Dear Wonderful, Creative You:
If you’ve been hanging around in the Mindful Art Studio community for any period of time, you know about my passion for dots. I’ve enjoyed doing simple patterns for some time, but since discovering high flow liquid acrylic paints, it’s gone to a new level.
Drawing on tiny works of art has become an essential part of my daily art and creative self-care practice. Once I start making dots, it’s hard to stop. Making dots has become a meditative activity for me. I can tune into the staccato of the pen hitting the page, the sound of my breathing, and the colors and images emerging before me.
Take for example, the image below. I chose a painted circle with a nice sense of movement and some interesting shapes. Using a white gel pen, and without any plan or pre-conceived notions, I began making dots, some big, some small. I let my intuition guide me, and after a while, I saw a penguin emerge at the bottom of the page. Art surprises are the best, aren’t they?
What I love about simple art techniques like dots is that they make art accessible to everyone. In my new class, Fluid Art, we use high flow paints to make tiny paintings with organic washes of color. We then develop these into mini masterpieces using simple patterns like dots, lines, and circles. Whether or not you take the class, there are some principles that I hope you try out.
Simple Art Techniques:
- Keep it simple: Make dots, lines, circles, or triangles, and repeat them to make patterns.
- Work small: I like to keep my small art work 4 – 5 inches or less.
- Create with abandon: I frequently get the best results when I pretend I don’t care what my art looks like. When I try too hard I get stuck.
- Let it flow: Use fluid art materials that take advantage of the natural properties of water and let them work their magic. Consider watercolors, alcohol inks, or high flow liquid acrylics.
I’m having a great time mixing and matching all the mini masterpieces I produce. Below is a pic from what I call my “percolation station.” I keep some of these little pieces on my table and then play with putting them together in different combinations. It’s kind of like an art game. I play frequently throughout the day. If you work at a desk in an office, these are tiny enough to bring to work and keep to the side, ready to provide you with a mental break when you need one.
Fluid Art is on pre-sale right now for $99 with code: FLUIDART30 until July 9th only. Save your spot now!
Here’s one of the little books you’ll learn to make in the class. I love playing with all these different elements!
What are some of your simple art techniques that help you get creative? How do you take advantage of simplicity in your art? Tell us about it in the comments. Drop by and say hello on social media @AmyMaricle, and if you like this post, please share it with someone who could use an infusion of inspiration today.
Creatively Yours,
Amy
This art technique is simple, beautiful, and fun. Why didn't I start using it sooner?… Click To Tweet
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Barbara Shelton lives in Bossier City, Louisiana with her husband, Greg. She received her master’s degree from the University of Louisville in Expressive Therapies and formerly worked as a social worker/play therapist at a large psychiatric hospital. She currently teaches a class called “Healthy Family” to empower parents to be better by bettering themselves as people. She also loves to sing in her church choirs.
Vanessa Oliver-Lloyd is an archaeologist and an artist. She believes in the healing power of pouring your feelings unto paper and transforming them into art! She has just released a new online workshop called Totems, on finding and using personal symbolism in one’s work: