Rikki's Journal Archives - Page 5 of 5

February 23, 2023February 22, 2023 by Rikki B.

art kits for kids art supply boxes kids painting classes things for kids to do at home, home activities for kids

Hello friends, recently I was looking to get some stickers printed for our Mini Masters art kits for kids. We spent a lot of time designing this product for children to be fun and engaging, something they would look forward to getting in the mail. Part of the excitement lies in meeting a new art character each month!

How the Mini Masters Art Kits for kids work

Each month we introduce a new character from art history (or current artists) to help kids learn about these famous artists and their art styles. For example, this months artist is Kahlo the Koala, based on Frida Kahlo! Mini Masters members will receive their art kit, all the supplies they need to make a painting inspired by Frida Kahlo! We will learn all about her, her paintings, and fun facts about the artist, like where she grew up and what made her famous. Each art kit includes an online tutorial to complete the art project and best of all, once they complete their painting they get a STICKER which acts as a stamp in their art passport.

Filling out their art passport is part of the fun!

Our mini masters look forward to adding a stamp to their art passports each time they complete a class with a new artist! These stamps or stickers act as badges to celebrate their progress. Plus sticking a new sticker on something is so satisfying. While getting ready to order our Kahlo the Koala stickers this month I came across AllStickerPrinting. I hadn’t used them before but they had a lot of product selections and I wanted to try them out.

AllStickerPrinting Review

The first thing that stood out to me when I was ordering these stickers from AllStickerprinting was the amount of options they had. Not just in products available but in the type of stickers they can cut! They can die cut, kiss cut and also multi cut which is a hard option to find from most sticker printing companies. Multi cut stickers allow you to print multiple sticker designs on a single sheet. I am looking forward to using this option in the future for something fun! I ordered kiss cut circular stickers for our Kahlo Art Kits for kids.

I was very happy when they arrived. They shipped very quickly and the stickers are high quality and bright. They also sent me a smaple of some of their other products including foil paper stickers and hang tags. My mind is now racing with ideas. It is also really nice to be able to see each paper type, I am definately setting these aside to reference for future orders and projects! I would highly recommend this sticker printing company for well priced, high quality stickers.

Kahlo the Koala is about to ship

Now that I have the stickers, we are getting ready to ship out this month Mini Masters art kits for kids! I cannot wait to create with all of our mini members and share the wondeful artist Frida Kahlo with them! Her inspiring story and paintings, full of color will be sure to inspire. These stickers will get all packed up with the supplies, paints and canvas for this months kit. If you have a Mini Master or a little you know that loves to create don’t hesitate to check out our Mini Masters program and our Art Kits for kids!

Some of the Artists we have featured recently include Kandinsky the Kangaroo, Picasso the Possum, Monet the Mouse, and we have many more to come!

Find out more about the Mini Masters program HERE

Check out AllStickerPrinting HERE

February 1, 2023 by Rikki B.

Are you brand new to acrylic painting and looking for acrylic painting classes for beginners? If you need a little help getting started consider joining a paint club! You may now be asking, “what on earth is a paint club and how does it work?”

What is a paint club?

Paint club, it’s like a book club for your creativity.

Hi, my name is Rikki and I hear this question all the time. I am an Artist and art coach and I began the Artvana Paint Club to make being creative more exciting, more fun, and more engaging. Wondering if an acrylic paint club is for you? Keep reading.

Who should join a paint club and why

So what is it and who is it for? In a nutshell, it is a program that will make accessing your creativity easier, sharing your artwork with others more enjoyable, and make excuses a thing of the past!

Is it only for artists? No. Our paint club is designed for beginners. Starting something new can be intimidating, I was very nervous to try painting in the beginning too. I learned that with practice, positivity, and the right support I didn’t need to attend art college to become an artist.
Over the last 18 years, I have learned a lot about painting and the struggles that come with learning a new skill. I have taken everything I have learned and built this club so that others can find joy in painting and creating.

It’s perfect for those who are new to acrylic painting

In the club, we talk about things like self-doubt, self-belief, patience, and how to stop judging ourselves. Each month we paint a new painting, then we get to share our progress and struggles with each other in a group setting. This is where you get support from the other members and me. I will be able to coach you through any difficulties you might be having in your journey or any parts of the tutorial that you didn’t understand. We get to share our art no matter our skill level because we focus on the process, not just the product.

Find your place to share and grow

Every month I look forward to seeing what our members have been able to create, and where they have improved. I love to see their creativity growing as they gain confidence and try new things and learn new techniques.

