
And oftentimes, this difference in values is very subtle!
This can be a difficult thing to grasp when we're just getting started, especially because a lot of us get started with art by copying our favorite cartoon characters (which often have black or dark outlines all throughout) and/or because we get started coloring pages with our crayons that contain images composed of line drawings.
The more you practice drawing and painting, and continue developing your observational skills, the easier it gets to pinpoint subtle differences in values.
In this same vein, we want to stay away from marks that are way too stark looking as they also detract from the realism of the piece. Marks that are too obvious, or heavy/flat shapes are distracting and, if we need to incorporate marks, it's important to have line weight variation in mind, as well as gradations in values around them.
Also, it's important to keep things irregular, imperfect and organic, especially if we're drawing or painting something that isn't machine made. This leads to more natural results.
I like visualizing the different values throughout my subjects as abstract shapes that fit together as a type of puzzle.
The way we're able to tell one plane from the next or one element from another element, is because there is a difference in values amongst them, not because there is an outline in between them.
And oftentimes, this difference in values is very subtle!
This can be a difficult thing to grasp when we're just getting started, especially because a lot of us get started with art by copying our favorite cartoon characters (which often have black or dark outlines all throughout) and/or because we get started coloring pages with our crayons that contain images composed of line drawings.
The more you practice drawing and painting, and continue developing your observational skills, the easier it gets to pinpoint subtle differences in values.
In this same vein, we want to stay away from marks that are way too stark looking as they also detract from the realism of the piece. Marks that are too obvious, or heavy/flat shapes are distracting and, if we need to incorporate marks, it's important to have line weight variation in mind, as well as gradations in values around them.
Also, it's important to keep things irregular, imperfect and organic, especially if we're drawing or painting something that isn't machine made. This leads to more natural results.
I like visualizing the different values throughout my subjects as abstract shapes that fit together as a type of puzzle.
5. Add your shadow to place your subject in space
Shadows are so, incredibly important in realism! They establish the subject in space and situate it on the surface it's on. Without it/them, it'll look as if the subject is floating.
This is okay, in situations in which we're looking to create a completely background-free illustration, such as the type of work that we'll be editing digitally to place on products or to send to a client for some sort of editorial purpose. Like the ones I'm working on in my blog post/YouTube video titled How to Remove Backgrounds from Scanned Art (Photoshop for Beginners).
I love creating my largest area of cast shadow using wet-on-wet and then placing my area of occlusion shadow (darker area closest to the subject), on top of the first layer of lighter paint while it's still wet. This way the second, darker color dissipates and gradates into the lighter color.
Usually, there are different values even throughout areas of shadow. Sometimes there's a sharp edge between them, and other times they gradate softly into each other. It depends on the light situation present.
And remember, shadows should always be consistent throughout a piece. Otherwise, something is going to look off at the end and this will detract from the realism in the drawing or painting.
Before getting started with a new piece, locate the light source. Where is the light hitting the subject from? Is it in the top left? Top right? Right in front of the subject? Somewhere below it?
Wherever it is, keep in in mind throughout the painting process and make sure all the shadows you add in make sense.
This is okay, in situations in which we're looking to create a completely background-free illustration, such as the type of work that we'll be editing digitally to place on products or to send to a client for some sort of editorial purpose. Like the ones I'm working on in my blog post/YouTube video titled How to Remove Backgrounds from Scanned Art (Photoshop for Beginners).
I love creating my largest area of cast shadow using wet-on-wet and then placing my area of occlusion shadow (darker area closest to the subject), on top of the first layer of lighter paint while it's still wet. This way the second, darker color dissipates and gradates into the lighter color.
Usually, there are different values even throughout areas of shadow. Sometimes there's a sharp edge between them, and other times they gradate softly into each other. It depends on the light situation present.
And remember, shadows should always be consistent throughout a piece. Otherwise, something is going to look off at the end and this will detract from the realism in the drawing or painting.
Before getting started with a new piece, locate the light source. Where is the light hitting the subject from? Is it in the top left? Top right? Right in front of the subject? Somewhere below it?
Wherever it is, keep in in mind throughout the painting process and make sure all the shadows you add in make sense.
*BONUS TIP: Careful when painting white subjects with watercolor!
Painting white objects or animals can be tricky with this medium! We need to leave enough paper shining through to make the object (or part of the object) appear white, yet add enough color/values to give it a three-dimensional look.
If we don't develop enough values in these areas, the object will likely appear flat and will not be consistent with the other elements in your painting that you have developed a three-dimensional look in.
It's similar to how we never want to leave the whites of the eyes (the Sclera), or the teeth completely white when painting a portrait. White or off-white objects are never completely white in realism.
There are shadows falling over them that have to do with their structure and the elements around them, as well as colors in the environment they are in that affect the way we see them.
The material the subject is made of (bone, glass, ceramic, silk, etc.) also has a huge effect on its reflective qualities and how sharp those highlights are, as well as if we're able to see reflected colors on its surface.
