In my mid-40s, I discovered a passion for creating in all types of mediums, beginning with watercolor and branching out to colored pencil, graphite and acrylics as well as mixed media/texture art.
Most of what you see here is available for sale at a reasonable price. Feel free to contact me at createarteveryday@comcast(dot).net, or comment on a piece for details.
Recent work is being posted on Instagram at http://www.instagram.com/createarteveryday
Thanks for stopping by!
Disclosure: I am an affiliate of Blick Art Materials, because they have terrific prices, service, and a no-questions-asked returns policy, whether the item has been used or not. A small portion of your purchases from this link will support my site, and allow me to continue to try out new products and review those for my readers. Thank you for visiting, and I hope you stick around. We have lots of fun here.
What a great idea! Good luck with it but specially – enjoy the journey 💓💓💓
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Thank you! I am! And thanks for stopping by. 🙂
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https://artmoses.wordpress.com/2015/08/31/baby-bluebird-painting/
Hi Laura, i passed through your blog and i really loved it after someone by the name Memadtwo adviced me to post a link of my birds in the comments so i decided to post this one that i love the most.
Thank you!
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Hi Laura – just checking in with you. I miss our daily contact. Thanks for checking in on my blog. I hope you are doing ok. No need to reply, I just wanted you to know I was thinking about you.
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Thx so much, Sharon!
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Hi Laura, WordPress isn’t the same without you – I’m hope you’ll be able get back in the groove before too long. I’ll be looking out for you when you return. x
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Thanks Rebecca! I receive your updates via email and glad to see you back into it. Talent like yours would be a terrible thing to waste. Lead on, MacDuff! 💛
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Thanks for getting in touch, Laura; you’re so generous, as always! I’m sending you my good wishes across the Pond. x
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Thanks so much, lady – always enjoy your work and I appreciate the good wishes. I’m still making art every day and when time allows, I’ll be back to blogging, just maybe not every day – you know how time-consuming that can be!
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Oh yes, and a bit obsessive too…or maybe that’s just me?! 😉
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Yeah, it was really hard breaking my streak! But now that I’ve done it, I’m in no hurry to resume (and maybe fall into the daily “have to do it” pit, lol). I don’t really think of myself as OCD but it was hard breaking the streak after doing it just about every day this year.
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…but maybe just a little liberating too? 😉
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So liberating that I’ve not rushed back! 😉
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Hahaha! 🙂
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PS I still make art daily, just haven’t been blogging.
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Hurray to that! That’s such very good news, and it’s what actually matters, not the blogging, after all! You’ll have lots in hand to choose from if you decide to return… 😉
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Hey Laura–How are you? We’ve missed seeing you and hope your break ends soon–though I completely understand if you continue. Tomorrow is Draw-A-Bird day and I thought I might swing by and say hello.
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You’re a good man, Kirk. Sorry I didn’t reply to your comment sooner – I’d thought I did. Thanks for keeping the birdies flying! And for your encouragement, it means a lot. Fly high, my friend!
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Thanks, Laura.
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Hey Laura! So, recently for school I had to draw an Impressionistic style watercolor painting. I will be graded on my effort. I’m in the process of making it and it will be an owl. It’s coming along very well! I think it is definitely impressionistic.
I was wondering if you had any tips for making Impressionistic watercolor art, because it is definitely an art, as it is quite hard to make!
Also, you might want to consider trying out impressionistic drawing. I don’t know if you’ve done it or not, but It is very time consuming, (lol, I’ve spent nearly 5 hours making my portrait), but the results are EXTREMELY satisfying. I thought that might be an interesting way to mix things up a little with a fresh, new idea 😀 .
Also, do you reblog things often? I know this is an art blog, and it is definitely growing! I am having a little trouble keeping a steady flow of visitors on my blog, and I’ve definitely grown (I’m at 32 followers) since the last time we chatted, but I will be putting my painting on my blog in probably a couple days. I’m hoping this will draw a lot of attention, and if you would be alright with it, I was hoping you could reblog it on here so I can get some more new and fresh visitors (and hopefully a couple new subscriptions 😀 ). I would be more than happy to reblog stuff if you ever needed in return!
Thanks so much Laura!
Evan H.
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Hey Evan, sure, sounds like fun, I’ve reduced my time online due to other priorities though so make sure you come back and let me know when you’ve posted your painting. I’m glad you’re having such a good time with it!
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Thanks so much for doing this! I’ll be more than happy to return the favor anytime you want :)! Yes, I’ll definitely be sure to message you when I publish it. It will probably be a week or so from now, just FYI. Thank you so much!!!!
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Thank you Laura for following my blog 🙂
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My pleasure! 💛
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Hi Laura! Thank you for stopping by. I’m very glad it led me back to your blog. You create incredible art! Looking forward to more 🙂 – Faye
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Thanks so much Faye! Looking forward to your lovely updates as well! So glad we found each other!
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Me too! 🙂
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Great Discovery about your passion! Later is better than Never!
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Thank you! It really is! So glad you stopped by, and thanks for the follow!
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Welcome !