Benefits of acrylic painting classes for beginners

Starting a painting practice can be a great way to add to your self-care routine, decrease anxiety and depression and have a lot of fun.
Every month, when you become a member you will receive access to a new tutorial of the month in our members’ area. You will also have access to our library of tutorials in addition to the Tutorial of the month. Each of these tutorials are acrylic painting classes for beginners.
You get an exclusive 20 minute one on one session with me when you sign up, where we can pinpoint your creative hurdles and goals. Then each month you get to paint, reflect and share with the group in our group coaching session. Comment on different projects in the members’ area and share your finished art with all of us. Each month includes the supply drop for the tutorial of the month or you can use your own supplies.

Ready to join the Artvana acrylic painting club?

I designed this program to make it easy for you to start learning to paint. Everything you need is included and at your fingertips. All it takes is YOU! If you are ready to start acrylic painting classes for beginners, join us today! I look forward to seeing you in the club next month!

Find out more and become a member!

Here is another great article from the Sage Clinic on how art and creativity can help your stress levels and so much more. I highly recommend this quick read-

Read the full article here

January 16, 2023 by Rikki B.

When to sketch? If you are wondering when you should and shouldn't sketch before painting

Hello painter!

Have you ever wondered when to sketch before starting a painting? Or what the purpose of sketching before painting on canvas is?
You are not alone, I get this question all the time. As we know, it can be intimidating when we first start creating. We wonder about all the ‘rules’ of art, the right way to do things, and which process we should follow. So let’s shed some light on this topic.

Sketching is a useful skill

Sketching is a VERY important skill to have. Also important is knowing when to sketch. Is it required to be a great painter? No. Should you sketch? Well, it depends, below are a few things to consider when deciding if you should pre-sketch your canvas. Try to think if sketching will help you complete your artwork or if it will distract you.

When to sketch

If deciding when to sketch consider the following things:

First, What are you trying to paint?

Second, Is your subject very detailed with complicated proportions?

Third, does it have a complex composition or layout?

These would be two scenarios that you would want to pre-sketch your canvas, here’s why…
Pre-sketching in charcoal, pencil, or even thinned paint gives us the chance to flesh out our design, work on proportions, seek balance in our composition and identify any trouble spots before we start building our painting. Sketching in this way can help you build confidence in your work of art before you add any paint!

Things to consider before sketching

I also want to share some negative things that can happen while you are sketching to be aware of.
Sometimes we can get over-involved in our sketch, remember this is just our guideline not its own work of art, but that line can get blurred if we get to deep into our sketch.
Sometimes it can get messy, charcoal and pencil can smudge if we work too long in our sketch phase.
If you don’t like sketching it can keep you from ever painting! This is something I struggle with personally, as I nearly hate sketching before painting. If I feel myself putting off my creativity to avoid sketching, I will just start painting or paint sketching.

The bottom line

The most important thing is to make sure you don’t let it become a roadblock. If something is holding you back, even in some subtle way, it is not serving your creativity. When to sketch is up to you and your comfort level.

In summary, it’s the artist’s choice, it’s YOUR choice! Sketching beforehand does not make you a better or worse artist. It is not required for all paintings or art. If you feel like you want or need to sketch before painting, trust your gut. If you feel like you want to wildly start flinging paint, follow your heart.

More Reading:

Sketching can become a part of our regular creative process, if you want to learn how to focus on your own individual process and how it can help you become a more creative person read this post

Read the full post here

This is also a great article on some of the basics on sketching down to your pencil choice!

Read the full article here

October 5, 2022 by Rikki B.

I am so excited to talk about today’s topic with all of you! We are going to be looking at our creative spaces and how to make the most of whatever space you have to make art in.

I speak with a lot of painters in our painting club and in live classes that don’t know what they need as far as a makers space goes. How much room do you need? Where should it be? What if you don’t have natural light? What if your kids will ruin it?
These are all good things to consider but before we get going I want to assure you that you will be able to make your creative space inspiring and easy to use.

Make It Inviting

First things first, your creative space should be all about you, if you don’t feel like being in that space it’s going to be really hard to get yourself in there and want to create right? The more inviting you can make your space the better. I do this in my space with plants, sunlight, bright colors, candles, incense, and music. This will be different for every person but the point is that you want to make this space somewhere you look forward to being in.

It Doesn’t Take Much

The second big issue I discuss with people is space. If you have an extra room you can use for art great! But most of us don’t have that. My first ‘studio’ space was a 3×3 foot corner in my living room. So I want to assure you that you do not need a lot of space. It could just be a desk or an easel in the corner with a filing cabinet. Stay open to the possibilities that are in your house right now. The good thing about having your creative space in your living area is that you get to look at it all the time.

