Birthday Cake 6 Candles Mouse Watercolor Illustration Painting
By Charlie

Celebrating 6 Years!

Written by Charlie O'Shields

For Day Five of World Watercolor Month, the optional prompt of “Milestone” seemed like a wonderful time for a bit of really pink cake. And also to pause for a bit of celebration. This is the 6th Annual World Watercolor Month and every year I celebrate a personal milestone as well. It was around this time six years ago that I picked up a paintbrush and tried watercolor for the very first time. Many of you know what happened next. My inner child went nuts for sketching and coloring with watercolor and Doodlewash was born. For 2,000 consecutive days, I showed up sharing every little watercolor sketch that I made while featuring artists working with watercolor from all around the globe. And today, I’m so thrilled to see so many people jumping in to enjoy this fabulous medium and humbled by all of the fantastic work that I keep seeing scroll by online. And a personal thanks to everyone who has made my own journey so incredible over the years! I’ve learned that you don’t have to make a masterpiece to feel really awesome. Sometimes, it’s enough to simply show up with a little doodle, bit of wash, and a heart full of happiness and joy. When that happens, great things tend to follow!

This evening is a bit of a sadder milestone as it’s the end of the long holiday weekend. I had a blast, but as usual, I’m now running behind when it comes to this post. Philippe and I are supposed have a bit of champagne to celebrate and he’s sort of watching me now wondering when I’ll finally going to be done so we can start. I truly thought I was managing my time well today, but then I got distracted by about a million things at once and suddenly the time disappeared. Yet, it’s always fun to make a quick little doodlewash. Sometimes, even more fun when I’m frantically scribbling and splashing color as I really don’t know what will happen next. I’m just going to hold on to these last few hours of the weekend and hope the final bit goes slower.

I’m feeling quite grateful for having had the opportunity to go on this art journey. It’s truly been an amazing one that keeps getting better and better each year. So many things have happened over these past six years and I’ve made so many wonderful friends. If you’re still reading these rambles, then I count you as one of those friends. So a big hug to you, unless you’re not a hugger, then well, I’ll just keep the hug brief because I really can’t be stopped once I get in a hugging mood. If you’re reading this and happened to just be starting out on your art journey. Please don’t ever stop. There is so much joy from creating each day and I want you to experience all of the awesome things that will happen when you DO! The secret is that time tends to fly by really fast, and before you know it, you could even find yourself celebrating 6 years!

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About the Doodlewash

Da Vinci Paint Co.:  Yellow Ochre, Hansa Yellow Medium, Terra Cotta, Opus (Vivid Pink), Quinacridone Red, Leaf Green, Phthalo Blue, Cobalt Turquoise and Indigo. Lamy Al-Star Safari Fountain Pen with black ink in an A5 Hahnemühle Watercolour Book. Want to purchase a print of this doodlewash?  Send me a note with a link to this post, and I’ll add it to my shop!
 Birthday Cake 6 Candles Mouse Watercolor Illustration Painting Sketchbook Detail

Charlie O'Shields

Creator of Doodlewash, founder of World Watercolor Month (July), World Watercolor Group, and host of the Sketching Stuff Podcast. Sharing watercolor illustrations and stories while proudly featuring talented artists from all over the world!

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39 thoughts on “Celebrating 6 Years!”

  2. Six years – you’ve achieved an enormous amount of skill in six years but more importantly, a rousing energy that keeps your art fresh and fun and a joy to view every day. Congratulations, Charlie. Six years very well done. (Send a slice my way, please.)

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  4. Happy 6th doodleversary Charlie! It’s crazy how far you’ve come. And now I want cake, although maybe not the slice that our mousey friend here is after 😉 I’m sure there are many more doodlewashes (and just as many behind schedule posts) to come!

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  6. Congrat’s on 6 years! And just think: all the folks you have inspired, influenced, turned on to watercolor…… now THAT”S quite a crowd whose hearts you have touched. And that is a real accomplishment! Have some cake and no guilty feelings allowed!

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  7. Great doodle,Charlie. Congratulations on your 6th anniversary. I’m glad you started Doodlewash because I was just started to sketch and use coloured pencils when I discovered it. Now I love doing my daily doodle. That was nearly two years ago. Here’s to another #worldwatercolormonth and another six years.

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  9. Bonjour de France, de Picardie – félicitations pour cet anniversaire et tout vôtre parcours – mais je suis de celles ou ceux, qui aimaient mieux AVANT – les dessins classiques, sans des petits animaux habillés en humains – je n’arrive pas a m’y habituer – pour mes cours auprès des enfants, des fois je prenais en support vos aquarelles – et même pour des enfants je ne puis continuer – car il y a des animaux/humains, habillés ou en situation d’humains – et çà c’est pas pédagogique – ok que vous le fassiez pour un livre ou des livres spécifiquement orientés – mais est-ce que çà sera pour toujours ? de plus, ils ne sont pas aboutis, pas fins et délicats, avec des poils, des plumes comme avant – se sont des dessins simplifiés au maximum – je sais que normalement nous sommes là, pour vous écrire et ne dire que du bien – en fait ce n’est qu’une critique, dite “constructive” ou juste, vous dire ce que je ressent, et j’en suis désolée – je pensais même ne plus vous suivre – mais, je suis toujours là, à vous suivre, à apprécier vos beaux textes, qui me parlent d’une vie différente de la mienne-vous avez eu une influence sur moi = c’est que je ne fais que de l’aquarelle actuellement, laissant tous les autres essais huile et autres de côté, portez-vous bien ! à vous suivre – Cathy (il suffit de retirer la souris)

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    1. Thanks so much, Cathy! 😃💕 Yes I know you prefer the old work, but that was simply practice to get to where I wanted to go as an artist. I always wanted to write and illustrate books with characters, not simply paint objects. 😉 And I just published 2 picture books that I’m quite proud of so yay, that makes me very happy! Artists grow and change, that’s part of the fun of the journey! Thanks for following along!

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      1. désolée, la fin de mon texte a fait des répétitions de mots, mais çà ne vient pas de moi – prenez soin de vous – oui j’ai vu au moins un livre de vous sur Amazone pas vu le 2e

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  10. Wow! Six years! Think of all the good you’ve done for the kids who get art supplies because you started a movement! I’m proud to be part of your cheering squad! I have done four years of July paintings and I’m so happy to have 124 new paintings in the world because of you. Congratulations!

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  14. I first came across world watercolor month around 2 years ago and it made me try so many new things I’ve always been scared of trying. I learned so much from you Charlie, and I’ll ALWAYS be grateful to you for starting world watercolor month! So happy for your milestone! Sending you lots of love and power!♥️

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