BIG ART

WORK SMALL. GO BIG.

Let’s make BIG ART 2 inches at a time! We will draw and paint on lots of tiny “inchie” watercolor squares just 2 x 2 inches. I’ll show you several playful drawing and painting techniques in 11 projects. You’ll create a lot of little art at your own pace, and before you know it, you’ll put them together to create your unique BIG ART.

Lesson Plan: part one – Welcome + Creative Prep

Hi! I’m Amy , your teacher and guide for BIG ART. I believe we are all artists with some pretty BIG ART ideas, it’s just a matter of finding them. I think if you are pulled to the idea of working small, getting playful, and letting things evolve naturally this way, you’ll find your way of making BIG ART.

There are four videos in this first section where I introduce the outline of the course and how best to use it, show you the supplies, get you set up to create on the go, and most importantly, lead you through the creative exercise that will help you generate YOUR unique BIG ART ideas.

– A welcome to BIG ART

– Gathering your supplies

– Your portable art kit

– Generating your BIG ART ideas

Lesson Plan: part Two – Projects

Project 1: BIG SKY

Project 2: Color Bursts

Project 3: Slow Drawing on Color Bursts

Project 4: Color Scapes

Project 5: Botanicals

Project 6: Dot Clouds

Project 7: U Project

Project 8: Images That Travel

Project 9: Drawing Nature Inspired Patterns

Project 10: Marks That Flow

Project 11: Start Small, Go BIG

I love your approach to art as a practice. I apply the same principle to my yoga, my mindfulness and my writing. I do think a daily practice keeps us mindful and engaged. My deepest gratitude to you and your generous sharing.

Yinmee Cheah, Singapore

What You’ll Get with BIG ART

Prep for Creative Success:

+ How to use the class in YOUR way

+ Creative batching

Drawing Techniques:

+ Slow drawing patterns

+ Imperfect botanicals

+ Dot clouds

+ Nature inspired patterns

Painting Techniques:

+ Smoky paint

+ Messy paint

+ Color bursts

+Graceful liner brush marks

Innovation Techniques:

+ Idea generation exercises to find your BIG ART ideas

+ Ways to let an image “travel the grid”

BIG ART Student Gallery

Caroline Palmer, Dot Clouds

Viola Comadizo Mayol, Botanicals

Jeanie Brandt, Valley

Rollyne Klem, BIG SKY

Tereza Silva, Dot Clouds

“BIG ART gives me an opportunity to take mindfulness art making to another level. There is beauty of how a tiny piece can be part of a big picture, like in life. And then there’s the beauty of making portable art. I did a bunch of little squares while on a three-day road trip. Amy has nurtured a supportive community of new and experienced artists from all around the world. I feel safe in this community and I have relished their advice and encouragement.”

– Viola Comadizo Mayol

“Amy, thank you so much for taking your time and creative efforts to put together such a wonderful learning experience. I love being part of the BIG ART class. I am learning to “let go” creatively and find joy in the process. I not only enjoy seeing what eventually emerges from repetition and trials, but the exploration in getting there is just magnificent! Being able to spend time being MINDFULLY creative is just what I need! That is probably my favorite part of how you lead your classes.”

– Rollyne Klem

“I’ve enjoyed the slowness of creating. It takes me away from all the craziness in the world that I have no control over. It’s creeped into every part of my day. I’m throughly enjoying it. Thanks for your calming and encouraging approach. I’ve learned to create again and again and on little 2” squares. My inner critic tells me not to waste paper so 2” squares are perfect! Forever in your debt!” – Ann LaMonde

“I am so happy that I recently discovered the art and teachings of Amy Maricle, Mindful Art and now “Big Art”. I have so much fun making the tiny art pieces, arranging them in different ways and discovering how they can fit together to become beautiful Big Art. The process is meditative, exploratory, and fulfilling. I will say that as an artist, this course has taken my joy and creative juices to a new high.”

– Jeanie Brandt

“I love BIG ART. Amy in all her generosity teaches us various techniques applied in 2×2 inch squares. The squares multiply and it’s addictive. Working small squares is the big secret of success because it reduces the chance of frustration with the final result.” – Tereza Silva

“Big Art has opened up a whole new world for me. I’m a true beginner. I never thought of myself as creative in this way, certainly never thought of myself as an artist. Amy’s warm invitational approach encourages a focus on the process rather than the product and that has made all the difference. It’s taken off the pressure, given me permission to fearlessly experiment and to support me living closer to myself through the process of making art. The bonus is working small and going big creates a stunning product as well!”

– Heather Albrecht

“This class has been essential to my creative self. It has been one of few courses that I am able to stick too because of its focus on mindful drawing/painting that focuses on process over product. It has been some time since I have been excited about creating and feel it has been the kick start that I needed. To be able to share and be inspired by others in the group adds yet another layer of inspiration for me!”

-Judy Sinyard

See the full BIG ART STUDENT GALLERY here.

Get Instant Access

How do I access my class?

Upon purchase, you will login or create a new username and password.

You can use these details to login to your Big Art Dashboard and access the class whenever you’d like. The Dashboard will house all classes you’ve taken from Mindful Art Studio.

How long do I have access for?

You will have access to the class for the lifetime of Mindful Art Studio.

In what format is this class?

This is a video lesson class, with a PDF with some tutorials and worksheets and lots of inspiring photos.

Can I save the class to my computer?

The videos remain on this site and are not downloadable, but you will receive a PDF workbook to save to your computer and print out.

What are the minimum Supplies?

At a minimum, you’ll need watercolor paper, a number of high flow acrylic paints, YES paste, at least one drawing pen, and a white gel pen.

What's the full supply list?

The full supply list includes watercolor paper, a paper cutter, micron pens, white gel pen, white paint pen, colored paper for mounting large pieces, Yes paste, zip pouch, an assortment of brushes, and a liner brush.