On the other hand, if we go overboard with adding way too much paint and aren't careful to leave enough white paper unpainted, it won't look white anymore!
It's a very subtle balance, for sure.
I would recommend taking a step back from your work every few minutes, observing your piece from further back and comparing it to your reference. Ask yourself if more paint or detail is really necessary to create that illusion of three-dimensional form.
If it's not really necessary, leave it as is!
If we don't develop enough values in these areas, the object will likely appear flat and will not be consistent with the other elements in your painting that you have developed a three-dimensional look in.
It's similar to how we never want to leave the whites of the eyes (the Sclera), or the teeth completely white when painting a portrait. White or off-white objects are never completely white in realism.
There are shadows falling over them that have to do with their structure and the elements around them, as well as colors in the environment they are in that affect the way we see them.
The material the subject is made of (bone, glass, ceramic, silk, etc.) also has a huge effect on its reflective qualities and how sharp those highlights are, as well as if we're able to see reflected colors on its surface.
On the other hand, if we go overboard with adding way too much paint and aren't careful to leave enough white paper unpainted, it won't look white anymore!
It's a very subtle balance, for sure.
I would recommend taking a step back from your work every few minutes, observing your piece from further back and comparing it to your reference. Ask yourself if more paint or detail is really necessary to create that illusion of three-dimensional form.
If it's not really necessary, leave it as is!
Watercolor supplies used in video:
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Royal & Langnickel Zen Watercolor Brushes $2.99 - $5.99
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*This post contains affiliate links. I receive small commissions for purchases made through these links at no extra cost to you. These commissions help me keep this site up and running, in order for me to keep providing helpful and inspiring art content. :)
Why is having a designated space for art creation so important for artists? How can I create an inspiring area to work in when I'm short on space at home and/or barely have the budget to invest in my art supplies?
Lets be honest.
Staying consistent and productive can already be really hard for artists for a number reasons.
For a lot of aspiring artists I meet, their art tends to take back seat to more "urgent" priorities such as keeping up with classes, a full-time job and juggling all of this with adulting and family/social commitments.
I totally get it.
Even as a working artist myself, sometimes I look back to the last few weeks and it's pretty surprising to realize how much of that time I actually spent working on my art when compared to administrative tasks such as accounting and invoicing, marketing, emailing customers, preparing classes, providing students feedback, etc.
This is a big problem because not only is continuing to develop my artistic skills very important to me, but it's the foundation for everything else that can come from them, whether it's being able to sell my art, teach classes or workshops, or practically anything else I decide to do in my business.
If I'm not prioritizing my art creation, then I'll not be able to create the quality work I want to be able to offer and I won't have the ability/confidence to be a great instructor for my students, either.
Some time ago, I shared a blog post titled Time Management for Artists: My Secrets for Staying Consistently Productive, which I highly recommend checking out after this one if you're having trouble prioritizing your art and setting goals as a creative.
I also have this blog post/YouTube video, in which I provide my best tips that'll help you make more time for your art, even as a crazy busy person.
These are the things I set in place myself when I was still working at my last, "normal" highly-demanding full-time position in order to get to a point at which I was able to start selling my art and teaching others from my own home studio.
Remember that consistency is numero uno when it comes to making significant progress in any area of our lives, and our artistic journey has to be made a priority if we're looking to become more proficient and/or do this full-time in the future.
After setting this priority and committing to consistency, preparing a designated area where we can be productive in, even if it's just a few days a week for a short period of time, is instrumental in us continuing to take those steps forward.
No matter how big or small, or how fancy or scrappy (I'm still super scrappy and proud!) our personal creative space is, knowing we have that area to work in will make it much more likely that we'll stay consistent over time.
Not to mention, having our art supplies on hand, as opposed to stored away in a closet or drawer, will make it a lot more likely that we'll actually use them!
In today's guest post, emerging freelance writer Ruby Clarkson who's written for Jackson's Art and is absolutely obsessed with writing, theatre and visual arts, is sharing some awesome tips that'll help us create an inspiring space to work in.
Let's get into her article!
Lets be honest.
Staying consistent and productive can already be really hard for artists for a number reasons.
For a lot of aspiring artists I meet, their art tends to take back seat to more "urgent" priorities such as keeping up with classes, a full-time job and juggling all of this with adulting and family/social commitments.
I totally get it.
Even as a working artist myself, sometimes I look back to the last few weeks and it's pretty surprising to realize how much of that time I actually spent working on my art when compared to administrative tasks such as accounting and invoicing, marketing, emailing customers, preparing classes, providing students feedback, etc.
This is a big problem because not only is continuing to develop my artistic skills very important to me, but it's the foundation for everything else that can come from them, whether it's being able to sell my art, teach classes or workshops, or practically anything else I decide to do in my business.
If I'm not prioritizing my art creation, then I'll not be able to create the quality work I want to be able to offer and I won't have the ability/confidence to be a great instructor for my students, either.
