What makes good art supplies? It’s such a loaded question. Good on what level?

Figuring out what art supplies are best can be a bit of a minefield, especially for beginners!

Do a bit of research and you are sure to find plenty of contradictory opinions. So let’s ignore those and figure out which art supplies are going to be best for you.

Do you ever doubt your own creativity?

Ever wonder if in fact you are artistic at all? Well, wonder no more, Creative Soul.

Here’s how to tell.

There are a lot of ‘rules’ that you hear about watercolor painting and they are just the sort of thing that can intimidate the beginner and even completely discourage them from even attempting watercolor painting. Stretching the paper is definitely at the top of this list for me.

Here’s what you need to know …

So many people have the urge to do something creative like a spot of painting…. The number of people that actually put brush to paper? Considerably less!

Why is that? What stops us painting?

Let’s figure that out so that we can beat our creative blocks and get painting!

If you have been wondering whether you should paint from imagination, real life or a reference photo, the answer is yes, yes and yes.

There isn’t a right or a wrong way. Imagination, real life and reference photos all have their own merits and drawbacks as painting inspiration. Let’s dive in to each in turn.

Shadows are one of the most important aspects of a painting in my opinion. And the most fun! (Maybe that’s just me…)

here are two main types of shadow that will elevate your painting - cast shadows and form shadows.

Let’s review them both, shall we?

Where does a painter find the inspiration for a watercolour painting?

Do you need to be in front of a stunning landscape or a perfectly styled still life?
Thankfully, not!

I think we can often find the best inspiration to pick up that brush from the littlest things in our everyday life.

Yes, even on the most ordinary of days.

If you are new to watercolour and looking at setting up your paints and palette you may have already discovered so many types of palette available that it makes for a daunting choice!

Let’s break it down and make it simple, shall we?

Here are my thoughts on each of the types of palette available for your watercolours and my advice on how to set up your palette.

A little girl on a swing is one of the most joyful images of childhood I can think of - a perfect subject for a loose expressive watercolour painting.

It can be intimidating to contemplate incorporating a figure into your painting! 😱

Here are 3 tips you can use to be gentle with yourself when it comes to learning to paint the figure.

Colourful interesting scenes beg you to paint them but are often intimidatingly complex - unless you know how to simplify a photo for painting!

I have 3 tips to share (+ a video demonstration) that will have you confidently painting stunning scenes like this flower garden.

Line and wash is a watercolour technique that combines a line drawing with a watercolour painting. Since a lot of the structure of the painting is established by the line drawing itself, often all that is needed from the paint is a little wash of colour - hence the name, line and wash.

Let me show you the sort of effects you can get with line and wash watercolour techniques - yes, there are videos! 🍿🎥

I’ll also tell you about my favourite pens to use in line and wash paintings and explain why line and wash can be a great watercolour technique for beginners.

If you’ve ever wondered if painting is an indulgent waste of time, let me assure you that painting is a great hobby for very many good reasons, and none of these depend on artistic skill.

In fact I have come to realise that painting can make you happier even if you don’t get as far as actually doing the painting part.

No really, let me explain.

I want to share my top three sketchbook tips for building an effective sketchbook practice that is so much fun you don't even realise you are learning.

Having a sketchbook practice allows you to flex your creative muscles and benefit from the soul feeding relaxation benefits of creativity while building your drawing and painting skills.

Looking to paint watercolour portraits? Then this is for you. I have some tips and resources for you as well as a real time sketchbook tutorial video to share with you.

You will be happily painting fun and quirky portraits before you know it.

Are visible pencils acceptable in finished watercolour painting? There is quite a bit to this deceptively simple question.

The short answer is yes, but let’s dive in to figure which approach to pencil drawing is going to work best for your watercolour painting.

How do you know when your painting is finished?

Hmmm… it’s a tricky one but here are 7 tips that will help you figure out when to stop painting and call it done.

Watercolour poppies are a wonderful painting subject for beginners (and the more experienced!)

Here are some youtube demos of watercolour poppy paintings and tips for beginners which are sure to inspire the loose watercolour artist in you.

For a beginner, a painting medium needs to be attractive, approachable and a relatively low investment, both of time and money. Watercolour is a good medium for beginners for all those reasons..

Let’s dig in to the advantages and disadvantages…

Process art is art that is made with an intention to focus on the creative process rather than the finished product. With process art, the joy is in the journey rather than the destination. Creating a mandala is one of my favourite ways to surrender to the notion of process art. Find out how and why here….

When I was a beginner painter, I discovered that coming up with easy watercolor ideas can be tricky. So I have made a list of  7 good things to paint - just for you. These are all easy painting ideas that are sure to put a spring in your brush and get you inspired, but I am saving the best (my personal favourite) for last.