Written by I am Claudia Gauthier from Paris and I am glad to share with you these few moments on Charlie’s invitation. I hope my English won’t be too difficult to understand for you and you will forget my mistakes and keep in mind that those words are written with all my heart.
I love drawing because it has a lot to do with personal development and helps you to share on the internet with people.
Anywhere in the world.
I helped my son who was a dysphasic child. Dysphasia is like Dyslexia in some ways and to make it short: he started speaking at the age of six and had severe problems at school, especially in maths.
Now thank God and drawing, he is an adult with a job. He passed his A levels and did one year in a culinary school specializing in catering. He did not want to go on and get a diploma. He preferred to work. It was his choice, but at least he has got a job and he is financially independent.
Drawing helped him a lot and helped me too when I was down.
That’s why I became an Art teacher, because I am sure anybody can draw and a regular practice of drawing helps you to become a more balanced joyful and harmonious person. So, I try my best to give everything I know to my students with my personal method.
I love drawing because I have done it from childhood. And so, as an art teacher, I give lessons either in English, Italian (as Italian is my native language) or in French at the Louvre museum in Paris. I teach drawing, watercolors, sketchbooking, and drawing on the iPad Pro.
And if one day , if you decide to travel to Paris, send me a mail and I will help you to find accommodation or whatever you need. I will help you to discover Paris and its secret places and we will go to draw at the Louvre or at the Orsay museum and even in the Tuileries Garden, if it is summertime. And if you don’t want to draw and need information about Paris, feel free to contact me via my blog.
7 Tips For Watercolors And Drawings
- Stop trying to be perfect. Perfection is a serial killer. I don’t know who wrote this sentence but it is so true. I made it my motto.
- Just draw anything and the more you are drawing the more you will improve your creativity.
- Fight the inner critic, it does not get us anywhere.
- Share and put in your mind that a candle does not lose its flame giving it to another candle.
- Don’t focus on tools, you need only a pen and paper that’s all to draw like Michelangelo. (Sometimes, I use makeup brushes as you can see above.)
- Try to simplify what you see. If you want to progress, pick up a complex object like a bicycle and make it simple as much as you can. Don’t be overwhelmed by the complexity of it. Same for buildings.
- Don’t be obsessed by contours look at the negative spaces instead.
Please keep in mind that anybody can draw, it is just a matter of time. So take your time and be kind to yourself.
Hope to see you in Paris soon and a « bouquet de fleurs » for you!!!
Claudia Gauthier
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Awesome art and advise. Thank you for sharing both.
Thanks a lot to you for your kind comment.
Claudia, what a dream job you have! Thank you for sharing your seven tips and your amazing art!
May be I can help you to do the same in the USA. I will be pleased to help you in anyways
Thank you for your wisdom, your art, and the video of Le Louvre. We love France in all it’s parts, but especially the warm parts. I do try to paint en plein air, but usually take photographs and try to paint later. I love the phrase “perfectionism is a serial killer”. At times I don’t know how I keep painting when every time is a disappointment. So I will try over the holiday to let myself go and just paint what is inside. Thank you again and <>
Dont worry everybody goes through disappointment.. Have a look at the great artists and you will notice that not all their paintings are masterpieces. Dont be too harsh with yourself. Dont compare yourself to anybody. One stride after another and try to be happy. you are making progress everytime you draw. It is like that so draw and draw and draw again . just another tip, dont look at your drawing immediately, put it under your bed and in a week time, go and have a glance at it : I am sure you will find it nice. Thank a lot for your sincere comment
Hi Claudia, I’m glad to have discovered you. I spend quite a bit of time in Normandy, I’d love to try and come to Paris for one of your workshops. Hoping I can plan it this winter.🌺
I will be so glad to meet you and I will give all my tricks, my energy and we will spend a marvelous time visiting and drawing in the Louvre. Come whenever you like. I am so glad when I can speak english 😘
Claudia, thank you for sharing your story and your art tips. Love the line “perfectionism is a serial killer”; it is so true.
There one more thing to do if you want to be unhappy : compare yourself to others and go on with perfectionism. Life is like a wink so the best thing to do is to look ahead and that’s all. Mistakes are opportunities to improve one self. Bye Bye Mary and thanks for your comment
Hi Charlie, FYI something’s funny with WordPress lately. I can’t press the like button, and I now have to fill in my name and email if I want to make a comment… Boooring…
That’s odd… I’m not sure what you mean though. Via the WordPress Reader or visiting doodlewash.com directly in a browser? I just tested both on a different account and it worked fine as long as I’m already logged into WordPress.com.
Great advice! Thanks so much for the wonderful reminders.
If you need more, just ask, I will be pleased to help you, Robin
My daughter loves to draw and paint. Have bookmarked this to share with her.
Thanks a lot. Hope she will go on with drawing and painting, it will help her a lot in life. It is like meditation. When you draw you dont think to anything else and problems become less difficult to cope with after a while…
Claudia, your art is full of life and fun.
Thanks a lot, Sharon. It is because I think even if life can so difficult when you have somebody who loves you, you must be happy and art helps a lot. A big hug to you 😘
Oh, lovely sketches! I see that you like the simplicity and expressiveness in watercolours by Bridget Davies (UK). Your girl with a dog reminded me immediately of her “Come on Daisy”, which is one of my favourite by Bridget (see: https://www.saatchiart.com/art/Painting-Come-on-Daisy/162366/3941550/view ) I admire Bridget’s style too 🙂
Yes, she gives me a lot inspiration because she is free, she is not with perfectionism. She is such a beautiful woman. I want my students going in that direction and not being stuck and trapped in academism . There is also another lady I admire Wendy Artin. We study those two ladies, how they paint.. let me know if you like Wendy Artin, she is living in Rome and she is free in watercolors
I like Wendy’s painting style too, which is to me – very academic! Bridget’s style is free and creative, so much her own to skip giving a credit to the author!
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and your art. It has such wonderful energy!
I try a lot techniques and I share them. There is one sentence I love I dont know if I will translate it right. Anyway I will try
A candle dont not loose it light giving it to another candle and we are all candles A big hug to you
I like this so much. Such good advice. Thank you. Paris has got to be a beautiful place….may I be lucky enough to visit sometme. Beautiful artwork.
I hope you will come one day to Paris especially in summer. Today is not a good day, it is cold and rainy
Thanks for your tips and also for your generosity in offering to help on a Paris visit. Your work is lovely!
Paris is really expensive
Paris is a very expensive city and if nobody helps you you can throw money away easily. Restaurants can be scam… I dont know if it is the right word…It makes me feel bad when I see tourists spending their money on disgusting meals and being fooled. Same goes for hotels. Paris is not the romantic city as people think it is. 🌺
I’m following you on Instagram & Facebook. Thank you for your wisdom and it’s great to see you give that help to others.
Hello, I found you on Facebook but not on Instagram. Please send me a note and I will follow you😘
Thank you for you wise words! And if I ever find the opportunuty to visit Paris I’ll try to let you know 🙂
I love your article and paintings! Love, love, love your advice and attitude. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
Wonderful tips… I am going to put them in the front of my 2018 planner so I can see them often.
Such great tips,I am going to write them down and the quote and read them every time I sit to do art…thank you so much..❤️
Thank you for your tips and sharing your art. Such a good reminder to be kind to one’s self, keep practicing, and keep sharing! 🙂
Thank you for sharing this!