What's in my Studio/Couch Box?

I love when I get comments asking about my Couch Box, and what I may be carrying these days. Like many of you, I cycle through supplies I love, always changing as new (and new-to-me) things come into my creative life. Right now, I adore gouache for on-the-go and couch art journaling purposes, and thought I'd share what I carry with me. 

This box goes with me to and from the studio, and can usually be found next to my favorite spot on the couch. I love being able to work while being comfortable, and have even set out these supplies while in bed! It's the perfect little portable studio, and one of the vast improvements carrying this box over my other box is that things don't fall all over the place if the box tips over. 

I got this one at Wal-Mart for $9. It's in the arts&crafts section, but is identical to the tackle box of the same size sold in sporting goods. So you get your choice of colors! :) I filmed this with my iPhone, but turned on YouTube's stabilization...hopefully that makes things easier for those of you who get dizzy from phone videos. I just wanted to make something quick since I'd been asked about my current box, and thought a short vid would be easier than tons of photos and typing! 

Experiments In Color & Magic

I find certain magic happens in those last minutes we're in our art spaces - when there's paint left on the palette that we just can't waste, paper we'd usually never use but have close by, when there isn't much time left and we want to squeeze out the most creative juice we can before playtime is over. 

If you follow my Instagram feed (or Facebook), you get a little peek into my process (and usually the mess I make while playing!); I take a LOT of pictures while working - to gain perspective on what I'm doing, to document the process so I can repeat it, and yes...to have blog photos!  

Anyway, over the next week, I'll be sharing the work I've been giddy over - stuff I look at when I'm done and can't help but smile. It's awesome when we create art journal pages we love, but it's brilliant when we can't stop making more!  

I decided to stick with a set color palette for two sessions. Why? To see all the different ways I could incorporate the colors! I wanted to see how they behave as part of my own little class on color theory and experimentation!  

Here are the colors I used:

neon red/teal green/bright aqua green/yellow ocher/dark titanium white/white

Oh, and to paint with? Catalyst tools! Just the small and medium of the grey tools, and the blue wedge. That's it!  

Here are some progress shots of my first experiments with this all! 

And here are two finished paintings! Final details were added with gouache & I pulled out the silver leaf! I was working on ledger paper and half-finished canvases in the studio...and don't be afraid to mess something up in order to keep playing! 

Both are available, and I'll be making prints soon! 

Friday, I'll have more eye candy for you all!  

Art Supply Haul (video)

I managed to get out to our former-Utrecht-now-Blick's grand re-opening and score some killer deals!  

I thought I'd film a little haul video for you guys since I haven't been able to film a regular video this week. Let me know which new supply you'd like me to play with first for next week!