Tag Archives: watercolor

Sep10

Watercolor Weeping Willow Pt. 2

Posted on September 10, 2023 by lifewithlilred

Hello! This past Tuesday, I spent a lovely afternoon painting with my mom. I wanted to revisit doing a watercolor weeping willow to see if I could improve upon my last one. Like my last effort, I am not especially pleased with what I came up with. However, I do think there were a lot of things on an individual basis that were good. The big picture was just meh, though. Take a look at my latest watercolor creation and I’ll tell you what I did like about it:

What bothers me the most about this picture is that I didn’t get full weeping willow vibes from it. I think it’s actually a pretty decent tree, but it wasn’t the tree I wanted lol! I do like the trunk that I made quite a bit and I thought that the color I mixed up for it was great. I also am a fan of the overall color palette that I established. To achieve it, I did a lot of mixing of greens, yellows, blues, and browns. It’s a lot of fun to create your own colors and see what you come up with!

The thing that I am happiest with about this weeping willow is that I think I am getting a more firm grasp on creating the signature “tendrils”. For my other attempt, I did a lot of brush strokes that weren’t blended the best. This time around, I did a really light base coat over the tree and patted it dry. Then, I painted waterlines and applied some paint to the very top of the line. After I had my trail of water, I held the paper up and let the paint run down. This was the closest I got to a tendril and I think that I’ll be onto something if I do smaller waterlines the next time. 😀

As with all of my watercolor paintings, this “weeping willow” is not the best. It doesn’t have to be, though! It’s always nice to spend time painting with my mom and after every sesh, I have new ideas to try. The outcome wasn’t successful, but the fact I tried and am more than willing to try again is a GREAT SUCCESS!!

What is your favorite kind of tree? What should I try painting next? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug12

Watercolor Weeping Willow

Posted on August 12, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! Watercolor painting is something my mom and I really enjoy and it has been a minute since our last painting sesh. Flowers are, admittedly, the only thing we have been painting and I decided to try something different when we painted this Tuesday. I wanted to try my hand at a weeping willow! As always when I have just painted something, I am never particularly thrilled with it. However, this was my first go at anything but a flower and I feel pretty good about attempt number one:

To begin, I assembled my palette with different green, brown, and yellow watercolor paint. Then, I sketched a super rough outline with some assistance from Google Images. I started with the grass and I actually love how that turned out, then moved onto the branches. To do this, I painted the branches with water alone and then added color to the wet paper. I do like the trunk and the placement of the branches, but the upper ones got muddled when I painted the leaves. As always, it was because I was impatient!

When I painted the leaves, I started from the top down and painted the top with water then color and brought it down in thinner strokes. I think that the idea was right, but the execution was wrong. Like the branches, the colors got murky at the top. And, yes, it was because I was impatient! I should have allowed for drying time and I didn’t – especially when I was introducing new colors.

I definitely want to give the weeping willow another shot and next time, I will give myself enough time to give the painting drying time. I like the colors I used so I am not going to change that. I also like that there were areas of white within the painting too, which was a recommendation from a watercolor teacher. I’m excited to see my next painting in comparison to this one because I know there will be at least some improvement. I’m proud of myself for trying something new!

Watercolor painting is a nice reminder of try and try again and I can’t wait to paint again with my mom. I branched out with my weeping willow (See what I did there?) and it’s not the best. But, it’s the best one I have painted yet! 🙂

What is your favorite medium of art? What is your favorite plant? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul6

Watercolor Pansies

Posted on July 6, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! My mom and I really enjoy watercolor painting and it is such a fun and different medium of art to work with. With all of the craziness going on in both of our lives, we haven’t been able to paint as often as we would like. In fact, the last time we painted together was back in March! During that painting session, I tried my hand at pansies and was pretty pleased with the outcome as I had never tried it before.

