Hello lovely artist!

What if you could boost your color confidence and gently expand your color palette while creating a whole series of mixed media artworks? That’s what I’ve been working lately and I’ve filmed the whole process to share it with you!

My goal was to try my hand at fluorescent pink, a color that’s way out of my comfort zone! I’d love for you to choose a color of your own, something that feels both scary and exciting, and come paint along!

Here’s how:

• Grab 3 or 4 little substrates: simple squares of watercolor paper work great, or canvases, canvas board etc. Here I’m working on 6”x 6” (15 x 15 cm) wood panels.

• Choose a color that you love but that feels a bit scary…

• Start with a layer of collage like me, or any other first step you like

• Be brave and keep going!

My most popular and most comprehensive painting class, Soulful Abstracts, opens only once a year and it’s happening now! If you’re longing for more guidance and support as you explore YOUR art, and if you’re ready to uncover your unique, authentic style, your true voice as an artist, then this is the very best I have to offer. With the freedom of abstract art and the playfulness of mixed media, you’ll grow your artist wings like never before!

Below you’ll find five videos where I share the whole process from start to finish. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to post them in the comments at the bottom of this post. There you’ll also find links to most of the supplies I’m using. Have fun painting!

We're making a collage background to ease into the process and create an interesting surface to work on.

We're blending the collage with paint, then it's time to play with that scary color! No matter what your chosen color is, I encourage you to try it on it's own, then see how it mixes with white and a neutral paint. 

Now that the paint is dry, let's add more color with crayons and pencils! While I was playing with water-soluble supplies, I couldn't help trying out my black Stabilo All, which led me to a whole lot of black dots... It's so much fun to follow the impulse of the moment!

After adding so much black, it's time to bring the light back in with plenty of white. Let's play with bubble wrap and make some drips! It's amazing how much a painting can change in minutes with just a few white layers.

To me, finishing touches are such an important part of an artist's style, because they’re the top layer that brings everything together and instantly makes your art unique and recognizable! Take a moment to think about your own special mix of finishing touches: which techniques, tools, marks and symbols do you often like to add in the last layers?

Art supplies links

• Supplies: Wood panels, 6" x 6" / 15 x 15 cm: https://geni.us/e6lbD

• Matte Gel Medium by Liquitex: https://geni.us/1NoBGYe

• "Fluorescent Magenta" acrylic paint by Golden: https://geni.us/gLVzvl

• "Parchment" acrylic paint by Liquitex: https://geni.us/tWKASy5

• "Portrait Pink" acrylic paint by Liquitex: https://geni.us/BlAsoc

• Neocolor 2 water-soluble crayons: https://geni.us/uIuiYpj

• Prismacolor coloring pencils: https://geni.us/iNQAWHB

• Stabilo All black water-soluble pencil:https://geni.us/Di0LEZx

• Black gesso by Liquitex: https://geni.us/Er17OJ

• White heavy body acrylic by Liquitex: https://geni.us/lGTysi

• High Flow acrylic by golden: https://geni.us/Ufhrc

I hope this impromptu little series has inspired you and I’d love to share a lot more with you in the classroom of Soulful Abstracts!

What if painting in an abstract way gave you the freedom to explore your unique voice as an artist: your colors, marks, textures and more? What if you could create beautifully layered paintings that radiate with soul?

Leave a comment for me!