Taking Another Crack at Shuraka: A Loose Watercolor Figure Study
I took another crack at painting Shuraka, and this time I tried something harder than a portrait: a full figure. It did not go smoothly, and I'm sharing exactly why.
Painting a Manhwa-Inspired Portrait: Gold, Loose Washes, and an Honest Lesson in Color
I set out to paint a character described as the Exalted Sun, bathed in gold and warmth, and ended up learning something about my own color choices along the way. Here's how this loose, glowing portrait study came together.
Painting a Camellia: Lifting Color, Complementary Schemes, and Not Wasting a Scrap of Paper
I painted this camellia on the back of scrap paper from an old tutorial, just to avoid wasting it, and it turned into one of my favorite lessons on lifting color, complementary color schemes, and painting light without ever painting a light source.
Testing Pastel Watercolors at the Coffee Shop
I love it when a new set of paints throws me off my usual habits. This time it was a pastel watercolor set that had me painting roses instead of my go-to iris, and learning that pretty colors don't always behave the way you'd expect.
Testing New Gear on a Drippy Meadow Landscape
This painting came out of a bit of frustration. I'd just had four failed experiments doing something completely different, and I was feeling moody about it, so I decided to redirect that energy into a meadow-inspired landscape instead.
Painting Without a Plan: An Intuitive Abstract Landscape
I thought, "Okay, let's just go crazy on a piece of paper, and if it turns out great, it turns out great, and if nothing happens, nothing happens." There was no plan here — just leftover paint, a scrap of paper, and the freedom to see what would happen.
Giving an Old Painting New Life: Reworking "Oh Deere!"
The painting was technically "done," but it had been sitting in my portfolio, unhung, waiting. So I pulled it back out. My original idea was to keep the tentacles light and atmospheric — but the concept was cool, and the execution just wasn't quite there yet.
Painting a Hardy Hibiscus with Kuretake Graphite Colors (Cool Tones, Warm Feelings)
I just got back from a mini vacation up north — cold weather, no jacket, classic me — and all I wanted was something warm. So I painted a hibiscus. With cool colors. I don't know, maybe I have a complex. But here's how it all came together using my Kuretake Graphic Colors in under 30 minutes.
How I Painted Egyptian Blue Lotuses in Under 20 Minutes (Sumi-e Inspired Watercolor)
In this painting, I set out to capture the beauty of Egyptian blue lotuses using just a few colors and a couple of brushes — and the whole thing took less than 20 minutes. Inspired by sumi-e techniques, this is all about confident, intentional strokes: paint, lift, leave it. No overworking, no blending. Here's exactly how I did it.
Testing the Undertint App While Painting a Strawberry Daifuku
I recently got an email from Justin, the developer behind an app called Undertint — and it genuinely charmed me. He built it for his wife, who is a watercolor artist struggling with color mixing ratios. I said I'd test it out, and naturally, I decided to do it by painting a strawberry daifuku. Because why not? The app is now out of beta and available in the App Store, and here's what I found.