Some time ago, I shared a blog post titled Time Management for Artists: My Secrets for Staying Consistently Productive, which I highly recommend checking out after this one if you're having trouble prioritizing your art and setting goals as a creative.
I also have this blog post/YouTube video, in which I provide my best tips that'll help you make more time for your art, even as a crazy busy person.
These are the things I set in place myself when I was still working at my last, "normal" highly-demanding full-time position in order to get to a point at which I was able to start selling my art and teaching others from my own home studio.
Remember that consistency is numero uno when it comes to making significant progress in any area of our lives, and our artistic journey has to be made a priority if we're looking to become more proficient and/or do this full-time in the future.
After setting this priority and committing to consistency, preparing a designated area where we can be productive in, even if it's just a few days a week for a short period of time, is instrumental in us continuing to take those steps forward.
No matter how big or small, or how fancy or scrappy (I'm still super scrappy and proud!) our personal creative space is, knowing we have that area to work in will make it much more likely that we'll stay consistent over time.
Not to mention, having our art supplies on hand, as opposed to stored away in a closet or drawer, will make it a lot more likely that we'll actually use them!
In today's guest post, emerging freelance writer Ruby Clarkson who's written for Jackson's Art and is absolutely obsessed with writing, theatre and visual arts, is sharing some awesome tips that'll help us create an inspiring space to work in.
Let's get into her article!
5 Tips for Creating the Perfect Art Studio Space at Home
by Ruby Clarkson
Whether you’re an aspiring artist or trying to make some money from your paintings, crafts or other creations, you’ll need the right space to make the magic happen.
Whatever your medium or your aspirations, it can be incredibly inspiring to prepare a studio for yourself where you'll be able to work consistently and where your ideas will have the opportunity to really flourish.
If you’re on a budget or short on space – or both – try some of these ideas to create your dream home studio.
Whether you’re an aspiring artist or trying to make some money from your paintings, crafts or other creations, you’ll need the right space to make the magic happen.
Whatever your medium or your aspirations, it can be incredibly inspiring to prepare a studio for yourself where you'll be able to work consistently and where your ideas will have the opportunity to really flourish.
If you’re on a budget or short on space – or both – try some of these ideas to create your dream home studio.
Carve out your own space
If you can, try setting apart a space that’s just for you and your creativity. Psychologically, you need to know that when you sit in your studio, nothing will get in the way of your work.
Try communicating your priorities to your family, friends, flatmates, etc. Let them know when you've scheduled in time to continue building your artistic skills. This way, there's less of a chance of you getting interrupted while you're in the flow.
A spare room, attic or repurposed basement can be brought to life as a workshop or studio with even a modest budget. If you don’t have a spare room, you could consider renovating a shed or garage, and turn it into your new creative office!
This said, even a corner of a room can be turned into a studio space with a little imagination! Do you have an old desk or table somewhere in your home that can be re-purposed as an art desk?
Sometimes, working on old tables or desks is even better because you don't have to worry about damaging them with paint or cutting knives!
Whatever you go for, designating a space to your art will tell your brain that this is a priority for you and seeing it on a day-to-day basis will remind you to get to work.
You might be surprised at how much you can get done when you set up your studio away from domestic distractions!
Stay organized
If you’ve been creating for a while, you may already know that there’s not much truth in the “crazy-chaotic artist” stereotype, and that you’re far more productive and happy when you’re properly organized.
Whether you have paints and brushes, musical recording equipment, beads, fabric and sewing tools, camera equipment or a stop-motion plasticine film set – you’re going to need a strategy to keep everything organized.
Staying organized means that we'll not only be much more inspired to get back to work, but that we'll waste less time looking for things and/or cleaning up accidents.
So set aside a day to prepare a system that will work for your needs and do your best to check in each week or month so that you're still keeping up with it or making any changes that need to be made.
If you need to buy supplies or furniture to get organized, create a list for yourself and devote some time to researching best options according to your budget.
If you don't have money to invest in this, think of ways to re-purpose glass jars or containers from your kitchen, old boxes, shelves, tubs and baskets to keep track of your supplies and keep your finished (or in-progress) work safe.
Chances are you already have tons of stuff you can use!
And if you don't like the look of old stuff, think of ways you can clean them up, re-paint them or refurnish them so that they'll fit in with your style.
Bring in your personality
It almost goes without saying that a space specifically devoted to creative expression should itself be set up with creativity and flair.
It’s your space – what do you want to do with it? How will it be more inspiring for you?
Even if interior decorating is not your forte, try to personalize your studio with your own work or pieces that speak to you. Hang paintings or display your favorite creations.
Plants, quotes, music, mood boards that really speak to you – have fun with creating a space that lets you unleash your inner desire to make something truly unique.
When decorating, carefully consider what you want to achieve. Choose bold colors and décor if you want your zone to jazz you up, or choose muted, peaceful colors and shapes to get you into a meditative, reflective state when you work.
