Episode 368 of the CMP, a Creativity Matters Podcast — A lovely book of whimsical watercolor
In this episode of the CMP, a review of The Art of Creative Watercolor: Inspiration and Techniques for Imaginative Drawing and Painting (by Danielle Donaldson) — I loved this book, and I think you will, too! (It even really tempts me to get out my watercolors. Yes! I used to use them quite a bit!) The A to Z collections are beautiful, charming, whimsical, and I really love how Donaldson uses color. I also really liked her use of collage color blocks as a fulcrum, foundation, and unifying thread in her work.
“If you are a fan of watercolor illustration …. I’m not talking about grand scale scenes or landscapes, although the information applies…. but if you are a fan of spot illustration…. small scale capturings….. loose paint…. a whimsical perspective rather than tight realism….. I think you will really enjoy this book. If you like doing illustrations of collections of things…. a bunch of chairs or jars, for example, illustrations on a theme but all together on a page…. you have to see her work.” (Episode 368)
Approaching 50, a yearlong illustrated journal
From this show, about my “approaching 50” illustrated journal (and related “50 Before 50” project and list): “The journal project is such a big part of me right now… a living, breathing, interconnected mesh of these days and a place, in the best of times, for me to just let whatever random words are echoing around in my head out.”
Other tangents and threads in this episode:
…. Flannery O’Connor quote: “I write because I don’t know what I think until I read what I say.”
…. Podcasts (and voices you want to meet!)
…. The quest for an audiobook I can really sink into, “the quest to be seen and known and understood, to understand ourselves…”
…. Keys left in the door
…. Don’t forget the word “accountability”
…. Thoughts on wander
…. Photos snapped at the library in a magazine, including a full-page spread with the quote: “All that is gold does not glitter. