This week, I have a free video where I create these joyful flowers with watercolor pencils. These are inspired by fabric prints and are more motif-like than many of my colored pencil pieces. I love this kind of playing with style.
This is a small piece, just 8 x 8 inches. It’s colored freely with watercolor pencils on thick drawing paper.
Joyful Flowers – Watch the Video!
In the video, I talk about finding inspiration for art-making and tell stories about things that have affected my style. I just read abstract painter Darby Bannard‘s quote:
“Inspiration doesn’t follow style, it creates it.”
It made me want to share my thoughts about inspiration and style. I also wanted to create something colorful and cheerful that is not realistic, but more design-oriented. These joyful flowers were fun to make. After drawing the joyful flowers, I made something small to add to my boxes of joy. You can see that little flowery thing in the video too. Watch the video!
This video is a little longer than I usually post, but I personally like to watch long videos, and maybe you do too?
Joyful Coloring
My newest course Joyful Coloring teaches a color-oriented approach to watercolor pencils.
Start with blank paper and create freely with joy and sunshine! >> Buy here!
Thank you for sharing this video. It made me feel so happy to see all the beautiful colors and to listen to your voice. You are Awesome!
Thanks so much, Catherine!
I loved this video. My mentor and I used to have a friendly argument over the words “play” and “explore.” “Play” was my choice because it brought me back to the white paper and childhood memories of making art and experiencing how my favorite colors entered and then flowed out of me. Similar to what you have described here.
I thank you for introducing the water color pencils to me. In the fifties, it was all about Crayola crayons!
Thank you, Adrienne! I also like the word “play” than “explore.” Crayola – I might have had those too, or maybe I used them at school …
That was a wonderful lesson. Thank you. I will be giving this a try.
I smiled when you spoke of suffering over colors as a child, not because i want you to suffer, but because I wonder how many children do? Then I remembered when my mother did my room in purple, red and orange. To me the colors were horrible, i would have thrilled in pastel colors.
Maybe the reactions we had with color as a child were a hint at someday we would be artists….. Such a wonderful piece to look at, i enjoyed watching you breathe life into it.
Ha, you have also had “a color suffering!” Thank you for the wonderful comment!