Telling a story with watercolor

I used to think the goal of my art was creating something that looked very realistic. Over time I’ve found much joy in loosening up and getting lighter with detail.

The more I explore and play with that idea, the happier I seem to be about what I am creating. It’s like a story develops on the paper and the viewer gets to fill in some of the blanks. 

Favorite Quote

“A painting requires a little mystery, some vagueness, some fantasy. When you always make your meaning perfectly plain you end up boring people.”

 – Edgar Degas

Garden view landscape

My thought as I was painting this landscape was a pretty view from a garden looking out into the quiet distance. 

I like the energy in the foreground from the bold red flowers. I used gouache paint for the tiny white flowers. That created a little contrast and softness.

Maybe the story is:

– A summer drive through the countryside looking out the window.
– Walking around the garden and taking it all in.

You the viewer get to decide. 😊

Strolling around the city

More practice with figures in this painting. Many people moving about in the city. It feels alive with many stories to tell.

Where are they going? What’s their story?

I hope you are inspired to create art and do something you love.
Until next time, share a smile and shine on.

-Patty Anne 💚

Join me on Instagram @pattyanneart

Multiple Sketchbooks

I always have multiple sketchbooks on hand to work in. I like a multimedia sketchbook that can handle watercolor and has a nice smooth surface for ink sketching too.

I’m still enjoying painting figures in watercolor and trying to remember that less is more.

Figure painting is a great way to warm up and explore.

I pulled out my ink brush pen not knowing what I wanted to sketch. I thought about the fun shapes the pen makes and started to experiment with flower centers. I kept playing and created this nice floral. I love the contrast in this sketch.

Sometimes you have to just jump in and sketch. If you don’t like it you can always turn the page and try something else. It’s a sketchbook after all and there are no rules. 😊

In this poppy painting there was a lot of experimenting with leaves and seed heads. The painting could use some darker colors. Maybe I will explore this further in another painting on heavier watercolor paper.

I hope you enjoyed this quick trip through my sketchbook. Until next time, share a smile and shine on!

-Patty Anne 💜

Join me on Instagram @pattyanneart

Inktober Sketching 2022

Today I have a few ink sketches to share with you. My sketching time has been limited this month but I was able to find a little time to play in my sketchbook.

A little botanical sketch using my Pentel pocket brush pen. It’s been a very long time since I’ve used this pen and I’m not sure why. I love this pen!

A quick little floral playing with patterns on the flower petals.

Magnolia sketch playing with the brush pen

This sketch was done a little before October. I was really exploring what I could do with the long lost brush pen. 😊 I like that you can make delicate marks and fine lines as well as large bold stokes using this pen.

I hope you are inspired to create and have fun. Just grab a sketchbook, pen, and see what happens!

Until next time, share a smile and shine on. 💜

-Patty Anne

Join me on Instagram @pattyanneart

Silent Sunday – watercolor flowers

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Silent Sunday – Hello Spring

🌸 Patty Anne 🌸

Join me on Instagram at pattyanneart

A few pages in my sketchbook

It’s been a while since I opened up my sketchbook for you. Today I have a variety of sketches made using pens and markers.

It’s been challenging getting nice photos of different pages in my sketchbook. It always seems to be either too bright or too dark when I’m taking photos of my artwork in winter… 🙂

I layered tiny flowers and vines in this sketch using both Tombow markers and Micron pens. The little unexpected blue leaves and flowers make me happy.

A practice page of flowers and leaves. I love how this little sampler turned out. It was a good way to try different colors together and see what works. Most importantly, it was fun and very relaxing.

A simple little bird sketch found its way into my sketchbook. I think I’m going to start adding more birds in my sketchbook.

Tulips with marker pens. I love how the stripes of different green markers look on the leaves. I played around using the large and small tip of the markers. Parts of this sketch I really like and other parts not so much but this is a sketch and it’s important to explore and try different things.

This was an in progress piece. While prepping the photo for this post, I accidentally rotated it to the left and now it feels complete. In my sketchbook the top of the page has the three magenta vines on top. I really like it better with them on the left as you see here.

I’m going to have to remember to try this with my paintings as well. Sometimes simply changing the orientation can make all the difference.

I hope you enjoyed this walk through my sketchbook. I encourage you to play and have fun sketching. I really need to remember to do more of this myself.

Until next time, share a smile and shine on!

🌻 🌼 Patty Anne 🌼🌻

Join me on Instagram at pattyanneart

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Delicate watercolor floral

Sometimes I just want to paint flowers. Today I have a sweet delicate piece to share with you.

Hope you are enjoying your day! 💚

I painted these flowers a few months ago. I really love this one. It has been in my drafts folder for quite a while just waiting for me come back to it.

One interesting note about this painting is that the flowers were painted using a cut plastic credit card instead of a brush. The delicate stems and leaves were painted with a very small brush.

I hope you are inspired to create art and do more of what you love. Until next time, share a smile and stay excellent!

🌸 Patty Anne 🌸

Join me on Instagram at pattyanneart

I have a new shop on Society6!

Flowers in my sketchbook

Today I have some pretty Cosmos flowers to share with you.

This is an in progress view of my watercolor painting. At this point I had stopped painting thinking that it was finished. After looking at my photo I could see that it needed a little more work. It’s always good to step back and take another look.

I decided to strengthen the color of the flowers and add more detail in the center.

I think those changes made quite a difference without overworking the painting. It seemed to really wake up these happy flowers. yay!

One interesting note that I wanted to share about this painting is that I used only a small flat brush (1/2 inch) and small liner brush (#1). I’m always amazed what is possible with a flat brush the more I use it.

I hope you are inspired to create art and do more of what you love. Jump in and let the magic happen. Until next time, share a smile and shine on!

🌸 Patty Anne 🌸

Join me on Instagram at pattyanneart

Visit my shop on Society6

Painting Tulips again

Just a quick post today. Sometimes the words just don’t flow for me. Today I’ll let my art do most of the talking. 😊

Hope your day is wonderful! 💚

A joyful card with a few simple tulips. Just love how this one turned out.

Pretty tulips in my sketchbook. Just three colors were used to paint this tulip trio.

A close up view of another tulip painting. A bit lively and fun with lots of yummy bold color.

I hope you are inspired to create art and do more of what you love.

Until next time, share a smile and shine on!

🌸 Patty Anne 🌸

You can join me on Instagram @pattyanneart

Blue Hydrangea watercolor

Today I have a blue hydrangea to share that I painted with a limited palette.

Hope your day is wonderful, friends! 💙

9 x 12 inch – Blue Hydrangea watercolor

Daniel Smith watercolors used:
Prussian Blue
Undersea Green

A limited palette seems to free up my mind while I am painting. I love that it also pushes me to use colors in a way that I might not have tried before.

This painting was done using cut up credit cards. I haven’t given up on my brushes but lately this is my jam! 😉

I hope you are inspired to create art and do more of what you love.

Until next time, share a smile and stay excellent!

🌸 Patty Anne 🌸

Join me on Instagram @pattyanneart