Look at what you already have with a fresh set of eyes
Not all of us will have the luxury of extra square footage in the home, or a backyard for a dedicated outdoor studio. This doesn’t mean that you can’t have a home studio, though. It simply means that you’re going to have to be a little more creative in building a space that works for your needs.
In cramped quarters, you’ll need furniture that converts when necessary, so it can be used for other purposes when not serving as a part of your studio.
Concealed storage, modular or two-in-one furniture pieces or cleverly arranged corner spaces can help you make good use of every inch of space without compromising your creative mission.
Browse Pinterest for ideas, and use as much vertical space as possible.
Why not renovate a piece from a charity shop or reinvent an old wardrobe or door to make the perfect desk or storage cabinet? It’s amazing what you can do with just two walls and the right size desk…
Best Terrero Taboret and Easel Stand at Blick.com $568.90
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Darice 3-Tier Rolling Carts $56.17
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Don't forget about comfort
It’s great to make your creative space look good, but it also has to serve a function. If you want to happily spend hours in your studio honing your craft, then it’s essential that the space is comfortable.
Invest in a good quality chair if you're able, as well as lighting that won’t damage your eyes.
Think about what would put you at ease – some hot tea, a collection of succulents in pretty pots, calming music, a beanbag or warm fuzzy blanket to snuggle into during your breaks.
If your studio is cold, noisy or uncomfortable in any way, you may unconsciously decide not to work there as much. It may be as simple as hanging a picture of a loved one on the wall, or framing and hanging a certificate or glowing feedback from a previous project.
If you want to build a place that honors and nurtures your creative spirit, then only a place that has been put together with imagination will do. With a little thought and the desire to build something unique to you and your vision, you’ll soon have the perfect backdrop to dig in and start creating.
I'd like to thank Ruby for sharing all of this helpful information with us and inspiring us to work towards building a fulfilling life around our passions.
To get in touch with her, you can email her here.
I hope you found this post helpful and thanks so much for reading!
*This post contains affiliate links. I receive small commissions for purchases made through these links at no extra cost to you. These commissions help me keep this site up and running, in order for me to keep providing helpful and inspiring art content. :)
What does it really take to develop one's own artistic style and voice? How do professional artists get to a point at which their artwork is unique and seems to be an extension of themselves? Is there anything that artists just getting started can do to get there sooner?
In today's blog post/YouTube video I'll be sharing a fundamental aspect behind finding one's own artistic style and voice that's rarely, if ever, discussed. I'll also be sharing some key tips that have helped me make a ton of progress with this in my own journey.
So, let's just cut to the chase.
The fact is that becoming an artist that creates unique, quality artwork is just as much about doing the internal work as it is about continuing to develop our cold drawing/painting skills.
Why?
Because it's through the introspection, self-analysis and even self-discovery that takes place as you continue honing your art skills that you'll be able to start peeling back the layers and learn who you are as a human being, as well as how this relates to your very own creative process.
You must find out who you are, the message you want to share with the world and how you want to share it.
Without comparing yourself to anybody else.
If we don't practice listening to ourselves throughout the creative process and we constantly depend on external inspiration in the form of other artists' work to get started, we risk never finding out enough.
We risk not connecting the necessary dots so that we're able to create something from scratch that's truly ours.
Think about it.
If there's one thing that all kinds of artists who manage to constantly create unique, meaningful work have in common...one thing that makes a person stand out from the crowd, it's the fact that they know who they are.
They know what's important to them and are unapologetically themselves.
What does it really take to develop one's own artistic style and voice? How do professional artists get to a point at which their artwork is unique and seems to be an extension of themselves? Is there anything that artists just getting started can do to get there sooner?
In today's blog post/YouTube video I'll be sharing a fundamental aspect behind finding one's own artistic style and voice that's rarely, if ever, discussed. I'll also be sharing some key tips that have helped me make a ton of progress with this in my own journey.
So, let's just cut to the chase.
The fact is that becoming an artist that creates unique, quality artwork is just as much about doing the internal work as it is about continuing to develop our cold drawing/painting skills.
Why?
Because it's through the introspection, self-analysis and even self-discovery that takes place as you continue honing your art skills that you'll be able to start peeling back the layers and learn who you are as a human being, as well as how this relates to your very own creative process.
You must find out who you are, the message you want to share with the world and how you want to share it.
Without comparing yourself to anybody else.
If we don't practice listening to ourselves throughout the creative process and we constantly depend on external inspiration in the form of other artists' work to get started, we risk never finding out enough.
We risk not connecting the necessary dots so that we're able to create something from scratch that's truly ours.
Think about it.
If there's one thing that all kinds of artists who manage to constantly create unique, meaningful work have in common...one thing that makes a person stand out from the crowd, it's the fact that they know who they are.
They know what's important to them and are unapologetically themselves.
Don't get me wrong.
