Exploring Realism: Painting a Mallard Duck

Remember when I mentioned trying my hand at painting on larger canvases? Well, I finally took the plunge, and I’m excited to share one of my attempts with you all.

I painted this beautiful mallard duck on an 11×15 inch cold press paper using Himi Gouache paints. I decided to go for a realistic style, which brought back memories of my art college days—almost 14 years ago! It was definitely a fun challenge to paint in this way again after so long.

Working on this piece took some time, as I focused on getting the texture just right, chunk by chunk. I found that gouache paints, similar to the poster colors I used in college, were quite versatile. Their opaque nature allowed me to work in multiple layers and make adjustments as needed.

If you’re curious about my process, I’ve shared a snapshot video on my Instagram page. I must say, I absolutely loved the vibrancy of these Himi paints, and I feel like I did justice to this mallard. What do you think?

A Quick Dive into Loose Watercolor Landscape

I’ve got a little something different to share with you today—a quick dive into loose watercolor landscape painting.

The idea behind this piece was simple: just relax and let the paint do its thing on the paper. No need to stress over perfection or getting every little detail just right. As you can see, it’s pretty loose and free-flowing, but that’s all part of the fun!

I wanted to capture some bits of nature, so I just let my brush do its thing on the paper. The colors blended and danced together in their own way. It might not be super detailed, but hey, practice makes better, doesn’t it?

For this little experiment, I used my trusty 140 lb cold press paper and my go-to Art Philosophy paints. There’s something incredibly freeing about letting go of expectations and just letting the paint flow.

Painting Pheasants on a Big Canvas!

Hey everyone! So, I recently got my hands on a new 11×15 inch watercolor pad, and I was super excited to start painting. I had a few ideas in mind, but in the end, I decided to paint Pheasants.

It all started when I was at our neighborhood park with my toddler last fall. We saw six beautiful Pheasants strolling through the park, heading towards a nearby pond. They looked so stunning that I knew I had to capture them on paper.

Fun fact: It’s been about 14 years since I painted on such a big canvas! Back in art college, I used to work on large canvases, but now I’m diving back into it. This time, I used a 140 lb cold-pressed paper and Mijello Mission Gold paints.

I spent some time sketching out different compositions with the Pheasants—some with three birds, some with two, playing around with different angles. In the end, I settled on one Pheasant in the foreground and another in the background.

You can see my progress photos here and the a small video clip on my instagram page too.

I’m still not sure if I got the composition just right, so I’d love to hear your thoughts! Let me know what you think.

Painting a Vibrant Hummingbird!

🎨 This time, it was all about a cute little hummingbird—and let me tell you, it was a real quick one! Believe it or not, this little guy came to life in just an hour.

But you know what? Sometimes it’s not about how long it takes, but how much joy it brings. And let me tell you, painting this adorable hummingbird alongside those vibrant pinks? Pure bliss! There’s just something about colors that can instantly lift your spirits, don’t you think?

I used my trusty 140 lb cold press paper and Art Philosophy paints for this one. It’s amazing how a simple painting session can bring so much happiness.

Daffodil with Spring Dreams!

Hello there! Can we talk about this chilly weather for a minute? Brrr! 😄 I don’t know about you, but I’m more than ready for those warm, sunny days to make a comeback here in NS. But hey, while we wait for the warm days, I’ve found a little secret to chase away those winter blues—daffodils!

These cheerful blooms never fail to brighten my day and remind me that brighter, warmer days are just around the corner. And let me tell you, that thought alone puts the biggest smile on my face! 🌼

For this little piece of art I reached used 9*12″ 140 lb cold press paper and my go-to Art Philosophy paints. There’s just something so therapeutic about bringing these vibrant flowers to life on the page—it’s like a little slice of spring right in my studio!

So, here’s to chasing away the winter blues and embracing the promise of sunnier days ahead. Hang in there, friends—spring is just around the corner!

Diving into Water Lilies

Hey there! I’ve been wanting to paint water lilies for the longest time, but you know what? I didn’t want to get bogged down in too many details. So, I decided to take dive in and try my hand at a loose watercolor style—it’s all about going with the flow.

For this one, I grabbed my 140 lb cold press paper and my favourite go to Art Philosophy paints. And let me tell you, it was a total blast! There’s something so freeing about letting the colors dance across the page without worrying too much about perfection.

Sure, my water lilies might not be picture-perfect, but hey, that’s all part of the fun!

My First Adult Watercolor Workshop Experience!

Hey there! I’m super excited to share with you all about my very first adult watercolor painting workshop that I hosted right here in Canada. 🎨💫

Now, I’ve been teaching art to kids for quite some time, but let me tell you, this was a whole new adventure for me! And guess what? It was an absolute blast!

I started things off with some handmade name tags, which doubled up as adorable bookmarks—because who doesn’t love a cute DIY, right? Then, I prepped the painting sheets by drawing out a beautiful hummingbird to make things easier for everyone. Drawing can be a bit tricky, so I wanted to streamline the process for my awesome participants.

Oh, and let’s not forget the reference images and practice worksheets—I wanted to make sure everyone had a chance to try out different watercolor techniques before diving into their masterpiece.

Now, the workshop lasted a good two and a half hours, but trust me, time flew by in a blink! And to keep our energy up, I even had some yummy refreshments on hand. But the best part of it? My husband’s homemade biscotti—it was a total hit!

At the end, seeing everyone’s faces light up with joy as they admired their finished paintings. That was the absolute best part. 😊✨

I had such a blast, and you know what? This is just the beginning! I’m already planning to host more workshops like this one in the future, so stay tuned for more artistic fun!

Taking a Break with Watercolor Florals

On this lazy afternoon—or wait should I really say, “lazy” ? As I am already in a process of large size painting of a bird in a Gouache with a realistic approach. So I decided to take a delightful break from realistic style.

A break from a detailed bird painting to relax and paint some loose watercolor flowers. It felt good to switch things up and work in a more laid-back style. Using my Art Philosophy paints and cold press paper, I let the colors flow freely. It’s amazing how a simple artistic break can rejuvenate your creativity!

Toucan Tales

Ah, the majestic toucan—a bird with such distinctive features that painting it is always an adventure. This time around, I couldn’t quite capture its feathery magnificence to my satisfaction. While the beak and eye turned out fine, I definitely think the feathery part could have been much better. You can compare it to my previous attempt here.

In this attempt, I wanted to try blue hues instead of black for the feathery part. Surprisingly, I found myself quite pleased with how the branch turned out—a green foliage, adding an interesting element to the composition.

While this painting may not be perfect, each stroke brought me closer to understanding the complexities of this beautiful bird.

Pink Little Robin

I had this sudden urge to paint a cute little birdie, so I grabbed my brushes and brought a Pink Robin to life on paper. It might sound strange, but I was really craving painting a small cute birdie! Though I’m not sure if “craving” is the right word for the desire to paint, I certainly had a blast bringing this little guy to life.

But you know what made it even better? When my 21-month-old daughter saw the painting, she couldn’t contain her excitement! With her adorable babbling, “Aai, Ahilya liked it very very much , uhaa!” she let me know she liked it very, very much. Getting such sweet feedback from her made my day—it’s the little moments like these that make painting so special.

Looking forward to more colorful adventures ahead!