Playful Watercolor Portrait

 

It was with delight that I began this sweet tutorial by Andrea Gomoll for the Mastering Mixed Mea event hosted  by Tamara Laporte.

Through this fun, playful watercolor portrait, I go to improve my watercolor painting skills. These skills included transparency, glazing and layering.

I transferred Andrea's design onto my Arches 8" x 10" cold press watercolor black and followed her step by step instruction. I was happy to get to use my horded supplies! I used a Tim Holtz rubber stamp with watercolor paint, two number stamps with ink and couple of stencils with Ranger Texture Paste. I painted this piece with Winsor Newton and Prima Palettes. The added highlights were done using Dr. Ph. Martin's Bleed Proof White and for the outlines I used a Micron Pen.

This piece was so fun and I learned so much!

Challenges: 

https://classicdesignchallenge.blogspot.com/2025/04/classic-design-challenge-04-2025-aprmay.html

https://morgansartworld.blogspot.com/2025/05/morgans-artworld-challenge-88.html 

https://lilpatchofcraftyfriends.blogspot.com/2025/05/252-all-dressed-up.html

https://creativefingerschallengeblog.blogspot.com/2025/05/challenge-300.html 

https://hereisaplacetostart.blogspot.com/2025/05/may-2023-anything-goes-woptional-twist.html

https://avenue613.blogspot.com/2025/05/may-2025-anything-goes-w-optional-twist.html

 

Girl Laughing

 

Karen Campbell is the artist owner of Awesome Art School. I watched most of Karen's Girl Laughing tutorial and decided to try to draw the girl on my own, using prints for references that Karen offered.

I drew the girl with my Graphgear 1000Pentel Pencil in my Canson Watercolor Book. I loved doing this  drawing so much, that I tried  painting her in watercolor without a reference. I used the following pallets:   Prima, Jane Davenport and Winsor Newton.

She really took to my watercolors so well.

Challenges: 

https://craftygalscornerchallenges.blogspot.com/2025/04/challenge-266-fill-in-blank-adorable.html

https://avenue613.blogspot.com/2025/04/april-2025-anything-goes-w-optional.html

https://hereisaplacetostart.blogspot.com/2025/04/april-2024-anything-goes-woptional.html

 https://allsortschallenge.blogspot.com/2025/04/challenge-822.html 

Beach Shed in Gouache

 

This gouache painting was inspired from a tutorial by Nianiani. I followed her sketch of the shed with my Graphgear 1000 Pentel Pencil, in my Arteza Gouache Pad. I used Arteza Gouache to mix the colors to create my color palette. I layered those colors with additional details creating a realistic, vibrant painting.

I used several fine line pens to enhance the details and a Gelly Roll pen for a couple of highlights.

This painting was both inspiring and a challenge, but I'm happy with how it looks finished.

Challenges: 

https://fabnfunkychallenges.blogspot.com/2025/04/615-use-your-favourite-colours.html

 https://paperfundaychallenges.blogspot.com/2025/04/april-2025-challenge-75-anything-goes.html

https://avenue613.blogspot.com/2025/04/april-2025-anything-goes-w-optional.html

https://hereisaplacetostart.blogspot.com/2025/04/april-2024-anything-goes-woptional.html

Dryad Dude Mixed Media

 

After watching Karen Campbell and Lucy Brydon's live tutorial at Awesome Art School, I drew this fellow myself without peeking on bristol paper!

Using a black and white reprint for reference  I colored him with Ohuhu and Copic Markers and painted him with assorted gauche paint. Some details were drawn with Master's Touch Fineliner Markers. I also used a Micron Pen and a white Gelly Roll Pen for outlines and details.

It was fun to see what I could do with this character on my own!

