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A Few Simple Drawing Ideas to Try Before Christmas
If you live like I do, Christmas is a busy time filled with preparations and plans for gathering and gifting. I try not to get caught up in the hype of Christmas, but I do love the occasion to give a few gifts to the people I couldn’t live without, those I appreciate fondly, and those who impact me throughout the year. Is it about the gifts? Yes and no. I like gifts and celebrating, but I really like a reason to be able to give a little something to show I care. Drawing helps me ground myself in the present, hone my focus to one thing, and rest my…
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How to Use your Apple Drawings for a Card
The fall flavors continue … and will continue (for me, at least) as the weather gets chillier, the leaves begin to change, and all things cozy become normal again. I love summer and warm weather, and I want it to last forever. There is a part of me that gets sad as the days shorten into winter. But another cozy part of me loves fall just as much with its crisp temperatures and comforting flavors. I just can’t dwell too much on winter coming. Winter can get very long. As I think about fall coziness, I’m also combing my brain for new fall designs. Some will be cards this year,…
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How to Draw an Apple 6 Ways
Fall is on the way. Here, the first sign of fall isn’t the colors, return to school, or the pumpkins. It happens before that, but it’s just as sweet. Apples! We live just down the road from an orchard and tend a few apple and pear trees of our own. Starting in the middle of August, those fall fruits start getting pink cheeks. The first variety doesn’t turn completely red, so we have to keep checking for ripeness. Our MacIntosh apples are ripe now, but we have to wait for our Fuji and Empire apples. To celebrate the beginning of fall and all of the comforting apple deliciousness on the…
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How to Draw an Island with a Palm Tree (or Two)
Continuing with the tropical theme, let’s draw an island with a palm tree or two. And a sunrise. And a hammock. Castaways Welcome. If you’ve ever wanted to quit your job and run to a remote, tropical place to find some peace and quiet, this island is for you. We’ll even throw in a hammock for naps. I can’t promise delivered meals or coconut drinks, but anything can happen on an island like this one. Did you know that painting, drawing, and getting artistically visual helps you calm down, destress, and rejuvenate? (I enjoyed reading this article about it.) Maybe that remote island isn’t as far away as you think.…
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How to Draw a Surfboard to Celebrate Christmas in July
After deciding on this tutorial, I realized that Christmas in July has an actual date, July 25, rather than celebrating the whole month. Makes sense. The 'real' Christmas has an actual date, too, but ... I still celebrate it all month long. So, even though I missed the actual date, the tutorial stands. If you'd rather use it to celebrate something else, like a birthday, it will work for that too. I'm all for celebrating whenever we can, so the idea of an extra holiday in July totally works for me, minus snow. I can't do snow. Though I look for holidays all over the place, seasons are to be…
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How to Make a Beach Time Clock Drawing
Most of the year, I keep pretty busy in among a slurry of artwork, sports schedules, gardening and the neverending homemade menu. But when I’m on vacation, everything is peaceful and relaxed. All time melts into a calm, very flexible plan. We rarely have to be anywhere at a given time. I mean, who cares if we eat at set times? Sure … we have time for another walk on the beach. Ice cream instead of lunch? Let’s do it! Sit on the balcony and stare at the waves for hours? Soak it up. In fact, on this year’s vacation, I realized just how stressed I operate the rest of…
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How to Draw 3 Flowers with Watercolor Backgrounds
Spring begs me to draw flowers and dive into color. Inspiration lies everywhere I look. I find myself driving down the road filled with a desire to stop to take a picture (sometimes I do stop). Creation amazes me, and I remind myself to take time to slow down for a moment to enjoy it ... to walk out to the apple trees when they're blooming while I sip my afternoon coffee ... to just be in the newness and color of spring. It passes so quickly. Go ahead … whatever season you're in … take a moment to be present in it before the next one comes. It will…
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How to Draw Lavender with Watercolor Techniques
I recently tried my hand at a little soap making. My son was brainstorming ways to make extra money. He loves to make things with his hands and came up with the soap idea. I tried and tried to have time to learn about it to see if it was a good option. We ordered some supplies and gave it a go … months later. We tried several recipes and several scents to see what we liked and what we didn’t like. I am so glad I tried it! We now have soap for the next year (a little overboard? nah!). Homemade soap is so nice on your skin, you…
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How to Draw Bees and Chamomile
It’s thawing outside. Tiny, almost imperceptible leaf buds are forming on the fruit trees (witnessed as I pruned the trees), and the bees are flying again. That means the hubby is planning for spring hive work, buzy bees and then honey season. It’s still too early for actual blooming flowers, so we’ll have to imagine some ... Chamomile goes really well with honey. Let’s draw our inspiration from these things for our tutorial. Ready to paint a little spring?
