So I Enjoy Patterns - Inspiration for Color Palettes

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Self explanatory post. I just wanted to share a selection of beautiful colors and designs (specifically paisley and damask) that I like to surround myself with! If you aren't familiar with my work, I paint a lot of ornate designs, so I like to have great references!

I also included a few of the patterns I really like with some color combos pulled out. I see this a lot in fashion blogs (like one of my favorites Tulip Louise does << here), but it doesn't necessarily have to apply just to fashion. I really enjoy grey added as a neutral in a palette. I pull color inspiration from patterns I like in a lot of my paintings. 

P.S. Check out Colourlovers << here for a great color, pattern and palette resource. SO much fun and very useful! 

Step-By-Step - How I Paint a Cooler

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Hello friends! I thought I'd spice things up and show y'all some steps I go through when I paint. I freehand everything. I never use stencils, tape, etc. I've read a lot of blogs where people use stencils and tape to help guide them, and if you want to try out something like this for yourself, I think that would be a great start! But after many years of practice and hand-eye training, I just wing it! I do often look at photos of things I paint, but when it comes to Razorback stuff, I have it down and committed to memory! 

I start by sketching out rough outlines. I don't use a pencil, but it might help some people. I then fill in the outlines with the most dominant color I need for the design. I finish by adding detail like highlights, shading, decorative frills, etc. I like to jump around from side to side on coolers so I don't get burnt out on one thing. I usually do all the outlining first, then fill in as I go. This cooler is not a really fancy one, but it is a popular design, so it's a great example to show you! Enjoy!

Coming soon: video tutorial clips where you can watch me paint!