Hi Reader, I encountered an artist on our trip to Vietnam and wanted to share his work with you. Down an alley next to a coffee shop, we stumbled upon Le Dac Tu working on a watercolor painting in his studio. His watercolors of the local ancient town of Hoi An are loose, bright, and so inspiring. I stopped to chat with him about what he was painting and his process. He mentioned he had gone to school for art, but didn't begin painting with watercolor until more recently. He had paintings just...
6 months ago â˘Â 1 min read
Hi! You may remember the free class I hosted in December on painting a simple winter landscape. While the full recording has moved into our Member Library, there were a few core techniques we used to create that misty winter backdrop that I felt deserved a permanent home on my YouTube channel. Even if youâve painted this scene with me before, the "setup" for this landscape is excellent practice. You can use these same steps to create endless versions of mountain ranges and horizons! Watch on...
8 months ago â˘Â 1 min read
Hello Reader, After some quiet behind-the-scenes work, Iâve finished something special just for you! If youâre new to watercolor â or just want to revisit the foundations â this will be the perfect place to start. I created a 7-day watercolor email series just for beginners â each day youâll get a simple tip and a small prompt to practice with. No big projects, no overwhelm â just bite-sized steps to help you feel more confident with watercolor. Join the 7-day painting series Itâs free, fun,...
12 months ago â˘Â 1 min read
As a child of immigrant parents, it probably wouldnât surprise you to hear that I grew up thinking I had to become a doctor or lawyer. But the truth is, my parents never told me I had to be anything in particular. I applied to every college undeclared. At Berkeley, I took a bunch of general education classes, trying to figure out what to major in. I tried economicsâwhatever the professor was saying sounded like an alien language. Computer programming? That was literally a different language...
over 1 year ago â˘Â 1 min read
As a teen, I won a summer art scholarship to take two classes at a local art college. One was a still life class, the other was a figure drawing class - a nude figure drawing class. I remember feeling intimidated, shy, and generally awkward - but I also truly enjoyed the experience. Iâd drive to class every day - with my mom in the passenger seat. Iâd walk in with huge pads of drawing paper and my supplies and get lost for hours in art. And then Iâd leave after covering sheet after sheet with...
over 1 year ago â˘Â 1 min read
March is almost here, which means a brand-new class inside Paint With Me! đ¨ This month, weâre diving into tranquil waters, exploring how to paint soft reflections and gentle ripples in watercolor. March Lesson Inside Paint With Me: Tranquil Waters We officially kick things off on March 1st! If youâve been wanting to explore watercolor more deeply, this is the perfect opportunityâespecially if youâre excited to paint reflections and gentle ripples like these! What Youâll Learn in This Class: đĽ...
over 1 year ago â˘Â 1 min read
Hi Reader, I recently completed a painting of an autumn stream for our latest class inside Paint With Me, my watercolor membership. This painting turned out a bit more detailed and realistic than I initially envisioned. When I paint, I often have a loose, expressive style in mind, and I always aim to make progress toward that. But thatâs the beauty of the creative processâno single piece is ever âfinalâ or âperfect.â Each painting offers something to learn, a step forward on the journey. Even...
almost 2 years ago â˘Â 1 min read
Hi Reader! We've passed the middle of October and Iâm finally sharing the flip-through of my August sketchbook. I meant to post this weeks ago, butâŚobviously, it didnât happen! While I was preparing this latest video, I got an email that my YouTube channel had reached 15,000 subscribers (!) This didnât happen overnight, and I havenât stopped to acknowledge any of the other milestones (like 5k or 10k), but this time it felt appropriate to share. Itâs not about the number, but about the people...
almost 2 years ago â˘Â 1 min read
At the beginning of August, I started a new sketchbook with the goal of creating every weekday. Sounds simple, right? But even as someone who creates regularly, I go through seasons where I donât pick up a brush for weeks, and this was one of them. Over time, itâs become easier to return to creating after breaks, even though the resistance is still there. It just doesnât stop me like it used to. In my latest YouTube video, I share the strategies I use to overcome creative resistance, along...
about 2 years ago â˘Â 1 min read
