🎨 Painting Without Permission!

My Rule-Breaking Style Experiment.

I've been having such a great time exploring Nicker's Poster Colors lately. There's nothing like trying out different painting techniques to really get to know a new medium. For me, the best way to learn is always by just painting what I see. So I decided to upgrade my setup with a slightly bigger, more user-friendly travel palette.

🧡 You can read about my earlier post titled "Exploring New Book Illustration Style" by clicking the link here. 🧡

This new DIY 24-well Nicker's Poster Color travel palette works so much better than my first attempt. You know how it is - you don't really know what you need until you've tried using something out in the field. With my improved palette ready, I headed back to Descanso Garden to catch the last of the cherry blossoms and tulips before they were gone for the season.

This time, I challenged myself to paint without doing a pencil sketch first. I usually sketch in pencil before starting a painting. But one of the most valuable lessons from my art teacher keeps coming back to me: the importance of allowing myself to "break the pencil." Not literally, of course (though that would be dramatic!), but in the sense of giving myself permission to play, make mistakes, and step outside my comfort zone. It's all about being brave, having fun, and trying new things without stressing over perfection.

Painting on location has become such a freeing way to follow my instincts. When I'm out there, I try to just paint what feels right in the moment instead of overthinking everything. It's amazing what comes through when you work this way - sometimes I discover things I already knew but hadn't realized, if that makes sense. Plus, it's a great way to spot what I need to work on.

I think of regular painting practice like a musician doing scales - it's essential, but it can get a bit dry. That's why I always look for ways to make practice fun and engaging.

On this second painting trip, I really focused on experimenting with color layering. Working with opaque paint is still pretty new to me. Even though poster paint is water-based like what I'm used to, it behaves completely differently from watercolor.

The nice thing is I can keep adding layers and fixing things much more easily than with watercolor. But I've learned that if I layer too quickly without thinking it through, the colors get muddy way faster than I'm used to. Another challenge is keeping colors clean when painting outdoors - rinsing my brush in the same water jar throughout a session can really muddy things up, and finding clean water to replace it isn't always easy in the field.

I put together a little video showing my process and some highlights from this second trip. It's interesting - I'm starting to notice how differently I think and paint with poster colors compared to watercolors. Using this medium feels like it's helping me break out of my usual routines and comfort zones. Next up, I'm excited to try some small gallery projects with these new paints!

If you’re looking to try traditional style Japanese brushes like the ones Studio Ghibli used with Nicker's poster colors, you’re in luck! Golden Maple has created beautiful sable brushes that are just like the "Ghibli brushes."

I’m super excited to share that I’ve teamed up with Golden Maple Brushes to give you an exclusive ✨ 20% OFF ✨ their entire collection!

🔥 Just use the code "Alina" at checkout to snag your discount—no rush and no limits!

🖌️ Check it out here: https://artgoldenmaple.com

Happy painting!

Can’t wait to see what you create! 😊

⭐️ Story Makers Art Club ⭐️ Reader Survey

Hello Everyone! 😊

I want to make this newsletter even more fun and valuable for you, and I could really use your help! If you could take a moment to fill out this quick survey, it would mean a lot to me. Your feedback will help me create content that you truly love!

Thank you! 🌟

📕 Can You Imagine?: The Art and Life of Yoko Ono - by Lisa Tolin (Author), Yas Imamura (Illustrator)

📕 Cloth Lullaby: The Woven Life of Louise Bourgeois - by Amy Novesky (Author), Isabelle Arsenault (Illustrator)

📕 Virginia Wolf - by Kyo Maclear (Author), Isabelle Arsenault (Illustrator)

📕 Our Lake - by Angie Kang (Author, Illustrator)

📕 Outside In - by Deborah Underwood (Author), Cindy Derby (Illustrator)