Developing our cold artistic skills and knowledge on Art Fundamentals is essential when we're just getting started.
In my blog post titled 5 Tips for the (Serious) Self-Taught Artist, I get into the importance of learning about Art Fundamentals, as well as why its vital for serious artists to adopt a learning mentality and to embrace exploration.
It's through knowledge about Art Fundamentals that you'll be able to make use of Elements and Principles of Art effectively, in a way that's visually impactful, harmonious, balanced and that transmits your message.
This knowledge also provides you the confidence you need to trust in yourself artistically, which is so important.
And yes, we're always going to be inspired and influenced by other people's work (visual artists and otherwise) that has impacted us directly or indirectly throughout our lives.
Our art is an extension of ourselves after all.
But there are effective ways to do it and others which aren't so helpful if we're already at a certain skill level.
In this blog post, I explain how to get inspired by other artists' work in a way that isn't copying and that will actually get you closer to discovering your own art style.
Even though there's nothing "new" under the sun, no one else in the world has that exact combination of influences and experiences you have.
And you better believe that you have the ability to create an original mishmash of all those things.
Here are the objective/tangible aspects that we often consider when looking at our own or someone else's artwork:
What makes an art style?
But, what about the more subjective aspects? What about those things that cannot be readily described, but felt and understood at a deeper level?
What about the artwork's overall mood, message or story?
Artists who've developed a unique style and voice, find their own way of making use of their medium(s) and the aforementioned objective/tangible aspects in order to transmit a particular feeling or message that connects to who they are.
And while this message doesn't have to be anything complex or grandiose, it does have to come from you.
If you enjoyed this video and found it helpful, make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel. I share a brand new video every week with art tips, drawing and painting tutorials and encouragement for aspiring artists.
Creating quality original artwork comes down to two things:
a) Having an original vision and a message that's meaningful to you
b) Having the skills and tools necessary to see it come to life
As you continue honing your skills and mastering your medium, start reflecting on your creative process, what you're enjoying and not enjoying, the commonalities that you're finding in the pieces you've created, your personal strengths and weaknesses, what strengths you'd like to enhance and what weaknesses you want to work on, etc.
Also ask yourself what's most important to you, what life/world issues deeply affect you, what change you'd like to see in the world, what life lessons have marked you or made you different from others, etc.
Remember that, even though a lot of us are total introverts and work in isolation, we create art to ultimately share it with others.
We create art to communicate important issues, bring light and/or build bridges.
What is it that you want to communicate with yours?
Then, work intentionally, based on your findings and the goals you set for yourself.
Here are a few specific tips that'll help.
Creating quality original artwork comes down to two things:
a) Having an original vision and a message that's meaningful to you
b) Having the skills and tools necessary to see it come to life
As you continue honing your skills and mastering your medium, start reflecting on your creative process, what you're enjoying and not enjoying, the commonalities that you're finding in the pieces you've created, your personal strengths and weaknesses, what strengths you'd like to enhance and what weaknesses you want to work on, etc.
Also ask yourself what's most important to you, what life/world issues deeply affect you, what change you'd like to see in the world, what life lessons have marked you or made you different from others, etc.
Remember that, even though a lot of us are total introverts and work in isolation, we create art to ultimately share it with others.
We create art to communicate important issues, bring light and/or build bridges.
What is it that you want to communicate with yours?
Then, work intentionally, based on your findings and the goals you set for yourself.
Here are a few specific tips that'll help.
Tips to Find Your Own Art Style and Voice
1. Prioritize and stay consistent
Consistency is number one whenever we're trying to achieve anything big in our lives. Even if you're only taking baby steps, if you continue, a year from now you'll be absolutely amazed with the progress you've made.
It's important to embrace the fact that art is a large part of who you are, and to truly commit to improving your work and finding yourself artistically.
Make it a priority and don't be afraid to set those goals!
In this blog post, I share my method for setting goals and breaking them down into tasks you can do monthly, weekly and daily, so that you can make sure that you're moving forward consistently.
Move past those limiting beliefs because quite often, we're holding our own selves back from making significant progress.
It's important to embrace the fact that art is a large part of who you are, and to truly commit to improving your work and finding yourself artistically.
Make it a priority and don't be afraid to set those goals!
In this blog post, I share my method for setting goals and breaking them down into tasks you can do monthly, weekly and daily, so that you can make sure that you're moving forward consistently.
Move past those limiting beliefs because quite often, we're holding our own selves back from making significant progress.
2. Inspiration can come from anywhere
When we're looking to get inspired to start a new piece or project, a lot of us immediately turn to other visual artists' work for inspiration.
However, as an artist, you have stronger sensibilities than non-artists. If you want to, you can get inspired with practically anything.
By breaking away from Instagram and Pinterest, and practicing with finding beauty or interest in day-to-day objects, thoughts, feelings or circumstances, you'll be opening the floodgates to new, original ideas.
Also, it's important to realize that we're not always going to be inspired.