This past week, we finally got to paint together and I decided to pick up where I left off with pansies. I wasn’t as happy as I was with the ones you’re about to see as the previous effort. However, I hadn’t painted in months and we all have to start (again) somewhere! Check out the image I was trying to pull from and my attempts:

After sketching out a basic outline for each flower, I began painting the top right pansy. Obviously, it was a bit of a bust and my mistake was being impatient AF. I gave no time for literally anything to sit and the blob flower became a muddled mess. I was feeling frustrated because my previous pansies were not the best but certainly not the worst and this one just sucked lol. So, I had to regroup, take a breath, and remember that patience is a virtue in life and especially with watercolor!

For the following flowers, I tried really hard to take my time and use the paints and water to my advantage. I also channeled the advice from a previous watercolor teacher to use areas of no paint within what you are working on too. The next flower I attempted was the one in the bottom left and I still wasn’t feeling it, but it was getting closer. Then, I had a brain blast and remembered how I did my original pansies!

The first time I painted pansies, I did a rough outline and then started in the middle. I began with the yellow center and line detailing and waited for it to dry. Then, I applied a light wash of paint, blotted it, and moved onto the next color. I used my original method for the middle right pansy and was much happier with how it turned out. There was even some areas of white to accent the red and orange too. That was much more like it and I ended my painting session feeling satisfied with the top left, two middle, and bottom right pansies.

I’d be a liar if I said I wasn’t slightly disappointed with how my pansies turned out. But, I reminded myself that it was a great first go after an over three month long hiatus. After I shook away the blahs, I felt motivated to paint more so I never have to restart my progress again. I can’t wait for my next painting session with my mom!

What helps motivate you after a disappointment? Have you tried any new artistic ventures recently? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar20

Watercolor Flowers

Posted on March 20, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! My mom, sister, and I learned the joys of watercolor painting after taking a class together last July. It was so much fun and it inspired my mom and I to take it up as a hobby. I even treated all of us to an at home class last month as an early birthday gift for my mom! During our at home class, our wonderful teacher conducted a painting session on roses and I am so proud of my mom for her dedication to practicing watercolor in her downtime. This past week, I was finally able to paint with her during a visit and decided to see what I could remember of painting roses. I also tried my hand at pansies! Check it out:

I like to fancy myself as a creative person in terms of writing, fashion, and figure skating. However, I have never considered myself an artistic person until trying watercolor painting; I can barely draw a stick figure! Quitting my day job for a career in painting is not in my future, but I feel proud of myself whenever I paint anything and it doesn’t turn out awful. At the end of the day, I am trying something new and enjoying myself and that’s the most important thing.

A month had gone by since learning how to paint roses and while I definitely need a refresher, I felt pretty good about the two I made on the first page. The red one is my favorite! In fact, I was having so much fun painting with my mom that I wanted to try something completely new: Pansies. Pansies are one of my favorite flowers and they always remind me of my grandma, who would tend to beautiful window boxes filled with them. The variety of colors and delicate petals speak to me and I know that spring has officially sprung when I start to see them at stores!

To start, I tried to paint a pansy from memory and that didn’t go too hot. A reference picture was a must and I found some great drawings of pansies that were most helpful for my next attempts. Although none of the paintings I tried on the second page look perfectly pansy, I could kind of see it. I also felt like I got a decent grasp on what must be done to improve for next time and that’s good enough for me! I am especially pleased with the one in the top right as well as the flower directly below it. While I love taking watercolor classes, it was an extra feather in my cap to try something brand new all by myself!

I can’t wait to paint again with my mom and am looking forward to giving pansies another go. Practice makes perfect, amiright?!

What is your favorite medium of art to work with? In what ways are you creative or artistic? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb16

At Home Watercolor Painting Class

Posted on February 16, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hey!! Way back in July of last year, I took a watercolor painting class with my mom and sister and it was so much fun. It was a blast to spend time together learning something new and we had a great teacher – the amazing Ana of Falcon Grove Studio. After a long and highly stressful handful of months, I decided that we could all use a treat. So, I had Ana come to the family home to teach a watercolor masterclass to my mom, Kristen, Val Gal, and me. We passed a wonderful afternoon getting back in touch with our creative sides as Ana guided us through some Valentine’s Day projects. Take a look at mine:

For our class, we worked on painting roses which used a lot of techniques that were new to us. It has been a long while since I painted watercolor because the shit had hit the fan and I was definitely rusty, as you can see. BUT it was still really fun and it was cool to have the class from the kitchen table! Ana is such a knowledgeable, patient, and kind teacher and it was special to have her do a class just for us. Our roses might not have turned out the best, but everything was coming up roses all afternoon as we painted.