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I’ve been browsing through your “Portraits” and I’m very impressed. They’re great. You really should do more! I couldn’t find a place to comment there, so I hopped over here to tell you how much I enjoyed the collection of faces, especially “Charlie”.
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Thanks, I really appreciate it! I really need to email Johanna because she commissioned me to draw her dog after seeing that post! I’m glad you enjoyed my faces. I do need to get back to them but for me painting plus faces just doesn’t jive. Yet. Makes me v uncomfortable to even think about getting a likeness in a face with paint. Pencil or anything pointy, yes. lol. Really appreciate your feedback and I do think your focus on the figure will pay off!
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I love anatomy. I have a separate sketchbook for my figure drawing, and it’s getting filled with bones and muscles…plus a few body parts here and there. 🙂 It helps to do the sketching first, get an understanding of the structure, and then use that knowledge in painting. So many people hate anatomy, but I love it. I guess I’m just weird that way.
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Hey Loo – just placed an order on Dick Blick by clicking through your button – so hope you get some credit for it! )
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Thanks so much, Artistanista, much appreciated! And oh how very exciting to have a Blick box on its merry way to you! I’m boinging on your behalf lol. I’ve been under the weather with some bug…..hoping for better tomorrow. I hope all is well with you and yours. 💜
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Oh – so sorry to hear you are not feeling well. Was a little worried about you today! Healing hugs!
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Thanks, buddy!
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Hey Laura, I just noticed that you haven´t got a contact form… How can I send you my email now? 😧 Ah, wait, maybe my gmail-address will work… Haha, this is funny, communication barriers in 2016… 😀
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Laura….I will be making a purchase sooner than I thought for paper from Dick Blick, so do I access the store from your link and that is how you get a percentage? Is it that easy or am I suppose to indicate you somehow? I’ll be deciding on what I’ll be buying at least by Wednesday or Thursday. Also, it is only for products that you discussed on your blog or anything that I buy from them as long as I buy because of you? I’m sorry if we have discussed this before but I wasn’t paying attention to the details because I wasn’t ready. 🙂
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Hi Margaret, thanks so much for checking with me, I really appreciate that! As long as you click on either the Blick button on this page or on my main page to get to Blick, it should be linked to me, without you having to do anything else. Your total order would be credited to me, no matter what you purchased. Assuming you click the button, go to Blick from me and place your order at the same time, it should credit me. If you are blocking cookies on your browser though, I probably won’t get credit because that’s how they trace your order back to my site. So if you wouldn’t mind letting me know once you’ve placed your order, I’ll be able to confirm it went through on my end. Again, thanks! And yay for new art supplies!! 💜👏👍
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Sure I will do that! I’ll ask my husband about my browser and the blocking thing to make sure it goes through 🙂
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PS – if for some reason you click the Blick button and I don’t get credit, they can manually override that (such as if you have a cookie blocker) as long as you let me know the order was placed. Thanks again, Margaret.
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😉
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Thanks and I hope you enjoy your new paper! I recently ordered 300#, looking forward to trying it!
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I am so torn if I should order just 300# or a mix, what did you order, rough, cp or hot?
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Margaret, I talked to Patrick, one of Blick’s product specialists, explained that I’d like to try different papers by different manufacturers, mentioned three I’d like to sample, and he sent me about 40-50 different sample pieces, for free! They are all 3-4″ but I used those samples to place my order. I have a lot of 140#, so most of what I ordered was 300#, or close. I ordered some rough, some HP, some CP. I often use the reviews tab when I’m looking up products at Blick, as the other artist reviews help me choose too! I ordered many sheets so I could get the bulk rates and free shipping. You know a lot more about WC (and probably everything else in the art world) so you may not need the samples but they helped me a lot and they are FREE. Just one more service Blick offers, and one more reason I love them!
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oh I would love to try out the samples! I have only tried two other outside of Arches and it is Fabriano and Lanaquel…something…. I think, I didn’t try it out enough to know if I liked them. The one I am really interested in is Saunders, Bockingford and Shizen, I think. anyhow, I will request the freebies. I feel that I am still learning and no, I am no where close to knowing a lot 🙂 you are precious in saying that, though.
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Yay! This’ll make for a great buying decision. If you get any static, ask for Patrick. But I don’t think you will. He’s not the only one who’s sent me freebies. It seems like a smart thing to do if you’re an art supply house!
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I have been looking at an old sales catalog (it is small) do they still have the big book type catalogs that they send out? I was trying to find my old big one but can’t find it.
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I think so. I feel like they sent me one pretty early in the game. I’ll check and see 👍
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I need and want one, it would be a lot better than having to be at the computer straining my eyes!
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Yes, no doubt. If you call 800-828-4548, they’ll send you one. The product specialists are only there on weekdays tho. FYI.
