I recently came across this article called "Art and the Mind's Eye: How Drawing Trains You to See the World More Clearly and to Live with a Deeper Sense of Presence." The article says "​Drawing, indeed, transforms the secret passageway between the eye and the heart into a two-way street — while we are wired to miss the vast majority of what goes on around us, learning to draw rewires us to see the world differently, to love it more intimately by attending to and coming to cherish its previously invisible details." 

What do you think? Has drawing helped you see the world differently? Let me know in the comments.

Join me tomorrow (Saturday) for a fun and interactive lesson on mixing tints, shades and tones with acrylic paint.  Bring along some white, black and at least one color of your choice such as magenta, blue, green, etc. As always you'll want a variety of paint brushes, a palette knife if you have one, a cup of water, a paper towel and a surface to paint on - I'll be using Canson coldpress watercolor paper. If you can't make the live event, you can watch this class anytime on demand.

On Sunday at 2PM MST I will be teaching a live class on the power of complimentary colors in art, specifically acrylic painting but many of the concepts apply to other areas of painting and drawing as well. Bring along your primary color paints to follow along with me, or you can watch and try on your own later. If you can't make this event, it will also be available on demand for you to watch anytime! 

Here is a simple and easy creative activity to try! All you need is ink jet prints, heavier weight paper, scissors, a paint brush, spray bottle with water and some gloss or matte medium. This video I put together will show you the how-to. This is a fun way to incorporate mixed media imagery into your paintings, drawings or other artworks. It's great for crafting as well! 

Starting on July 11 I will begin teaching weekly live "Paint With Me" classes on Saturdays at 10AM MST. You can register for this class now under "Upcoming Events." For each class I will provide a reference photo and a materials list so you can gather your supplies and paint along with me on Saturdays! These classes are beginner friendly, although artists of all levels and abilities will enjoy these classes. I will provide step-by-step instruction and guidance, while offering lots of options and choices for you to exercise your own creative voice. If you are unable to make a live class, you'll be able to watch them on your own by visiting the "On-Demand Classes" page. Please email me or leave a comment below suggesting a "theme" for a future Paint With Me class, I would love your recommendations. Our first class will be on painting these lovely red tulips in acrylic. 

Join me for a fun and relaxing acrylic painting techniques class on Sunday 6/21 at 10AM MST. Whether these techniques are familiar or not, you're sure to learn some new information along the way as we explore texture and blending methods with acrylic paint. There will be time for Q&A as well. Feel free to grab your paint brushes and acrylic paint and join me, or just watch and try on your own later. I will also have some sponges, palette knives, scrapers, a cup of water, paper towel and a paint palette on hand. I hope to see you there but as always you can find this class on demand after the event.

If you are new to painting join me for a live class tomorrow on an overview of painting mediums. We'll talk about similarities and differences, supplies and tips for getting started on your own! This class is also helpful if you are experienced in one area of painting (such as watercolor) but want to learn more about another (such as oil painting). You can find this class "on demand" after the live event. I hope to see you there!

Below are some of the most commonly used drawing supplies for graphite and most of what you see below are items I will be using in our live events and classes. I linked the items below as well, but most of these things are available in most major craft and art stores or online. If you have any questions about specific supplies don't hesitate to email me or drop a comment below. I will be putting together supply lists for each drawing medium that I will be covering in our live classes, and I will do the same for painting mediums. While I do enjoy Prismacolor's drawing supplies, there are a lot of other great brands and companies out there too such as Staedtler, Derwent, Faber-Castell and many more. You can check out lots of other options here.  As far as pencils go, it's nice to have a little set or at least 5 to begin with. Usually I'll pick a 2H, HB, 2B, 4B and 6B but any range of graphite pencils can work. 

Below are some different types of papers that work well with graphite. You could draw on paper with graphite that is either smooth (hot press) or slightly bumpy (cold press). In each category there are several options. You could draw on thinner paper such as newsprint or sketchbook paper or heavier weight paper like watercolor paper or bristol. When you are finished drawing with graphite you can spray it with fixative to protect it from smudging. Canson, Strathmore and Bienfang all make really great art papers. For practice I will usually use newsprint paper, printer paper or thin sketchbook paper. If I am rendering a more complete drawing I like to use something smoother with some weight, like bristol or mix media paper.

What are some of your favorite graphite drawing materials or supplies? Let me know in the comments! 

Feel free to grab your supplies and follow along with me, or watch and then try the techniques I show you on your own time. The class will also be available on demand after the live event. For supplies I will be using some round and flat paint brushes in various sizes, some acrylic paint in several basic colors (use anything you have) and some watercolor paper in cold press. Any surface for acrylic paint can work though, from canvas to card stock. As always, you'll want a paper towel and cup for a water. A palette knife is optional, but handy. You'll also want some type of palette or plate for mixing your paint. I hope to see you there!