Before jumping into the fancy effects of watercolor, it is important to learn some foundational techniques.

Having a solid understanding of the watercolor medium and its characteristics will help you decided how to tackle a painting to get the desired effects.

Translated means, I am still learning. This quote is rumored to have been written on the back of a painting Michelangelo completed at the age of 87.  

Isn't that freaking AWESOME?!  I, personally, think this quote is amazing!  I too, will never stop:

•  learning
•  and growing
•  and creating
•  and painting

Are you interested in watercolor, but not sure how to get started or what materials to buy? I've been there and, believe me, I know that it can be overwhelming. After all, there are tons of different types of supplies and techniques that watercolor artist use.

We are creative! We create. We create beautiful lettering compositions, paintings, and illustrations. Real beautiful stuff! We want crisp and bright Instagram photos that reflect all the love and hard work you put in creating it, but when they come out dull and grainy, it can be frustrating! Believe me, I know the struggle. It is indeed real! I used to blame my dull photos on my camera. I'm like, why can't this stupid camera capture my work the way it is in real life?You know, with the whites white and the beautiful colors bright, but instead of bright I'd get blah!

Instagram Photos that POP!

Isn't it weird how opposites attract? But it is so true. Not only is it true in personal relationships, but in hand-lettering as well. Using opposite styles or ingredients makes for a better over-all hand-lettering composition.

Opposites, or contrasting design elements, oddly enough, supports each element and makes a composition balanced and interesting. For example, when lettering a phrase writing out the important words in BOLD or Large words and the supporting words in a narrow script brings balance the whole lettering scheme.

Coming up with fresh and unique lettering styles for a word or phrase is challenging. When I get stuck in a creative rut, repeating the same style of lettering over and over again, I like to take some time to brainstorm new ideas.

Grab some paper and your trusty pen and have fun! Without any judgement or hesitation, push yourself to try different styles.

Have you heard of the ancient Chinese art of Feng Shui?  In a nutshell, it is all about how to arrange your living space in a way to  maximize the flow of good energy, or chi, for maximum happiness and luck in areas of life (i.e. family, health and wealth). Feng Shui literally translates to wind and water which are the natural elements that chi travels. I’m sure a lot of people think the practice of Feng Shui is a bunch of hooey, and I’ll admit that maybe some of it is, but I also believe there are some aspects of this ancient practice that has some valid points.  For example, the tips for creating a space that boosts creativity makes a lot of sense to me and I’ve listed the top 3 Feng Shui tips that will guarantee creative chi flow.

Thank Goodness for the internet! Without it I would have never struck gold and discovered the wealth of online resources! I'm a city girl stuck in a very puny town in the humongous state of Alaska! My small town is nice, but lacks a lot of the creative lifestyle conveniences. However, I'm so grateful it does have one modern convenience - the internet!