When I think of when I started making art I have vivid memories of making scribbly green trees with super thick brown trunks in crayon. Always thinking the margins of my notes were the perfect spot for doodles (my teachers thought differently…). Filling up the negative space in my words with water with my blue ballpoint pen.

This was the beginning. Little ways of getting art ideas onto the page were revealing themselves and it was fun. Experimenting and playing with creativity is my happy place. Then I realized that I could expand the things I loved and shrink the things I didn’t. I worked with more supplies like pastels (too chalky and messy) and charcoal (too smudgy and temporary) along with others too.

But the thing that stuck with me was watercolor and pencil. So delicate, somewhat forgiving and watercolor can be quietly wild. I like to say that it has an attitude because no matter how much you want to make it do what you want to completely, it won’t. You have to loosen up and be comfortable with about half of the control, if that. Watercolor is a metaphor for life, you can make plans but you have to loosen up and go with the flow too.

Last month I went over playing with supplies and this month is all about watercolor washes in the Playful Painter Studio art membership! Last week we had our first live creating call where we painted together, chatted and whenever someone was stuck, they got support on the call.

So exciting! Learn more about The Playful Painter Membership here!

All of my favorite art supplies, books and more are in my Amazon store. :)

xo,
Erika