If we're serious about reaching artistic success, we need to find motivation in achieving our long-term goals (they're different for all of us and you need to find what these are for you).
Oftentimes, inspiration will come to you as your working or will come to you as you continue busting through those milestones!
However, as an artist, you have stronger sensibilities than non-artists. If you want to, you can get inspired with practically anything.
By breaking away from Instagram and Pinterest, and practicing with finding beauty or interest in day-to-day objects, thoughts, feelings or circumstances, you'll be opening the floodgates to new, original ideas.
Also, it's important to realize that we're not always going to be inspired.
If we're serious about reaching artistic success, we need to find motivation in achieving our long-term goals (they're different for all of us and you need to find what these are for you).
Oftentimes, inspiration will come to you as your working or will come to you as you continue busting through those milestones!
3. Create an inspiration board
Create a collection of things that inspire and appeal to you.
Yes, other artists' work can be part of this collection but, add bits and pieces of all kinds of things/subject-matter including colors, textures, words, music bands, random elements and whatever comes to mind.
What's absolutely amazing, is looking back at these collections you've created and discovering patterns or threads in the items you've picked (often subconsciously).
It allows you to discover specific things that appeal to you in a visual and tangible form.
Analyze the collections you come up with and internalize the threads you find. Ask yourself questions like: How do these visual patterns connect with who I am and my personal tastes? Can I find a message here?
I love doing these digitally, as the Internet makes it very easy to find all sorts of images and we can even create collections via Pinterest boards or in any sort of photo-editing software.
Yes, other artists' work can be part of this collection but, add bits and pieces of all kinds of things/subject-matter including colors, textures, words, music bands, random elements and whatever comes to mind.
What's absolutely amazing, is looking back at these collections you've created and discovering patterns or threads in the items you've picked (often subconsciously).
It allows you to discover specific things that appeal to you in a visual and tangible form.
Analyze the collections you come up with and internalize the threads you find. Ask yourself questions like: How do these visual patterns connect with who I am and my personal tastes? Can I find a message here?
I love doing these digitally, as the Internet makes it very easy to find all sorts of images and we can even create collections via Pinterest boards or in any sort of photo-editing software.
4. Put yourself through periods of "incubation"
As visual people, it can be very hard not to get influenced by art and design that we have right in front of us.
And this can be very hard because with the Internet and social media, we're constantly bombarded with all kinds of visual stimuli.
The fact of the matter is, that the influences that have already impacted you and make you who you are, are already inside of you.
You don't need to take anything new in, in order to create.
*This doesn't include using reference photos or subjects you have in front of you in real life, if this is the way you work. But try creating your own references based on your original ideas/concepts.
I put myself through periods of what I like to call incubation, in which I limit the new influences I'm taking in and make time to sift through what's already inside of me.
It's important to turn off unnecessary external influences from time to time, trust that we have what we need already within us and listen.
This tip goes hand-in-hand with another suggestion I've provided in other YouTube videos and blog posts:
"Limit consumption and increase creation."
Do your best to create your own concepts and see those visions through from start to finish. Take your own art reference photos, draw that preliminary sketch from the imagination, whatever it may be for you.
And there's no need to be a master at your medium to allow yourself to do this!
And the more you put yourself through this process independently, the easier it will get.
And this can be very hard because with the Internet and social media, we're constantly bombarded with all kinds of visual stimuli.
The fact of the matter is, that the influences that have already impacted you and make you who you are, are already inside of you.
You don't need to take anything new in, in order to create.
*This doesn't include using reference photos or subjects you have in front of you in real life, if this is the way you work. But try creating your own references based on your original ideas/concepts.
I put myself through periods of what I like to call incubation, in which I limit the new influences I'm taking in and make time to sift through what's already inside of me.
It's important to turn off unnecessary external influences from time to time, trust that we have what we need already within us and listen.
This tip goes hand-in-hand with another suggestion I've provided in other YouTube videos and blog posts:
"Limit consumption and increase creation."
Do your best to create your own concepts and see those visions through from start to finish. Take your own art reference photos, draw that preliminary sketch from the imagination, whatever it may be for you.
And there's no need to be a master at your medium to allow yourself to do this!
And the more you put yourself through this process independently, the easier it will get.
5. Get writing!
I cannot even begin to describe how much writing has helped me, not only in getting to know myself, but also in becoming a happier and more productive artist.
Writing things down or doing what I like to refer to as "brain-dumps", is so helpful in getting rid of unnecessary mind-clutter that's making you slower or may even be blocking you.
I talk about it in my blog post: 5 Essential Self-Care Tips for Artists and Creatives.
It doesn't matter if you don't consider yourself a good enough writer, because it's not about getting perfect grammar and spelling. What matters is getting out what's in your mind and heart at the present moment.
Similarly to tip #3, you're going to start seeing threads in your journal entries in terms of personal thoughts and even expression styles which continue popping up. These can give you clues on ideas that are important to you and that perhaps you can integrate into your artistic message in some way, shape or form.
