PS Lots of artists “can’t draw”. It’s all about finding your niche.

Thank you for sharing this. I mean that both as a person that “teaches” Art and Creativity to beginners all the time..as well as a person that deeply cares about you.

First, I feel like I need to apologize. When I think of my video that you make reference too–and how it inspired you–my comments to “just do it”…I cringe. I am embarrassed. How rough and cold a comment that is to yell (and I feel like I was yelling) at a beginner. If a young child was standing at the edge of a high dive for the first time in his life would I yell at him “Just do it–stop whining!”. No…I would be much more kinder..much more softer.

I feel like I failed you, and many others that are out there standing on the edge of their Artistic journey–by yelling something…when I should have actually whispered and possibly coaxed. Spoke with honey laced words.

So I thank you. I thank you for teaching me a great lesson. I am humbly grateful.

I want to help you love those watercolors. And, my dear friend…out of all the painting materials to choose–you go with the hardest to learn first. Sounds like a real Artist to me–naturally looking for a challenge!!

I think what happened…that “deer in a headlight” feeling came from the blank page. I see it happen daily even with my kiddos–who jump into art like a cannonball. But it happens. It happens to me.

So here is assignment number one: Pull out those watercolors again and at least five pieces of paper.

Your first paper: I want you to begin by brushing plain water all over the paper. Then, choose two or three colors. Get your brush wet, and then loaded with the watercolor pigment…now randomly lay brushstrokes on the paper–watch how the paint bleeds across the paper. Change the colors up and watch how they mix together organically on the paper as well. For fun–grab a paper towel, crunch it into a wad, and dab from place to place and watch what effect you can make then. When your whole paper is covered in color, leave it to dry. Time to move on to the next one.

Paper number two: Do the same thing as above..but this time..do not wet your paper first. What happens differently now to the paints? Try dabbing areas with that paper towel even. Let the paints overlap one another and bleed into each other. Don’t worry about making it look like something…just cover your page in color. When that happens, put it a side and let it dry.

Paper number three: Choose one color. Wet your brush with that color, and start drawing a continuous line over the paper. (you will have to dip your brush back into the color a few times, but keep the line continuous.) Make parts of the line thin, medium, and thick by how much pressure you put on the brush. But try not to let your line overlap or touch–think of it as you’re creating a maze on your paper! (but if the lines do touch–embrace it! It was meant to happen!) When your finished, and the line has crawled all over your paper, let it dry.

Paper number four & five: practice filling your page in with color using any of the above techniques you found the most fun.

Don’t think about making your paper look like anything at all. Your goal is to make the white less intimidating and to build a relationship with the watercolors. You need to learn about them…how they speak, what they can and can not do, what they need. And you need to learn about yourself–how you feel with them, when they do the things they do.

Start there Sandy.

Then–open up your Art journal..and do this. These are great ways to prep your pages for Creative Dig. Go wild!! Have fun! Play with the colors! Experiment over and over..then bring it to Creative Dig…I’ll help you from there.

Thank you so much for this post Sandy…you just opened my eyes and heart incredibly. You helped me become a better teacher by teaching me.

Peace & Love.

“brave” like I shouldn’t have?

Deep breath. Another one.

We’ll see.