Do you know the story of the three wise monkeys?

There is something special about a story that has endured so long and in so many forms. From Confucius to carvings to frog ornaments to emojis, here’s what they are really about.

If you are feeling a little creatively stuck, find yourself procrastinating in your lonely studio and struggling to make art, then an art collaboration might be just what you need. 

Let’s talk about exactly what an art collaboration is and what benefits it might have for you.

If you are looking for a fun watercolor technique to jazz up your flower painting, this one uses a supply you probably already have in your kitchen - plastic wrap!

Here’s some step by step instructions…

A beginner watercolor painter sitting in front of clean white page has to solve the issue of how to get the initial sketch onto that paper in order to start painting.

Here are 9 ways to transfer your drawing for watercolor painting (and a couple of reasons you might not have to!)

There are a lot of good things about art challenges, but let’s be honest - that is only half the story. 

Before diving into an art challenge you might want to consider these pros and cons of art challenges and how best to make an art challenge work for you.

This is my 50th monthly painting series!!

What better way to celebrate this milestone than painting 31 paintings in 31 days?

Come and see the gallery and watch me paint them all!

Choosing the right background for your watercolour painting can make or break the whole painting.

Don’t be alarmed though - even though the background is important, it doesn’t have to be complicated. There are lots of options available to you and once you know what there is to choose from I am sure you will find the whole process far less vexing than it might once have appeared.

Let’s review your options…

I have spent a glorious month painting autumn in watercolour. It is, by far, my favourite season. I had imagined that I would be painting autumn landscapes in watercolour and of course those beautiful autumn leaves.

But a total cutie popped up in one of my paintings this month …

Learning how to draw figures for beginners can be something of a daunting challenge.  If we are honest, it's not just beginners - I have met quite a few experienced artists that still have some reservations about drawing and painting a human figure.

I have a few tips for the terrified to get you on your way, if you think you fall into this camp.

The questions I get asked most often are about how to get started with watercolour painting. Here are my best answers and everything a new painter needs to know about the kind of watercolour paint that comes in tubes and pans.

There is something so deeply pleasing about the organised rows of vines. No wonder I couldn’t stop at one when I painted a vineyard. There is so much to learn from nature about achieving balance and order and rhythm. I can’t think of a better way to study them than painting.

See the whole series and find out more here…

Have you ever asked yourself the question, ‘why paint’? Do you wonder about the importance of painting and whether there are any benefits to it?

Ever thought about having a go at a portrait in watercolour?

Good thinking… and these 10 tips for beginners are sure to get you off to a flying start.

This month I have been painting Portraits in Watercolour. Painting faces is fascinating work for so many reasons, its no wonder we still paint faces even in era of the omnipresent camera.

See the whole series and find out more here…

Have you heard the story of Goldilocks and the 3 art supplies? If you have ever wondered if you are choosing the ‘right’ art supplies, this is for you…

This month I have been painting Hot Air Balloons - one of my absolute favourite things to paint.

See the whole series and find out more here…

I end every year with a Mandala series - this one is the latest.

Apparently I am not the only one who loves circles, it is actually something hard wired into our brains. Who knew?….

Did you know that elephants purr? Yes, a bit like a cat!

This is just one of the many fascinating facts I learned about elephants - my painting subject for this month’s series. They are such magnificent creatures you can’t really help being curious, can you?