Here to Ignite, Encourage and Inspire your Creative Flame
“Don’t limit your challenges. Challenge your limits.”
– Unknown
Please note: some items are repeated for the benefit of new subscribers. Thank you 😊
Hey there my friends I hope you’re all keeping well and that the sun is shining in your life right now, either literally or metaphorically (hopefully both). Today my mind has been on the subject of growth in our artistic journeys, so bare with me while I ramble a while lol;
We all know that creativity comes in all shapes and sizes, whether it’s drawing or painting, knitting, crochet, woodworking or sculpture, there’s a place for us all; and it’s in these places of ours that I encourage you to grow. When beginning a new craft or hobby our growth seems to leap forward, propelling us into new adventures as we learn new skills. However, after a while, once we’ve learned the basics, our journey begins to plateau and can lead to a feeling that we’ve either stopped learning or maybe this is as good as it gets. But stop right there. Once you reach this feeling it doesn’t mean you’ve reached your destination, it’s more of a sign post pointing you to new adventures. Taking your craft to the next level may seem a little daunting, after all you’ve become so comfortable with the basics you’ve now learnt that your not having to challenge yourself anymore, hence the ‘plateau feeling’.
So what is the next step to take on this never-ending journey? Well it’s to take a challenge. Maybe watch a more advanced YouTube video or sign up to a class or tutorial of someone whose creativity you admire. Don’t be afraid of stepping out of your comfort zone and think of it more as releasing yourself from the inside of a bubble. You’ll be surprised when you set your sights ahead of what you’ve already learned.
So why not start today? If you’ve never tried pastel or you’re thinking that fur texture or eyes in pastel look a little daunting, take a look at my latest YouTube video and I hope you’ll be pleasantly surprise when the unknown is broken down into easy to understand steps:
Now for those of you wondering what’s on my easel at the moment: I bring you an Amur Leopard.
Working on a smooth Belgian Linen Canvas, I began by applying a layer of transparent gesso. Once dry, I then proceeded to sketch on my subject with a white charcoal pencil, defining the lines I wanted to keep as accurate guide lines with a 9B graphite pencil. By sketching with two contrasting colours I was able to erase the surplus white lines as needed, tightening the drawing and adding a little detail to the now refined composition.
The graphite sketch has now been sealed with a spray fixative, and the canvas is now ready for the next step – time to get my paints out. Acrylic or oils? I’ve yet to decide.
This Epic Arctic Art Adventure is soon to have a date available in 2025!!! More news on this soon.
I now have a shop for merchandise on FINE ART AMERICA :
Fine Art America is the world’s largest art marketplace and print-on-demand technology company. They’ve been helping artists sell wall art, home décor, apparel, and other products since 2006, working with hundreds of thousands of artists, photographers, graphic designers, illustrators, and iconic brands.
21 of my original paintings are now available as prints, canvas prints, acrylic prints, greeting cards, phone cases, throw pillows, tote bags, stationary and mugs etc. So they’ll hopefully be something for everyone.
An screenshot example from my page:
Wildlife Art Workshops for 2024
£60 per person (materials not included)
All workshops are held at Martin Mere Wetland Centre and 50% of all proceeds go straight back into conservation.
