If you follow me on Instagram, you might already know this, but my husband Geoff and I just launched our Lake Tahoe Airbnb, Camp Golden Bear! We’ve been working on giving this home our brand of fun and color for a year and a half. This story is about our fireplace:
This mirrored, marbled fireplace did not jive with our style so I decided to give it a makeover. I wanted to paint the fireplace and give it some decorative details to create a Scandinavian chalet-inspired design. I got to work and drew a design in Procreate (of course!).
I did some research and learned that Chalk Paint would be my best bet for covering marble. So purchased various colors of chalk paint and brushes, including a set of chalk paint detail brushes for my floral design. The blue paint went on like a dream.
But then I started working on the little vines, leaves, and flowers, and…it was BAD. I practiced on a sheet of plywood and very quickly doubted I had any skill with a paintbrush. The paint was tough to control because it was SO thick. The edges of my shapes were messy and ragged.
I started saying to myself:
A couple of weeks later, I decided to go to the art store and buy some better quality brushes that were stiffer, had a more appropriate shape for what I was trying to do, and could possibly handle the thick paint better.
I got the brushes back to the house and started painting the details with them. OH MY GOODNESS, what a difference! The edges of my shapes were coming out super clean, and the paint was easier to control. And, more importantly, my confidence was restored! I revised my design and I finished up the meticulous painting with relative ease using my new brushes, and the result was better than I could have imagined! I was SO glad I didn’t give up.
The lesson here is that having the right tool for the job can be the difference between thinking YOU can’t do something and realizing the skills were within you the whole time – you just needed the right paintbrush. 😊 You shouldn’t feel like you’re a “bad artist” because of your tools.
That’s a big reason why I started Bardot Brush. I strive to create digital art-making tools that are high-quality, intuitive, and fun to use so that your tools aren’t getting in the way of finding the creativity within.
P.S. If you plan on visiting Lake Tahoe, we’d love to host you at Camp Golden Bear! And if you have an Airbnb account, 👉 please add us to your wishlist 👈 – it really helps us out a ton!
View our listing on Airbnb and follow Camp Golden Bear on Instagram!
Week 47: Sketching from Life pt. 3
This email is already quite long, so I’ll keep things short here with a quick sketching tip. Start your sketch with the most basic overall shapes (ovals, regtangles, triangles, etc.). Once you have the basic shape down you can gradually add more details.
As a reminder, our prompts this month are things you’d find in your everyday life. The challenge is to find that item, and draw it as you see it. I recommend sticking to a simple pencil brush, but do what is most comfortable to you. The last day of each week will give you the opportunity to get a bit more creative by taking your favorite sketch from the week and fully finishing it with color!
Mon: a lamp
Tue: a plant
Wed: something that uses batteries
Thu: a pair of glasses
Fri: a keychain
Sat: your front door or porch
Sun: finish your favorite sketch of the week
This piece was drawn using my Pencil Box brush set for Procreate.
You can access each week’s prompts, with links to reference photos, at makingarteveryday.com
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The best place to catch the live stream is on the Bardot Brush YouTube Channel. Don’t forget: You can watch or re-watch the previous livestreams on my tutorials page on Bardot Brush!
If you are looking for a way to color and finish this week’s plant sketch, check out this real-time tutorial, where I’ll show you how to draw this beautiful Calathea plant using brushes from my Pencil Box! I’ll show you how to quickly color, layer, and add details, plus plenty of other tips along the way.
I’m running a Bardot Brush sale to get you ready for all the amazing creativeness you are going to accomplish. Nothing inspires an artist like new supplies.
(its a .Procreate file, so you can keep track of your progress right in Procreate!)
You’ll find instructions about how to use the Tracker at the link above. I even made you a star stamp brush for you to use! It’s my Procreate version of a gold star sticker.
We’ve got a Facebook group just for participants of Making Art Everyday and all things Bardot Brush! Come join our group of supportive artists of all skill levels, share your work, ask questions, and be a part of the community!
I’m the owner of Bardot Brush, one of the leading brush makers for Procreate. If you’d like to support me, please check out my premium brush sets that inspire creativity at bardotbrush.com.
We’ll stock your inbox with Procreate tips, new releases, and free goodies!
Bardot Brush was created by California-based illustration artist, teacher, and all-around creative person, Lisa Bardot.
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