For me, my writing takes form of morning pages, but getting out that journal and doing free-form, unstructured writing is something you can do whenever you have time during the day.
Writing things down or doing what I like to refer to as "brain-dumps", is so helpful in getting rid of unnecessary mind-clutter that's making you slower or may even be blocking you.
I talk about it in my blog post: 5 Essential Self-Care Tips for Artists and Creatives.
It doesn't matter if you don't consider yourself a good enough writer, because it's not about getting perfect grammar and spelling. What matters is getting out what's in your mind and heart at the present moment.
Similarly to tip #3, you're going to start seeing threads in your journal entries in terms of personal thoughts and even expression styles which continue popping up. These can give you clues on ideas that are important to you and that perhaps you can integrate into your artistic message in some way, shape or form.
For me, my writing takes form of morning pages, but getting out that journal and doing free-form, unstructured writing is something you can do whenever you have time during the day.
That's it for today's blog post!
I really wanted to share these ideas with you today because I know how frustrating it can be as a beginner artist who wants to desperately move past the awkward phase and get to creating original and meaningful artwork, to come across advice such as:
"Keep doing the work and it will come to you eventually."
or
"Don't try to rush it or pressure yourself, just keep on creating and it will come naturally, at the right time."
While these suggestions are all well and good, they are too vague and often leave beginners spinning their wheels, continuing to do exactly what they were doing before and making the self-discovery process a lot longer than it needs to be.
So, after you reach a certain skill level with your medium, you need to start trusting that you have everything you need to create original work from scratch already within you.
Watercolor supplies used in video:
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Royal & Langnickel Zen Watercolor Brushes $$2.83 - $5.99
*This post contains affiliate links. I receive small commissions for purchases made through these links at no extra cost to you. These commissions help me keep this site up and running, in order for me to keep providing helpful and inspiring art content. :)
How do artists choose the colors they'll be using for a new watercolor painting? What can I do to keep my color mixtures better organized on my mixing palette throughout the painting process and steer clear of accidentally creating mud? Why is it important to invest time in planning the colors we'll be using before starting a new painting?
In this blog post, I'll be sharing three reasons why I love using a limited amount of colors (usually 3-7) to create my watercolor paintings and how this practice has helped me make deeper, faster progress as a painter.
Color is an Element of Art that plays a huge role in making a visual composition look harmonious and cohesive. As with all other Art Fundamentals, use of color is something that most skilled artists continue learning about and improving upon throughout their journeys.
It's absolutely essential for the beginner starting with any kind of painting medium, to learn about Color Theory and the Color Wheel, as this knowledge enables us to not only create successful color mixtures throughout the painting process, but also to plan great color schemes that work for the piece on hand.
Because skilled artists know how important color and value are, they take time to prepare for a new piece via the creation of thumbnails, swatching colors, and thinking of how they'll be creating the color mixtures needed for a new painting prior to actually starting.
Either this, or they've already prepared a custom color palette to work from that has all of the colors they love and know they're going to need. They know exactly what's going to happen when two or three of those colors get mixed together.
Artists know that making time to think about color before starting to paint will enable them to move forward more smoothly and will lead to an outcome that is impactful, harmonious, and also communicates their message more clearly.
And how each artist goes about selecting his/her colors is completely dependent on the artist's personal creative process.
Artists who are looking for very high-levels of realism often go by specific colors they see in their reference pictures or in the subjects they have in front of them when working from direct observation. They make time to observe and put in the work to ensure their colors/color mixtures match what they actually see.
Others work from references loosely and manipulate color to bring a certain level of expression, contrast, etc. into the picture. Sometimes they change specific colors altogether or alter some of them to bring their style in.
And others, such as abstract artists, at times start their paintings based on a specific color scheme they found inspiring, designing an entire visual composition around it. Or they create their own color schemes that are meant to transmit a specific message or emotion (putting Color Psychology to use).
Of course, there are tried-and-true color schemes that have been used by artists throughout history that will always lead to very visually pleasing results.
In lots of Van Gogh's work, you'll see use of Complementary Colors, in Monet's you'll see use of Analogous Colors, etc.
Some artists take hours preparing the colors they'll be using for a new painting and others take minutes, but they always bring in their knowledge of the Color Wheel and Color Theory.
It doesn't really matter how you do it. The more you paint, the more your own personal style and creative process will become clearer.
The point here is to make it a habit to start thinking about color before starting to paint.
Color is a huge, complex topic and I believe it's important for beginners to build upon a solid base of knowledge and take their learning a step-at-a-time, as this helps avoid overwhelm and keeps their art journey enjoyable.
This will help them stay consistent, which is key in making significant artistic progress.
By the way, of you haven't checked out my free Drawing and Watercolor for the Total Beginner Mini-Courses , make sure to become an art email insider to get access to them ASAP.