Here Are The Basics

Here are some basic things you will want to start with in your studio/space:
1: A flat surface or standing easel to create on
2. Some drawers or shelves for organizing your supplies, I personally use old filing cabinets for my paints
3. Some jars for your brushes and pens
4. A cozy chair, a lot of the creative process involves sitting and thinking about your art, watching tutorials or looking at your art. You need a comfy chair that will keep you in your space.

Those are all the basics, all you really need to get started creating your own art oasis. I would love to see a photo of your space or where you create.

Artvana Members: Share an image of your current creative space with me and the community HERE

If you want even more inspiration I love this article, it is chock full of visual ideas. Read it HERE

Not a member? You can join us HERE

September 8, 2022 by Rikki B.

How to focus on the process of painting with 3 easy tips

Hey there painter! Have you ever wondered how you can enjoy the act of creating more? How to enjoy the process of painting and dip into your creativity without worrying about making a mistake?

Imagine, letting color and creativity flow freely, being able to instinctively make choices of what your next color will be and what to do with it…this is called intuitive painting, and it’s REALLY FUN! But it’s HARD to let go!!
Even professional artists struggle to get into this zone sometimes. I want to give you my tips and tricks on this because it is so worth it once you experience it and at the heart of this, lies the process vs product problem.

I hear new painters become so concerned with doing a ‘good’ job on their artwork, of placing every little mark exactly where it is in the example painting. Pretty soon they stressed out, a little cross-eyed from staring at their painting so hard and not having a good time, not in a flow state, and certainly not intuitive painting. Don’t worry almost all of us start here. The secret to creative freedom is to switch your focus, from the product (end result) to the process of painting (the making of). Here are some ways you can start doing this when you create: Try to look at your example if you are using one, only once or twice. That’s right let your creativity take over, you have the ‘idea’ see what you can do without being glued to your inspiration

Follow your joy, imagine pulling a long thick swipe of yellow ochre down your canvas, if that color brings you joy follow it…see what that color looks like contrasted next to another….if an idea sparks, follow it…see what happens!

Lastly, if you feel yourself getting frustrated, take a break, and step away. Set your half-finished painting somewhere you can look at it and let it ‘talk’ to you. You may be surprised when one day you look at it and know what you want to do next, that is your intuition getting stronger. That is the process guiding you, rather than the result.

Below I am including a great article about process art VS product art. Once you get into the article you will see itis directed towards children but this is for everyone! Process art has benefits for adults just like it does for children so as you read, apply it to yourself. These excercises can really open up your mind creatively to new ideas and possibilities! Try these out and let me know how it went in the comments!

Find process art activities and read the article here.

August 23, 2022 by Rikki B.

Why am I not learning from art tutorials on youtube

Hello my name is Rikki, I am an Artist and a therapeutic art coach. A question I get from clients often is
“I tried a few art tutorials on youtube but my painting still looks bad, why can’t I do it?”

I LOVE this questions and I am here to answer it for you today. This is a common frustration people face when they just begin painting. How do we accomplish anything we can be proud of when we are literally just starting our painting journey?

Theres more to the story…

The fact is, there is so so so much to learn about painting that you could probabaly study it your whole life and still learn new things. So when we jump into a tutorial, we often don’t have event the basic knowledge of that art form and we are trying to accomplish something that may look simple and easy but still has a lot of know how built into it that we may not yet have.
So what is the solution?

It takes time to grow…

Practice. Yes, I see so many painters get frustrated and think they have no skill before they even give themselves a chance to grow that knowledge and skill base. Also depending on the tutorial, they may be explaining one technique in the video and assuming you already know the other basics or techniques, which if you don’t can be very overwhelming. So how do we paint more successfully using art tutorials?

How to use art tutorials for success…

Well of course I am going to recommend the Artvana paint club, which I designed specifically to help you burst through these common hurdles that stop new painters, with new art tutorials each month. Aside from joining me in the club I can tell you that you need to give yourself some grace, some space and some time to grow! Commend yourself on the one things you are working on and learn to relax a little if the rest of your painting isn’t up to speed yet. It will come, with time and practice.

Art is a journey and learning and making mistakes is half the fun. I hope you paint soon. You can learn more about our paint club here – LEARN ABOUT THE PAINT CLUB

I also wanted to include some additional information in this great article from the Cleveland Clinic on how and why patience is important for our health and how we can be more patient when learning new things – READ IT HERE

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