Creativity & Curiosity
No Brush? No Problem! fingerpainting with watercolors
I wonder what would happen if…
Creativity doesn’t have to be complicated. Curiosity may be the simplest starting point to the process. Today I wondered what would happen if I ditched the brush and put paint to paper with my fingers. Children often begin exploring how to paint this way with tempera paint. Ah…tempera paint. The globbiness, the bright colors, the matte finish and sometimes cracking—what fun! Tactile learning at its finest.
It was not tempera paints but watercolor paints sparking my curiosity. For this exercise I pulled out my most budget friendly watercolor palette, filled a bowl with water and opened to a fresh sketchbook page. Fingers dipped in water, swirled in paint and touching paper this way and that beget a page of tulips. This video is in real time so you can see that creativity can be quick—not the whole enchilada, more like chips & salsa!
After letting the page dry, I decided to go back in with better quality watercolor paints and brush to add another layer. I sped this video up, but in real time it was quick too—only 4:40 minutes.
Supplies I used:
VIDEO ONE
Budget Friendly Watercolor Palette - Artist Loft from Michaels
Sketchbook - Stillman & Birn Beta Series from Amazon
VIDEO TWO
Watercolors - Daniel Smith, Winsor & Newton, Jane Davenport
Sketchbook - same as above
Brush - Silver Brush Limited Black Velvet size 12 round from Amazon
These are my current favorite brushes. I have them in size 6, 8 and 12 - all round. My #8 gets the most use but for this video I used the #12.
I hope these short videos spark a little creativity if you need it, too. Sometimes a small pocket of time for the creative process is all that’s necessary to refresh and renew curiosity and wonder!
The Art & Faith Society Prints
Last month I needed a backyard break and so I spent some time just sitting and being in my backyard. I sat on this bench. That is when and where the idea for The Art & Faith Society came to me.
The Art & Faith Society blends my love of art and faithful sayings into affordable art prints to encourage and inspire. The idea is to offer budget friendly art prints and to make the 8 x 10 prints easily frameable in a standard frame size that can be switched out for another Art & Faith Society print each month if you like, or just every so often. Keep the prints or gift them. I have also made them available as a digital download—even more budget friendly.
All of the information and the current month of May print can be found here. The June print will be available next week. It’s a coastal print for that beachy vacay vibe.
I’ll close now for an iced tea on my favorite backyard bench—a sweet spot for creative thoughts. Do you have one? I hope so!
Creatively Yours,
Melanie
P.S. There are still a couple seats available for my upcoming watercolor class at Le Marché Home in Palm Harbor, FL. See all details here.