Artistic Endeavors Archives | Page 20 of 55

Artistic Endeavors

making color wheels with homemade watercolor paints

Before I dive headlong into holiday content, I wanted to share the last installment of my series on making handmade watercolors. To me, experimenting with the paints and exploring the color palette is one of my favorite parts of playing with paints. Whenever I feel stuck, I just start making color wheels and charts and that gets my hands and creative brain moving. You can find the first three parts (including videos, a printed recipe, and supplies list) here… mineral artist’s pigments from Choosing Keeping handmade watercolor binder recipe & video making handmade watercolors I have a huge assortment of pigments to choose from, but I decided to start with five colors that would give me a small palette to experiment on and play with. This was my first time mixing homemade watercolors, so I knew there would be a learning curve. As I shared in the previous post, the

November 17, 2021 7 Comments

Artistic Endeavors

creating like a bowerbird

Last year, I was introduced to the bowerbird through Sibella Court’s book . It’s a gorgeous book about creating beautiful interiors with collected items. As someone who loves collecting, hunting, pecking, and curating, that book was right up my alley. But, I recently did more research on the bowerbird and realized I have more in common with this bird than I knew. The bowerbird goes beyond collection and creating, but collects and creates very specifically. The satin bowerbird collects and decorates only with things that are a specific shade of blue. He’ll even go so far as to pick things out of his surrounding area that are colors he doesn’t like (reds and pinks specifically.) If you’ve read my blog for a while, my de-redding things will have a familiar ring. In my personal creative time (creative work that isn’t specifically for creating profit but is just to play for

November 15, 2021 31 Comments

Artistic Endeavors

making handmade watercolors

You can find the first part of this series about making handmade watercolors HERE. That post shares about the pigments I purchased. In the second post, I shared the handmade watercolor binder recipe I’m testing out. You can find that post (along with a printable recipe and video HERE.) I received so many comments and messages from people who were eager to see the binder actually mixed with the pigment to make handmade watercolors and that is going to happen in this post and video! Let me lead off by saying this is my first time making handmade watercolors. I’m very experienced when it comes to working with paints and pigments, but actually mixing the paints is new to me. I am so excited to finally be doing it though. It was actually on my to-do list for 2021, because it’s something I’ve been curious about and interested in trying

November 11, 2021 6 Comments

Art

Handmade Watercolor Binder Recipe & Video

I’ve lately felt like I needed new creative pursuits. It’s not that I don’t have enough, but I’ve felt the need to try new things, to be a beginner, and to create something without any expectation on the outcome. I’ve just needed creative process. Maybe it’s because of weariness from the pandemic or weariness from writing, styling, and shooting a book, or a combination of everything. As I shared in my post about the pigments from Choosing Keeping last week, something I bought as a “book gift” for myself, this was also an exploration of what big things might come next. It doesn’t mean that mixing my own paints is what’s next, but it’s something I’m curious and drawn to, so I’m allowing myself time to explore it, knowing that one new creative endeavor can lead to another. Knowing that discovery sparks more ideas. And I thought I would share

November 1, 2021 24 Comments

Art Supplies

Mineral Artist’s Pigment Set from Choosing Keeping

As I shared when Feels Like Home launched, I’m not likely to throw a big party. I just want to have a good dinner at home with my family and throw a bit of confetti in my studio. But, I also like to celebrate special occasions with gifts! So, I got a few “book presents” for myself at each major milestone – signing the contract, turning in the manuscript, and launching the book. One of those book gifts was a new camera lens and I’ll share that in another post. One was a beautifully restored 1920s Underwood typewriter in the most delicious shade of green. (I bought it from .) And one was a set of 104 mineral artist’s pigments for the “what’s next time” that comes after a major project. Isn’t this typewriter just the prettiest thing? I’ve come to believe that every writer should treat themselves to a

October 27, 2021 39 Comments

Antiques

antique winsor & newton charcoal box

There are some finds that you just know are special. You know they probably won’t come around again or at least in a very long while. Such was the case with the antique Winsor & Newton charcoal box and, when it was offered to me, I jumped at it. And even though I knew it was special simply based on the fluttery feeling it gave me, I quickly discovered that this box was providentially meant to be with me. Well, maybe that’s overstating it, but there was a pretty cool coincidence at play. So, for my non-art-supply people, stick with me on this one. It’s a good story with a great bit of encouragement at the end. So, let’s first talk about this amazing charcoal box… This antique Winsor & Newton charcoal box is meant to be used as a palette. It’s small and very lightweight and even has a

October 25, 2021 17 Comments

Art

3rd completed sketchbook tour

I actually finished my 3rd sketchbook back in August, but I haven’t taken the time to film a little sketchbook tour video. I like doing those because they hold me accountable, but I’ve also received wonderful feedback from people who have shared how it’s encouraged them. Keeping a sketchbook really has changed me as an artist. It’s helped me to loosen up, try more mediums, experiment, and explore in ways I didn’t feel as free to on a panel or on a piece that was supposed to be “finished” and good enough to sell. I’m falling in love with watercolors, pen & ink, and charcoal. I think oil will always be my first love with it comes to art mediums, but I’m enjoying the growth in other mediums. I’m also learning that growth in one medium helps you grow in others. I’m getting better at interpreting what I see in

October 20, 2021 15 Comments

Decorating

recording an audiobook for a decorating book

When I first saw the mention of the word “audiobook” in my book contract, I was a little skeptical. I mean, this is going to be a photo-heavy decorating book. A book that relies heavily on visual examples and, in most cases, is a book that looked at more than read. I do read some of my decorating books, but I usually look at the pictures and take away what I want from them. Sometimes I read them if there is a compelling story or if I’m eager to hear the design process and creative ideas behind a space. But, I confess that I have never bought an audiobook for a decorating book. But, as I was writing the Feels Like Home, I had all of this in mind. (Affiliate link.) I wanted to make sure that what I wrote was something worth reading and offered more depth and encouragement

October 14, 2021 7 Comments

I’m Marian, a painter, writer, and lover of all things creative. From art and antiques to home projects and everyday life, I share my journey in hopes of inspiring you to embrace your own creativity and make beauty in the spaces you live.

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