In case you missed it, I’m so excited to let you know that I am teaching a painting retreat in FRANCE!

I expect this to fill quickly, so if you’d love to come paint and play together sign up for the waitlist by clicking here.

It’s a dream to share this beautiful experience with a group of wonderful creatives!

I paint a lot (usually every day), and I try to balance staying in my comfort zone with pushing myself. I take photos of my work in progress so I can go back and look at them when I think I should have stopped and how I made a painting work.

I often find myself setting aside my brushes and just fingerpainting. This keeps me unattached to my subject rather than getting into my head and “thinking” the eyes and face should look a certain way or be a certain shape.

Yet even after all of the layers, the eyes can sometimes still look too painted on. That’s when I go back in and cover up more of my lines, maybe with a swipe of yellow ink, then add more pencil smudges at the lashes to create extra softness and depth.

Little by little, layer by layer, each painting comes together. Sometimes, it can feel overwhelming at first, but every small step leads me to my next big creative endeavor.

I work primarily in mixed media with oil paintsticks, acrylics, inks, pastel, water-soluble pencil, pen and non-traditional materials like spray paint.

I love allowing the marks and patterns of different supplies to overlap so the layers underneath still show through. To me, it’s a way to mirror all of the stories and experiences we have in life.

Covering up the white space is when I feel like I’m playing, getting the layers and colors down. Then painting my figures is more like bringing something out of the paint.

My faces generally begin with the same color palette – a circle of titanium white mixed with a flesh tone. Then a layer of gold or brown acrylic paint for shadows behind the eyes. This creates a surface with a bit of contrast so I can sketch my initial eyes and features.

Once I’ve got the face in place, then I move around the piece, covering up what I don’t like and working with what I do until it all resonates with my heart. Every painting has lots (and lots) of layers.

Here are 3 Tips to Spark Your Creativity:

*Keep a Visual Journal: Have a sketchbook to capture your artistic journey. It could be as simple as a quick sketch, doodling outside, or jotting down ideas as they come to you.

*Experiment with Techniques: Challenge yourself to try new techniques or mediums. Small changes can lead to big shifts in your creative flow, and expand your creativity.

*Collaborate with Others: Get together with other creatives, in-person and online. Sometimes, the most unexpected conversations can provide new perspectives and ignite creative possibilities.

Whenever I’m stuck, whether it’s in life or with my art, I always remember to return to whatever it is that makes my heart sing. This helps me reignite my passion so I can get inspired and let go.

The invitation is to feel more creative and calm, take a moment to pause and let yourself paint. Take a sketchbook and create a few paintings of your own.

I also want to offer a gentle reminder that the doors close soon to The School Of Happy Painting Membership – monthly access to seven of my online classes! It’s perfect if you’ve been wanting to paint, but feel like you don’t have a lot of time. It’s been AMAZING to see everything you’ve been creating in these courses!

I’m being extra remind-y about this because I believe this is such a beautiful space to stay inspired, uplifted, and connected with an abundance of encouragement and support ❤️

I also think it’s super helpful to hear from others about their experiences, especially since creativity can be so healing, soothing, and calming, so I’m including some reflections from students below. As always, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask.

I hope it all brightens your day… have a beautiful, creative weekend.

Happy painting!

xo Juliette

“Starting was a big milestone for me but once I did it became my savior! I’d say that if anyone out there is looking for an online class that gets you just ‘doing’ instead of ‘thinking’ this is the one for you. At last I’ve found the style of art that I absolutely love and even though I can’t draw for peanuts I’ve been happy with the pieces that I’ve created – thanks to the amazing guidance of Juliette who has the most lovely teaching style.” – Stephanie B.

“I’m having so much fun with Juliette and her Joy Of Painting class. Playing with new materials and exploring different styles and techniques is such a nice way to switch things up when I need a little creative boost.” -Steph H.

“This class changed my art life forever! One of the best classes I have ever taken. Juliette is so clear and easy to follow along. I never thought I would be able to paint an owl, or any animal. Now I just paint them easily! I am forever grateful to this class!” -Angelica E.

“So many videos and Juliette’s helpful commentary and guidance through the whole process. It really helped me loosen up while experimenting with many different media and techniques. Other classes I’ve taken just speed edit through the most important parts, while Juliette takes the time to explain what motivates her artistic process. That, for me, is the value of a class.” -Isabelle L.

“Your instruction is not just an instruction on how to paint pretty pictures but it’s for creative process. It helped me in facing my fear of I’m-gonna-mess-this-up or I’m-not-a-good-artist. I really love that you guided me through openness so I can let what wants to appear, appear. So grateful” -Zoi F.

“I love your forgiving approach and so appreciate your personal thoughts, especially tips for working through the creative ruts and dry spells we all encounter from time to time.” -Kim L.

“Juliette shares every step of her creative process in an honest way. The videos are worth watching over and over. I am inspired to try so many new things!” -Mo B.