After finally painting watercolor again, my mom and I remembered why we enjoyed it so much in the first place. We are both looking forward to retrying our hand at the roses this week when I bring my supplies over during an afternoon off. I think it’s safe to say that we have a lot of room for improvement and it’s nice to feel motivated to give watercolor another go now that things have settled down a bit. Ana gave us the know how for watercolor roses and my goal is to make a painting of a bouquet after more practice. 😀

I am so happy that all of my best girls were able to participate in the watercolor class and it was the perfect Galentine’s Day/prebirthday celebration for my mom get together. Hopefully I will have a lot more watercolor paintings to share with all of you soon!

Have you ever taken an art class before? What makes a good teacher? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep1

Falcon Grove Studio Art Haul

Posted on September 1, 2022 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! I took an awesome watercolor painting class with my mom and sister in July. It was taught by the amazing Ana of Falcon Grove Studio and we still talk about how much fun we had all together. This past week my best friend, LEA, turned twenty-eight and I decided to treat her to some beautiful artwork made by Ana on her Etsy shop. They will be perfect for her office at work and don’t worry, they are already in her possession so this post won’t come as a surprise! Check it out:

It is so important to support local artists and I try to do so as often as I can. When Lea’s birthday began drawing near, I had Ana’s Etsy shop in mind because her work is just the type that she likes. Ana’s art is so elegant and bold without being “too much” and I am in love with both pieces that I chose. I am especially partial to the framed painting with the 3D butterfly. I wish that I bought one for me too!

Shopping on Ana’s Etsy shop was a great experience. My order arrived quickly, shipping was free, and it was packaged with so much care. I also received a coupon for fifteen percent off of my next purchase, which will definitely come in handy this holiday season. I have a feeling that I will make great use of it. 😀

Lea and I have been best friends for fourteen years and it has been a joy to celebrate almost a decade and a half of birthdays together. It was also a joy to shop for all of them too lol. Do be sure to check out Ana’s Etsy shop for a handcrafted gift that yourself or your giftee will adore!

Who is your favorite local artist? What is the link to any of your online stores? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug4

Fourth Watercolor Project

Posted on August 4, 2022 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! I have a vast repertoire of hobbies and enjoy reading, ice skating, writing, swimming, and, of course, shopping in my free time. Watercolor painting is a recent hobby that I’ve added to this list and I have been loving it and trying my hand at different projects as often as I can. This past weekend, I made this little painting for my nieces while Johnny took a nap lol check it out:

My sister and brother-in-law have their daughter, Valerie, and will have another little girl very soon. We are SO excited and I wanted to make something adorable for their bed or playroom. They most certainly are cute as a button so inspiration for my most recent project was really easy to come by!

Val’s favorite colors are purple and pink so I obviously had to incorporate that and I think she will be super happy about the palette I chose. She’s also not old enough to know good art, either, so that’s another win lol. Good art or not, it was fun to make and I like how it turned out so that’s all that matters. 😀

Every time I paint something, I come up with ideas for another project that I would like to do. Without the watercolor class that I took, I would have never thought that it would be an activity that I would enjoy. However, here we are now on my fourth project and I am eager to continue creating more and more. I have some sketches ready to paint when I can and I also plan on making a rainbow painting for my nieces. I can’t wait to show all of you!

Have you started a new hobby recently? What do you like to do in your free time? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

PS: Tune in tomorrow for bloopers from my Country Concert OOTD!