These courses are absolutely jam-packed with all of the information I wish I knew when I was first getting started.
If you enjoyed this video, make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel! I share new videos every-single-week with art tips, drawing and painting tutorials and encouragement for aspiring artists.
3 Reasons Why Limited Color Schemes Are Awesome
Even as a more experienced painter, I absolutely love using limited color schemes because of the points I'm going to be sharing next.
This said, keeping things simple can do wonders for beginners and can help them make much faster progress than being drowned and overwhelmed with a wide array of different colors, and even paper and paintbrushes.
*We're not getting into paper and paintbrushes today, but I highly recommend checking out my blog post titled Watercolor Supplies for Beginners and Things You Must Know if you'd like more in-depth information on watercolor painting supplies.
1. They help us get comfortable with color mixing
By taking time to plan and prepare a limited amount of colors, we'll be putting our knowledge of color to the test, as this forces us to give thought to how we'll be creating our different color mixtures with the least amount of colors possible.
A couple of quick examples of how to work with a less amount of colors:
-If you've already selected a yellow and a red for a new painting, and all of the sudden realize you're going to need an orange color, why not use a mixture of your yellow and red instead of reaching for an orange?
-If you've already selected your Ultramarine Blue and your Burnt Umber for certain areas of your painting, why not use a mixture of these two to create your dark gray, instead of reaching for another gray?
In my many years teaching art, I've found lots of beginners are afraid to mix their own colors and are looking for instructors to provide very specific "recipes" and even color-to-color ratios for their mixtures.
Also, lots of beginners feel they need the specific color that the artist in the tutorial they are following is using.
By learning about the Color Wheel, Color Temperature, etc., and making time to play with color (intentionally of course), they'd be able to create any needed color without much guidance at all.
Make time to learn the basics. Don't skip over them because they'll improve everything you choose to do in the future.
Make time to explore and get comfortable with your medium, before attempting to create a polished masterpiece.
As beginners, it's important to keep things simple.
Most often than not, keeping things intentionally limited will help us make faster progress than jumping between a bunch of different things and overwhelming ourselves with lots of supplies.
2. They lead to harmonious paintings
When we're just getting started, most of us are anxious to begin with the painting process. We tend to skip over any sort of preparation and move forward randomly picking colors.
I did this when I was first getting started in my painting journey and was so confused as to why my paintings always ended up looking amateurish and incohesive.
Unless we have a very colorful art style or are going for this look intentionally, randomly picking colors throughout the painting process is a surefire way of ending up with a painting that is very overwhelming to look at or that is "all-over-the-place" in terms of the message it's transmitting to the viewer.
By limiting our colors and repeating colors as we're creating our different paint mixtures, we'll end up with much more harmonious results. Our color mixtures look like they belong together and are working in unison to transmit one same message.
It's similar to the "Mother Color" method that some artists working with oils and acrylics use to unify and provide color harmony in their paintings. What they do is choose one color to be the "Mother", which is going to be added (in a small degree) to every color mixture. This makes the different colors look like they belong together.
All part of one same "whole".
And this is what we want when we're designing a visual composition. We want the different parts to work together as one "whole".
The "Mother Color" method doesn't quite apply the same way when we're working with watercolor, as the color mixing process when using this medium is a lot more organic and free-flowing.
We're constantly shifting color ratios, paint to water ratios, etc. as we move along, but the principle of re-using the same colors in our different color mixtures in order to unify the overall outcome still applies.
Give thought to how you can use this idea in your own work to both make your paintings more cohesive and also to transmit your message/emotion/idea in a more powerful way.
3. They help us stay organized throughout the painting process
When working with watercolor, it can be very easy for our colors to start mixing together due to the amount of water we're using throughout the process, which can certainly be frustrating! *This paint mixing palette has certainly helped me in this department.
Loosing control of our color mixtures on our paint mixing palettes can lead to creating mud (brownish/grayish/desaturated colors that we weren't actually going for).
By having made the time to actually test out our color mixtures on scrap pieces of watercolor paper prior to starting with the painting process, we'll be avoiding undesired colors.
Also, by limiting the amount of colors we're using and knowing exactly which colors we're using throughout our painting (at least in loose terms), we'll be making things a lot easier for ourselves along the way.
It takes out all of the guesswork as we'll know exactly which color to reach for whenever we need to create more of any specific mixture.
I don't know about you, but it's very easy for me to start accidentally dipping my paintbrush into a paint pan I wasn't intending to use during the painting process (especially when I'm using a larger paint set that includes several different blues, reds, browns, etc.).
To make things easier for myself, I often love removing the paint pans I have selected from my watercolor set and only have those with me as I'm working.
Over on Patreon, I share step-by-step watercolor painting tutorials in which I explain everything, starting from how I select my paint colors and create my color mixtures, to how I develop my color, values and details in layers.
Watercolor supplies used in video:
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I hope you found this post helpful, and wish you tons of progress and enjoyment in your artistic journey!
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