Jessica Seacrest

The mastermind behind the Portable Painter palette is back, with a new transformative palette — the Portable Painter Micro. For the Portable Painter Classic review—click here. I took a lot of photos, so you can get a good look at it, and of a few different ways that it can be used/set-up. When it’s not in use, the piece with […]

This post is for those who find themselves new to sketching, watercolor, keeping a sketchbook or art journal.  Anyone looking for permission or encouragement to let their creativity come to life. After writing this Embracing Your Fears post some thoughts surfaced out of the comments that I want to share about.  Many people keep sketchbooks as a hobby.  I’m pretty sure, […]

Cheers to those who show up to try what’s new to them, even when fear is presenting itself! On a beautiful sunny August afternoon in Tucson, Arizona, I facilitated an art journaling watercolor workshop and I saw this “trying what’s new” in so many ways.  The lovely shop where the workshop was hosted– The Ninth House, was newly opened this year […]

Artistic confidence.  I think about this a lot.  What it means. Do I feel I have it. What story am I attaching to it- there’s always a made-up story.  Sometimes we have confidence in certain aspects or areas in our lives, but not in others.  In my experience, the way to gain artistic confidence, to overcome doubt, is to do […]

Trekell has been making handmade professional quality paint brushes for over 30 years.  They are sleek and handsome brushes.  We will take a little look at the company, what they make, and then I share some thoughts on creativity at the end. “Brian Trekell was backpacking through Japan when he was first inspired by the art of brushmaking. That spark […]

I don’t like taking art classes, to put it bluntly.  I’ve tried different formats, in person and online, and my interest always wanes. I once took a fundamentals of drawing class at a local art studio.  It lasted about eight weeks, and I only finished because I forced myself to – it was expensive, and I had to show my […]

Art Supply Trades- I’m here to encourage them. Can’t justify or afford that new tube of watercolor?  Trade for a pan of a color you already have.  Watercolor brush you’ve used once or twice that doesn’t suit you?  It might suit someone else.  Finished with that book about painting or maybe it didn’t turn out to be quite your style, […]

I’m here on this lovely day to share about watercolors from Da Vinci Paint Co., one of our sponsors for World Watercolor Month. We will explore a bit about the company, take a look at the Da Vinci watercolor twelve color travel palette and dot samples – I swatched on a couple different papers, and then I will share some […]

Today we take a look at a couple of Royal Talens products- Rembrandt Professional Deluxe Watercolor Box Set– 24 half pans with red sable size 6 brush, tube watercolors, and Ecoline liquid watercolors.  This post is heavy on the pan set, with a quick look at the tubes and Ecoline. I started off just writing about the box set, but then the […]

Grumbacher Finest Artists’ Watercolor is one of our sponsors for World Watercolor Month and they sent a set of tubes for review.  Today I present a little bit about the company, a couple of different swatches, and a couple simple sample paintings, with helpful links along the way. First a little about Grumbacher: “Since 1905, Grumbacher has been a brand […]

Today I present a six half pan Limited Edition Summer Nights set and a French Mineral dot card from Letter Sparrow handmade watercolors.  A dot card sample of Indigo was also included. I’ll present some simple swatches and examples, and a couple of short videos that highlight the paints. Should you fancy these paints, their’s a little something for you at […]

Today is opening day of World Watercolor Month™ in North America!  Friends in other locations around the world have already started- yay!  To spread some festive watercolor cheer I’m here with this post on the new custom curated Schmincke Horadam watercolor set from Wet Paint.  Square palette boxes are not always available.  This was like finding a palette unicorn, so I ordered […]