Every painting has an ugly stage. It’s that part in the process where I feel like giving up. Sometimes I’ll get to a point in my painting where I just want to paint over the entire thing. This especially happens when I’m pushing myself to try something new. But I try to remember, it’s not about getting that one painting perfect. If I let go,... Continue reading

Mistakes and ugly stages always happen while I’m painting. But whenever I go back to my favorite art supplies and techniques, I feel the freedom to let go, play and make a beautiful mess. Then a whole new world opens up and magic happens. The other day when I got stuck with this new painting, I looked back at my past paintings for inspiration. I’d... Continue reading

Oftentimes when I’m stuck with my art, I look back at the progress photos from a past painting. Most of the time, my character looks nothing like it did when I started. It takes lots of beautiful mistakes and so many ugly stages before I can even begin to figure out the best posture, profile and facial gestures. Yet as I create, my mind tells... Continue reading

Whenever I start a new painting, I have to cover up the white space. This helps me loosen up before I begin my character. My characters begin with the eyes, but they’re always the hardest part to paint. It takes a lot of mistakes and layers before they even begin to resonate with my heart. I start with a few fingerprint dots, then add more... Continue reading

Do you find it difficult to be loose in your art? I do (all the time). While I know every painting has an ugly stage, I still get stuck. I’ve found that when I don’t experiment, my characters lose their initial light and spontaneity… and I stop having fun. If you’re looking to be looser in your art, keep it simple: use up some of... Continue reading

I’ve been painting nearly every day for over thirteen years. But I still get stuck and frustrated. What’s helped me the most is taking progress photos of my paintings. This way I can see what I’ve done wrong and what I’ve done right, so I’m not so afraid to cover up my artwork and take chances. So often I need to look back at my... Continue reading

Whenever I’m stuck with my art, I’ll add bright pops of color. It’s usually the eyes and face I don’t like, but it’s super scary to paint over them. I’m always afraid I won’t be able to recreate what’s already there. But I’ve learned, if I’m not liking my art, I have to cover it up. For this new painting I dripped a few drops... Continue reading

Do you ever struggle to be free in your art? I do (all of the time). When I take a chance and feel like I’ve completely messed up a painting, I stop having fun. Sometimes I find myself trying to do the same thing over and over, just so I don’t make a mistake. I get so attached to having a finished painting, that I... Continue reading

Lately, I’ve been experimenting with my favorite art supplies and colors in new ways. For a while now I’ve been in love with acrylic inks in turquoise, cobalt blue and prussian blue. I’ll drip the inks in my backgrounds and, as I smudge out my acrylic paint, I’ll go over the drip and get this gorgeous feathered effect. This happened by accident once and now... Continue reading