I've worked with hundreds of adults who are taking art classes and they come to me when they're feeling creatively blocked. They're usually feeling frustrated that the art isn't looking the way they want and it's getting them down. But what I ask often surprises them. I don't want to know what brush they're using or how much water they're adding. I ask, "What is the reason that you're in this class?" And they usually say, "to learn something new." "to get back into art." "to have creative time built into my schedule." And when we REMEMBER our bigger why for making art, the block often dissipa ..read more

This simple, mindfulness drawing meditation will help you be more GROUNDED and CALM by tuning into your breath. This activity will help you de-stress through drawing. It will bring you into the present moment and immediately feel more relaxed. Designed by an art therapist, this intuitive drawing bring self-care together with art and mindfulness for an honest & authentic view of yourself in this moment. https://youtu.be/J89TqLl8Afc #arttherapy #artastherapy #arttherapynearme #arttherapyclassesnearme #denverarttherapy #westminsterarttherapy #artforstress #mindfulness #artandmeditation #denve ..read more

This simple, mindfulness drawing meditation will help you FEEL into your energy level and assess what you need to be more ENERGIZED and filled up! This activity will help you de-stress through drawing. It will bring you into the present moment and immediately feel more relaxed. Designed by an art therapist, this intuitive drawing bring self-care together with art and mindfulness for an honest & authentic view of yourself in this moment. https://youtu.be/O9NY-aUhKqg #arttherapy #artastherapy #artandmeditation #mindfulness #artclassesnearme #arttherapynearme #westminsterarttherapy #denverart ..read more

Today I'm going to share with you my 5 best tips you should always do when using acrylic paints. And you're gonna wanna stick around because tip #5 is going to go against everything else you read on the internet. https://youtu.be/JCjbgZrXLkY Which of the 5 acrylic painting tips in this video was the most surprising to you? Was it #5 or one of the others? Whether you're in an art class, or following along a painting tutorial of mine here on YouTube, these tips will definitely make it a much more enjoyable experience while you learn the basics of acrylic painting. #artclassesnearme #denverartcla ..read more

Painting can seem hard at first, without guidance or previous experience, it can be easy to make mistakes. So here are some of the most helpful tips I have found for beginner acrylic painters who want to improve their painting skills, and sharpen overall creativity. https://youtu.be/LqTeKQ4Kojc Learn how to avoid these 10 mistakes beginner acrylic painters make: 1) Not making enough paint. 2) Not using enough paint on the canvas. 3) Spreading paint too thin or squirting paint on top of each other. 4) Not minding "brush manners". 5) Being a "perfectionist". 6) Going straight to painting the det ..read more

You may not know this but paintings and drawings have a "hard stage." It's in the middle of your process somewhere, you've been trucking along, feeling good... and all of a sudden you don't like it. And you don't know what you don't like! Something is off and you're feeling deflated, discouraged and wondering if you have to start over. Shannon likes to call this, "the ugly stage." 1st lesson: this is NORMAL!!! It doesn't mean anything about you as a painter or drawer. (insert sigh of relief here) 2nd lesson: there are tricks for getting through this stage! They are easy and unbelievably helpfu ..read more

When you want to draw (or paint) a figure, don't just start drawing head, shoulders, etc... We look at people all day long but when it comes to drawing them, we need a system to help lay down what's really there and truly see. In order to draw or paint a figure we want to begin by laying down the axis of the body to create a "grid."  Axis are: imaginary lines that help divide the body into planes and help explain orientation.  In this lesson we drew in axis for the spine, the shoulders and hips. Then we measured the ribs to get an approximate forearm length, drew in lines for the arm ..read more

Create your rocks and ground with warm colors. To begin, paint the "middle color" of your rocks (not the darkest or lightest value). For my rocks, I used Burnt Sienna and added a little Red and Raw Sienna to make it even warmer. This was my base rock color. I added blue to this to create the shadow color (blue is the compliment to orange). Use the shadow color to lay out the edges of your rocks and start giving them shape and dimension! https://youtu.be/W9Xm9DPpn2E Feeling inspired?! This lesson comes from our Landscape Painting class. Or visit our Getting Started page where we can help you f ..read more

How to draw a face. Michelle and Shannon from MBodied Art Studio teach you the step-by- step way to draw a face that looks good every single time! If you've wanted to feel good at drawing people but never knew how, there is a way to map out a face so it is proportional and will look good every time. Shannon will show you how to use the symmetry of the face to draw it out so that the eyes and nose are all even and correctly placed. She teaches this face map in our drawing class here in Westminster, CO. Our students love learning to draw because it helps them feel less stressed from everyday lif ..read more

Learn a technique for painting 3-dimensional trees! We'll share some color theory, a brush technique and how to use layers to achieve the look you want. This super helpful painting lesson will take the stress away from making realistic and visually pleasing trees so you can feel confident in your next nature-themed painting! https://youtu.be/RMJentdmacc Stippling = dabbing the brush, hold it farther towards the end for looseness  Color theory = start with darkest greens and slowly lighten Making a shadow for green = add it's compliment, red Layering = let each layer dry, then add a lighte ..read more