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okay! thank you! I might just ask that they include it with my order. 🙂
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Good idea! They always send a current sale flier, but it’s not the same (obv) 🌻🎨
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okay…..I need to get off from here but one last thing….they sell Daniel Smith watercolors! YAY! 😀
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But of course! 😀 Hey Margaret, I don’t want you straining your eyes and I’ve not looked at my reader yet but I’m about to post a painting in maybe 10 minutes? Would love to get your thoughts. Just FYI because I haven’t been posting daily lately. ❤
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I noticed and have missed you! but you are probably swamped with a lot going on. I’ll go look 🙂
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Laura…..I finally put my order in with DickBlick….you might want to check it. I did pay through Amazon and it says that they are waiting for authorization and I made sure that I went through your blog here. I hope it goes through and you get your credit like you should. 🙂
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Thanks Margaret! I really appreciate that. I’ll check in the morning as it usually takes a little while to go through. I didn’t even know you could pay through amazon! That’s a new one on me! I hope you’re looking forward to your new supplies. Blick boxes are so the best!!
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Hi Laura, great site! I found you via Google while I was image searching royalty free images. I wanted to reach out to you for permission as I didn’t want to breach any copyright. I am wanting to make a hand lettered tshirt for me and to sell and I really loved this image found on Pinterest that you created: https://createarteveryday.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/0327-lum-e1427418834668.jpg
I want to be able to use it as a colour mask for the letters due to its brightness and intensity.
Look forward to hearing from you. With love and creativity, Vicky
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Hi Vicky, I’m really glad you contacted me. That is the most viewed image on my site, and once I had a referral from a file sharing site to my blog when that image was viewed as well. I don’t like it that people are taking my images without permission. However, I wouldn’t be able to make much of the art I make (including today’s post) without the graciousness and generosity of other artists, photographers, etc. Please feel free to use it, and I hope you enjoy it! I would like to see the finished product, if you wouldn’t mind sharing. My email is createarteveryday@comcast(dot)net. Take care. – Laura
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Thanks for the Follow today Laura. Very much enjoying your blog and look forward to following you in the coming months. When you were doing your one month of watercolor painting last July I was working my way through another of Tony Smibert’s books that you would love. You can read about it here: http://wp.me/p3gSod-2p0 Best wishes…Andrew
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Thanks, Andrew, I’ll check it out. I sure wish his books were available at our local libraries.
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Hello Laura! Renee here. I have a question that I probably know the answer to but will ask in any case. I have been doing art off and on my whole life since a teacher took notice when I was but 10yrs old. Given that, I have read lots of books on all sorts of art, mediums, techniques…well, you get the drift. Presently I am dabbling in watercolor and I have always known that acrylics and watercolor are both water based but never thought to use them together but makes sense after reading your post on them. Now, my question is this. Today I purchased both gesso for preparation of surface and gesso as a glazing medium. It seems to me that I could apply the one for surface preparation to perhaps create a base on the watercolor paper that would enable that paper to hold its’ original shape better? But, can you also then use the glaze as a medium in concert with your watercolor and maybe some acrylic to acquire pleasing effects? Let me know your thoughts on this as I would like to get my wheels to going…brain to hand…so to speak. 🙂
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I like the gesso as a ground to stabilize the wc paper more, Renee, but I personally wouldn’t use gesso as a glazing medium. I use Golden’s acrylic glazing liquid for that – and it is superb. Here’s a link, if you’re interested: http://www.anrdoezrs.net/links/8071762/type/dlg/http://www.dickblick.com/products/golden-acrylic-glazing-liquid/ A little goes a long way, believe me. Hope this helps!
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I would have to go back to the store to purchase the Golden’s so for now I will experiment with the gesso glaze medium by Liquitex. I looked at a U-Tube video about glazes and mediums so that was also helpful. Thank You.
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Renee, not sure where you’re buying art supplies, but my local Michael’s is crazy expensive for artist quality stuff, which is how I found Dick Blick. I love their prices, service, and the fact that I can return even opened products for up to one year. My Michaels will only accept returns of open merchandise if it’s defective. Blick is much cheaper. This is why I became a Blick affiliate – I enjoy promoting a company who employs US workers and stands behind their products. I am not too familiar with Liquitex, so I’d be curious how you do with the gesso glaze medium. I didn’t know it exists! Good luck with it.
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Thanks for the info but I do not do anything online in the way of purchases…too old school I guess. Michael’s does carry the Golden’s products and I don’t mind purchasing there. I will let you know how the Liquitex works out but I also want to buy some Golden’s. Thanks Again!
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You’re more than welcome, Renee!
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Ah ah ah…addicted to art supplies. Nobody said there was anything wrong with that 😉 I wanted to say thanks for putting the creativity prompt together. I found it truly inspiring. I read about in on Charlie’s blog at Doodlewash.
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Oh I’m so glad you did! Thank you for letting me know! Oh I’m totally addicted, no doubt about it. Can’t have gluten or dairy but I can paint and draw, so it’s all good! Thanks for the follow as well!
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🙂
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Hi Laura, hope you are doing well! We all are missing you on WP! Hope to See you soon!
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Thanks so much, Snehal! I miss you too. Very busy lately offline and will eventually be back, probably not daily tho. 💜
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Hope you’ll be free soon! See you 🙂 🙂 Take Care friend!
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