Play before cleaning

Practice, training, skill, are always factors in improvement.

You realize this when you have to learn something that you need but isn't something you like.

But fortunately when you are doing something you love it is called fun.

I have been sorting and cleaning my studio. This is a very long process because every time I find a tool I haven’t used in a while, all cleaning and sorting stops so I can play with my new found toys, This time it was my collection of Sumi brushes.

These brushes mostly used for Asian painting with inks are wonderful for expressing line work in watercolors. So often I focus on colors with watercolor I tend to ignore line work. And I thought these would be something that I could share in my watercolor class. So I worked up a few small paintings. Took a pile of brushes to class and shared the experience.

But of course my studio still isn’t clean, but what is more important an neat desk of time with an old friend.

If you want to start with a simple brush stroke I suggest basic orchids….