Whenever I play it helps me feel calm and connected.

For a while, I’d been creating these very layered portraits of women with soft, realistic faces and incredible hair, using lots of mixed media art supplies and papers.

Every painting took SO many layers.

I enjoyed that their story evolved with each layer, but I found, especially on their faces, they lost their initial light and spontaneity. And I stopped having fun.

I kept trying to make my paintings perfect.

So I went back to painting more freely.

I experimented with new colors and simplified my supplies. I dripped acrylic inks and allowed my water-soluble pencil to bleed out. I let my faces and body shapes be weird and wonky.

I accepted the imperfections and a whole new world opened up. It all reminded me to be a little kinder to myself and have more fun with my art.

Oftentimes it just takes finding a new technique or color combination to bring my artwork to life. It’s when I start to play that things come so much more easily, without worrying about making everything look perfect.

Then, from that place of joy, things happen naturally and intuitively, so I can be loose in my art again.

So often when I can’t get a face right, I either cover it up or add an inky mask. And this piece just called for more bright color and a little spray paint. She’s called ‘Protector Of Light And Hope And Truth’ 11” x 14” on stretched canvas. I hope she inspires you too!

There’s a few more large paintings in the works that I’m excited to share with you soon!

This video is one I come back to whenever I need to paint a character with more softness. I hope you enjoy it!

This is one of the paintings we create in my Enchanted Soulful Eyes and Faces class. Click Here For More Details On Enchanted Class.

In Enchanted, you’ll learn many different techniques to help you develop your own recognizable style, be loose in your art and build a cohesive body of work.

In every class video I slow down and explain my creative process, so you can overcome the ugly stages, be brave, and achieve soulful eyes and faces that are unique to YOU.

As you’re painting, you might want to try these next steps to stay loose and free in your art:

• Whenever you’re stuck, go back to using your favorite colors.
• Use a pencil or chalk to outline your favorite parts of your painting so you don’t accidentally cover them up.
• If your colors start to get muddy… STOP and let your painting dry.
• Work on a few paintings at once. That way you’re not so attached to a single piece and can be loose.

Happy Painting!

xo Juliette Crane

P.S. I’ve also put together a Free Painting Workshop to share more of my favorite techniques – from covering up the white space to finished painting… click HERE to join my Free Painting Workshop and learn how I create a painting in 30 minutes.