What to do when you’re in a creative rut
I’ve been in a creative rut a number of times in my life - it happens to many of us. The deepest rut I found myself in was about 20 years ago and it coincided with a bout of depression
How to take travel photos to paint for later
I used to carry a variety of camera, storage drives, memory cards, and back in the day, rolls of film. Now, it’s so much simpler to just take photos for painting with my small iPhone. When I travel, I can take upwards
Painting En Plein Air – TOP TIPS for Beginners
I remember my first plein air experience, I had way too much stuff. If you pack less, you'll paint more is what I've learned with over 25 years of painting en plein air. Watercolors are the easiest medium to travel
How to Create Simple Watercolor Flowers
Beginner artists sometimes find it daunting to paint flowers. When this happens, I always tell my students to take a deep calming breath start seeing the world in simple shapes. Everything is composed of shapes, so looking at your subject, consider
How to Plan Out a Watercolor Painting
I’m taking you today to Mona, Utah to the site of the Lavender Fields about 40 minutes from my home in Utah. In this lesson I’m sharing how I plan out my watercolor painting—what happens at the beginning of the
Easy Things to Paint for Beginner Artists
I’ve had beginner artists come to me and ask about easy things to paint in watercolors. Most of them are eager to paint but find themselves out of ideas, overwhelmed with too many concepts, or out of inspiration. I tell them
Cindy Briggs Joins Smithsonian Associates Studio Arts’ Instructors Roster
Cindy Briggs makes watercolor paint come alive. For 25 years, she’s been teaching students how to make it sing for them as well. She is one of the latest additions to the roster of gifted artists sharing their talents with
My Favorite Watercolor Brush
What’s your favorite watercolor brush? As an artist, I have spent so much money on select watercolor brushes over the years – brushes would usually cost $15 to $150 each. I have tried everything from Kolinsky Sable to recommended
Ten More Unique Watercolor Painting Ideas for Beginners
What are some unique watercolor painting ideas for beginners? When I was asked about unique watercolor painting ideas for beginners, I started with the concept that everything is a shape. Simple organic recognizable shapes are the easiest to start with. A single
How to Start Watercolor Painting for Beginners–Inspiration
How to Start Watercolor Painting for Beginners If you're wondering how to start watercolor painting for beginners and looking for inspiration, it may be challenging to choose what to paint. The most important first step is to find something you are inspired