Beagle Dog Flying Floating Red Balloon Watercolor Painting Illustration
By Charlie

Floating Away

Written by Charlie O'Shields

For our final August prompt of “Floating” today, I did a little sketch of a beagle pup and a red balloon. I’m not sure of the precise story for this one, so I’ll let you use your own imagination to fill in the blanks. And if you’ve joined in the challenge this month, I hope you’ve had a blast and will continue to draw and paint with us for our September challenge as well! Most of you know that I sketch each and every day and have now for over five years. But, the secret is simply taking things one little month at a time. And celebrating each month like it’s the first time. I was thinking of pouring some champagne tonight or something equally festive. Or maybe just have a bit of key lime pie to mark the occasion. A little reward for another month of daily sketches. I’m sure my own dog Phineas will demand a treat as well later. He thinks that snoring next to me while I sketch is the greatest help one little dog could possibly provide, and that this should equally rewarded.

I do believe in rewarding myself whenever possible. Nothing big or expensive, but just a little bit of happy when I complete something. Life can get so hectic and busy sometimes that it’s hard to keep up with things. Though making time for sketching could technically be considered a reward in itself because it makes me immensely happy. But, sketching all month long without missing a day is a pretty cool thing and definitely deserves a little reward. I think I’m definitely going for that slice of key lime pie, after all. Okay, I’ll admit that I’ve been known to make up ludicrous reasons to reward myself when it comes to dessert. I’m not proud. This time, however, it’s well deserved. For me, life is best lived when you set aside time to DO whatever makes you happiest, and then reward yourself for doing so. It’s like a double hit of happy that makes life truly incredible each and every day. I highly recommend it!

In some ways, I think this is just my inner child at play once again. When I was a kid, my teachers would attach little stars to my homework assignments when they returned them to me. I’ve forgotten all of the colors, but a gold star was always the best. I was so disappointed as I got older and started getting grades instead. I really missed those gold stars. So, today, I find my own little gold stars in life. I look for the littlest thing I can find that makes me happy and I give it to myself. There’s no way I can travel back in time and actually be a kid again, but anything that brings a bit of hope and joy back into my life is something I cherish. That’s why you’ll always find me making time for what I love to do as well as making time for the people I love most. Time is a precious thing indeed, and I want to be sure I’m making the most of every minute, so life never really feels like it’s floating away.

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About the Doodlewash

Da Vinci Paint Co.: Yellow Ochre, Quinacridone Red, Cobalt Turquoise, Terra Cotta, and Indigo. Lamy Al-Star Safari Fountain Pen with sepia ink in an A5 Hahnemühle Watercolour Book. Want to purchase a print of this doodlewash? Click here!
 Beagle Dog Flying Floating Red Balloon Watercolor Painting Illustration_IG

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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28 thoughts on “Floating Away”

  4. I remember begging Mom to buy a sheet of those little gold stars and putting them on things I did at home. It only took a couple of them to realize that it wasn’t nearly as fun as discovering them on work I did at school. I eventually used up the sheet by sticking them on things around the house. Mom wasn’t nearly as pleased about finding them. I never understood why.

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  5. You always get me with those beagles, Charlie. My little boy probably wanted to float away when it was bath time. 🐕 You are right, Charlie. You deserve a reward for your month of loveliness. I try to do some crafting on a regular basis, but time always gets away somehow. So congrats! 🎉🎉 Just curious: still no cookies? Come on, Philippe. Make the man his cookies. We can start an online petition. We’ll start a cookie drive for you. haha If we lived closer, I ‘d make you some cookies, Charlie. 😀😀 September is my birthday 🎂🎂 month. On the 15th I will be the reverse–51. I have always celebrated my birthday all month long. I buy myself whatever I want. It’s my month. Covid has ruined that this year, but it’s okay because I ‘m okay. The worst is over and has passed and I am okay. I am facing forward, Charlie. The BEST is yet to come.

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    1. Thanks so much, Marisela! 😃💕 I’m practicing beagles as I want to actually stick with the same dog and learn something since I only make one thing a day! hehe And yeah… still no cookies!! Can you believe it? Well, I can… we’ve had plenty of other snacks and Philippe is my dietician. Which I actually love. And yes, the best is indeed yet to come! I DO an entire birthday month as well! Yay!

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  9. I love this beagle! As puppies they have such big paws compared to their bodies that it makes them even more adorable! Key lime pie sounds pretty good! I might have to put the ingredients in my shopping list. I’ve taken to making one sweet treat every couple of weeks. Its lockdown therapy. I’ve got the ingredients for pecan coffee cake in the fridge right now. I have to use the buttermilk before it goes bad.

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  11. He just makes me happy! Gold stars are the best! When I was working, my boss called me her shining star. It always made me feel good. We all need little rewards.

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  14. Just love the puppy’s expression … sometimes Charlie I just think you are inside my head .. and you give me the perfect counter argument to the rubbishy stuff I have been thinking.. for example I stopped the daily prompts halfway they August cuz I was questioning if I was only doing it for the FB / IG and this page “ Likes” the 21 st century version of gold stars. Somehow I convinced myself that was bad art to do that and I was never going to find my own style if I continued working for outside likes… but once again your post helped me to see another perspective Thanks Charlie you deserve all gold 🌟

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    1. Thanks so much, Susan! 😃💕 That makes me SO happy to hear!! YES!!! I wish I could meet every artist on the planet and just say, “You are your own gold star!” Show up as you, and nothing else, and everything else will fall into place. Plus, it’s just WAY more fun and interesting! hehe

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