Challenges: 

https://fabnfunkychallenges.blogspot.com/2025/04/615-use-your-favourite-colours.html

https://craftygalscornerchallenges.blogspot.com/2025/04/challenge-266-fill-in-blank-adorable.html 

https://paperfundaychallenges.blogspot.com/2025/04/april-2025-challenge-75-anything-goes.html

 https://aperfecttimetocraft.blogspot.com/2025/04/a-perfect-time-to-craft-open-challenge.html

3/4 Fairy Face in Marker

 

I recently worked on the forward fairy face in markers. Although I loved working on that one, I realized  her features weren't placed correctly. She was happy to get a new necklace! This time I tried to be more accurate. As in the forward face, this one is from a tutorial by Karen Campbell for Awesome Art School.

Back in 2023, when I joined this art school, I couldn't wait to work on this image. I had never worked on faces and 3/4 was way outside my skills.

                                                                                        

So I took my time, this time, to work on this drawing in my Ohuhu Maker Pad, using a Graphgear 1000 Pentel Pencil. I followed Karen's instructions. I used my new Ohuhu Skin tone Markers and my old Copics. The outlines and details were done with Molotow blackliners and a Posca Pen for white highlights.

Although I still see mistakes, I also see improvement. I'm happy with how this fairy came out!

Challenges: 

https://allsortschallenge.blogspot.com/2025/04/challenge-821.html

https://classicdesignchallenge.blogspot.com/2025/04/classic-design-challenge-04-2025-aprmay.html 

 https://avenue613.blogspot.com/2025/04/april-2025-anything-goes-w-optional.html

https://hereisaplacetostart.blogspot.com/2025/04/april-2024-anything-goes-woptional.html

 

Fair Fairy Portrait in Markers

 

This Fair Fairy is from a step by step tutorial by Karen Campbell for Awesome Art School.

Back in 2023 when I first became a student at Awesome Art School, I saw this Fair Fairy in a promo. At that time it wasn't available, but as soon as it was this month, I worked on it.

I used my Graphgear 1000 Pentel Pencil to follow Karen's drawing instruction in my Ohuhu Marker Pad. I colored her with my Ohuhu Skin Tone Markers and Copic Markers. The outlines and details were done in Molotow blackliners. I used a Gelly Roll Pen for the white highlights.

She isn't perfect (she loves her new necklace), but I loved working on the Fair Fairy and will do another. I enjoy using my Ohuhu Markers in my Ohuhu Marker Pad!

Challenges:

https://allsortschallenge.blogspot.com/2025/04/challenge-821.html 

https://classicdesignchallenge.blogspot.com/2025/04/classic-design-challenge-04-2025-aprmay.html 

 https://avenue613.blogspot.com/2025/04/april-2025-anything-goes-w-optional.html

https://hereisaplacetostart.blogspot.com/2025/04/april-2024-anything-goes-woptional.html

So Sad Full Figure in Alcohol Markers

 I totally enjoy working on the variety of tutorials in Awesome Art School. The owner Karen Campbell is a very talented artist and teacher. I love her books especially the Widdle Women edition of the Whimsical Watercolor series.

Karen's latest tutorial using alcohol markers was as endearing as the characters in that book. I followed Karen's drawing of the So Sad Cartoon Figure with my Graphgear Pentel Pencil in my Ohuhu Markers Pad. I went over those lines with Molotow black fineliners.

I followed Karen's coloring of the skin tones with my new Ohuhu Skin Tone Marker Set, but I don't have the clothing colors in that brand of markers. I used my older Copic Markers and they worked just fine! I used a white Gelly Roll Penn for the highlights.

I hope there will be more to draw in my Ohuhu Marker Pad soon! This figure was so fun to work on!

Challenges: 

https://allsortschallenge.blogspot.com/2025/04/challenge-821.html

https://lilpatchofcraftyfriends.blogspot.com/2025/04/251-dr-digis-house-of-stamps.html

 https://avenue613.blogspot.com/2025/04/april-2025-anything-goes-w-optional.html

https://hereisaplacetostart.blogspot.com/2025/04/april-2024-anything-goes-woptional.html