Category: Art
-
Easy Notebook Glam-Up

I’m working on a new writing project, so of course I need a notebook. And, instead of giving in to the urge to purchase a new one, I delved into my stash (because all creatives with ADHD have a stash of unused note-taking supplies). I’m so proud of myself, that I might just splurge on…
-
4 Weeks, 4 Paintings – Simple Foliage

Welcome to the final instalment of our 4 Weeks, 4 Paintings mini-series! This week, we’re delving into brush control with simple, flowy florals. The great thing about round watercolour brushes is their versatility. We can achieve thin lines by using only the tip of the brush, and thicken brush strokes by adding additional pressure. We…
-
4 Weeks, 4 Paintings – Squeegee Painting

We’ve reached the third week of our 4 Weeks, 4 Paintings mini-series, and I’m super excited about this one! Recently, squeegee art has been all over social media. I’ve been dying to try it, and I figured this mini-series was the perfect learning opportunity. This technique teaches a lesson that took decades for me to…
-
4 Weeks, 4 Paintings – Negative Space

Welcome to another instalment in the 4 Weeks, 4 Paintings mini-series! Today, we’ll learn more about using negative space in our paintings by building on the foundation of layering. As I mentioned in the Layered Foliage tutorial, we must often paint the lightest shades first when working with watercolours, then build the pigment layer by…
-
4 Weeks, 4 Paintings – Layered Foliage

It’s officially summer vacation here in my corner of the world, and it’s time to break out the art supplies. I’ve lined up four beginner-friendly art projects that everyone in the family will enjoy while also teaching those basic painting techniques every artist needs at their foundation. This week, we’ll learn about painting in layers…
-
How to Stretch Watercolour Paper

I’ve been meaning to go back to basics for some of my ‘how to’ posts, but then the low working memory aspect of ADHD struck and I forgot. 😅 There’s no time like the present, right? Today, I’ll show you two easy ways to stretch watercolour paper. But first, what does it mean to ‘stretch’…
-
Birthday Freebie – Colouring Pages

I can’t even fathom the words I’m about to type, but A Study of Ash & Smoke turns 5 today. My baby is five years old. How did that even happen? The last few years have been wild. I’ve never struggled to write as much in my life, but the knowledge that I published two…
-
Ink Transfer to Polymer Clay Using a Laserjet Printer

If you follow trends and tricks in the polymer clay community, you’ve doubtlessly seen a storm of transfer designs. Anything from pretty florals to groovy abstracts—you can print and transfer those designs to your clay masterpieces. I recently received a commission to make magnets with text included in the design. Initially, I thought I’d handwrite…
-
Simple City Map Take Two

I wrote the predecessor to this post in July 2017. The sad news? I never finished my pencil-and-paper city map. The good news? It took me only seven years to pick up where I left off and finish a digital version. So, booyah. 😁 I see this as the heart of Downtown Roicester, with suburbia…
-
Review – Keoker Polymer Clay Cutters for Fall

A good clay cutter makes everything better—this is a fact every polymer clay artist learns in a hurry. Choosing quality cutters can be a difficult task. I’ve purchased designer cutters for a pretty penny from Etsy-exclusive stores that don’t work at all, and I’ve also bought the cheapest possible cutters from random import stores that…