| Date | Medium | Subject |
|---|---|---|
| January 27th 2024 | Watercolour | Reindeer |
| March 23rd 2024 | Pastel | Barn Owl |
| May 18th 2024 | Watercolour | Painted Lady Butterfly on Flower |
| September 21st 2024 | Pastel | Fallow Deer |
| November 23rd 2024 | Watercolour | TBC |
My suggested materials for the the pastel & watercolour workshops:
| Suggested Pastel materials: | * Clairefontaine Pastelmat Paper (I rarely use anything else now) * larger sheets are available and can be easily cut to size (this is what I do) * Carbothello Pastel Pencils are a must have in my studio, available individually or in different set sizes * Derwent Pastel Pencils are soft with a wide range of colours, available individually or in different set sizes, ideal for covering larger areas with their thicker pigment core * Mungyo Soft Pastels – an affordable way to cover larger areas of a painting, and for adding base coats for your pencils to go on top of * Pan Pastels – my ‘go to’ soft pastel choice, available individually or in sets, 92 colours in total |
| Suggested Watercolour materials: | * 140lb (or heavier) Hotpress or Coldpress watercolour paper * 9″ x 12″ minimum size (buying larger sheets is preferable as they can then be cut down to size) * Winsor & Newton Cotman watercolours are a great paint to get started with (I still use them for sketches etc) * A variety of brushes, sizes & shapes, made from golden taklon which is a synthetic material. Here’s a link to the affordable W&N Cotman set. * A white mixing palette or a white plate will do * Bring along some white gouache too if you have some – great for adding highlights etc. * Two water containers |
Workshops alternate between Watercolour and Pastel, but feel free to bring along any art medium you wish if the subject is something you would like to create from. All workshops are suitable for beginners. More information can be found over on our exclusive Art Workshop page on the Martin Mere website as well as on the Workshop page of my website. If participants would like further mediums or subjects added then extra dates can be slotted in to suit. So if your passion is coloured pencil or you love acrylic or oil painting then just let me know.
This Kingfisher project was the subject for June 2023 art workshop over at WWT Martin Mere Wetland Centre.
New Diary Dates for 2024!
| Arctic Expedition | 17th – 24th June 2024 |
| Global Bird Fair | 12th – 14th July 2024 |
| Exhibition of Wildlife Art | 26th – 28th July 2024 |
| North West Birdwatching Festival | 19th – 20th October 2024 |
Arctic Expedition – Take a cruise around Spitsbergen and explore the icy waters of the North Atlantic. This special expedition offers you the chance to catch site of whales, reindeer, Arctic foxes, walruses, seals, and the star attraction, the polar bear. Now with an addition of having me on board to help, encourage and hopefully inspire you should you wish to sketch and paint during the trip.
Global Birdfair – an international three day event – Join a community of nature lovers and birdwatchers from around the world as we gather to make a difference to Conserving Nature Worldwide. Lectures, demonstrations, art exhibitions, holiday destinations, authors, photographers, Global Birdfair auction, optics companies including Nikon, Viking Optical, Zeiss & Swarovski Optik – there really is something for everyone at this annual event that attracts thousands of people from across the globe. Global Birdfair will take place at Rutland Showground, Oakham, Rutland UK. LE15 7TW
Exhibition of Wildlife Art – ‘an exciting three day show featuring the work of some of the world’s most talented wildlife artists. The biggest and most successful, open selling, exhibition of Wildlife Art outside of London. All exhibited work is for sale and many artist demonstrate whilst there.’
North West Birdwatching Festival – Open at 8am, start your day by watching the spectacle of thousands of wild geese leave the roost before heading for breakfast in the Martin Mere restaurant. Over the two day there will be an array of guest speakers and exhibitors, artists and photographers including photography workshops, guided reserve walks, and more. I’ll be exhibiting and demonstrating throughout the weekend and would love you to drop by and say hello.
Subscriber Question
Q. Could you please recommend one of your videos that is suitable for a watercolour beginner? Thank you.
A. Thank you for your video request. The following video not only covers an ‘easy to apply’ technique, but also covers the idea that it’s fun and informative to just sit and play with our mediums whether you’re a beginner or not. I hope you find it helpful.
I may not always have a video on my YouTube channel to help when answering a subscriber’s question, but when I do I’ll be sure to add it.
Okay folks that’s it for me for today. Thank you once again, as always my friends, for spending some time with me today, and please feel free to leave a question or suggestion in the contact form below.
Until next time, as always, stay safe and stay creative, Kerry xXx
Questions & Suggestions welcomed
You must be logged in to post a comment.