Aug1

Namesake Watercolor Project

Posted on August 1, 2022 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! I enjoyed the watercolor painting class that I took so much that I just had to buy some supplies to paint during my free time at home. Although my leisure time is scarce during the week, I have managed to do two projects that I am really proud of. I created a likeness of myself and Johnny and also painted a dedication to my namesake this past week:

The Lil Red nickname originally stemmed from a coworker when I worked retail thanks to my signature red hair and lipstick. At the cash register, he would ask if Lil Red helped the customer out and they always knew who he was talking about! I have had this project in mind to feature my blog’s tagline and a red lippie tube since the class I took and I love how it turned out. 😀

Because of the constantly changing color of my hair, it has been a while since I was able to wear a pure red lipstick. I miss it terribly but I still think that it is the epitome of chic. A bold red lip screams confidence, even if you aren’t really feeling yourself that day. A quick swipe of red lipstick can completely change a simple jeans and T outfit or enhance a date night look. This never fails to amaze me and is a true testament to the power of makeup.

It sounds silly but I honestly feel like my red lipstick helped shape me into the person that I am today. It gave me a confidence boost when I had none as well as inspiration when I created my blog. During my next tap out tattoo session, I plan on getting a red lipstick tube somewhere on my arm. For now, however, a painting will just have to do. I wonder what I’ll come up with to paint next!

What do you consider a signature part of your style? What is your favorite lipstick shade? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul26

Watercolor Painting Project

Posted on July 26, 2022 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! I took a really fun watercolor painting class with my mom and sister this past month and it inspired both my mom and I to try our hand at it in our free time. My free time is, unfortunately, hard to come by so my painting supply haul from Michael’s had been sitting unused for the past few weeks. So, I was very happy to have been able to come up with not one but TWO masterpieces last week:

Other than the introductory course on watercolor painting that I took, I have zero experience with it. I never say no to learning new things, though, and I am really enjoying my efforts. In fact, I am thrilled with how mine and Johnny’s likeness turned out! I had the idea for it in my head and they turned out exactly how I pictured them to be.

Are these paintings great on a technical level? No, lol. BUT, both Johnny and I love them and that makes them great to me. In fact, as soon as I was done my sweet husband told me that we’ll have to find a perfect spot to hang them up. That made me feel so good and even more proud of my creations.

I feel like everyone has this preconceived notion that they have to be amazing or making money off of a craft or skill to do it. I, myself, am guilty of this. However, breaking free from this thought gives you the opportunity to try all kinds of new things whether you’re good or bad at it.

The watercolor class I took not only motivated me to paint more but it also empowered me in little things too. I know I can’t sing worth a damn but the evening after our class, Johnny and our friend were playing music and I sang right along with them. It is never too late to learn anything and I can’t wait to paint even more!

What is your favorite hobby? Are you learning anything new right now? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul14

Michael’s Haul

Posted on July 14, 2022 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! My mom, sister, and I recently took a really fun watercolor painting class taught by the fabulous Ana-Joel of Falcon Grove Studio. We had the best time and our teacher’s kind words, wisdom, and talent inspired both my mom and I to give watercolor painting a try in our free time. I was so proud of my mom when she sent me pictures of what she had painted already!

This past weekend, Johnny and I did some errands and went to Michael’s so I could get some painting supplies. He also picked up a few things to trick out his banjo with and it’s looking really good!

While I haven’t painted anything yet, I definitely plan on it this week and already have lots of ideas brewing in my head. Of course, it probably won’t look as good as I am picturing it but practice makes perfect and I’m excited! Prior to taking the painting class, I had never done anything like it before and I know that it will feel good to express myself through a different medium because you all know that I am a word girl at heart.

Ana-Joel was an amazing teacher and I think that it speaks volumes that she motivated at least two of her students to continue painting in their own time. She was so encouraging and it was really moving to see how she celebrated our efforts because it should be celebrated! Ana-Joel said that all art is special because it’s our bodies dancing and creating something new. I loved that and it made me feel inspired to try something new rather than stressed out about not being the best at it.

Every day when Johnny gets home from work, he has taken to building small metal models and I plan on joining him and painting. It’s going to be fun to be able to create things together because he is so musically inclined and I… am not lol. I can’t wait to show all of you what I come up with!

What kind of art do you like to make? What is your favorite medium to work with? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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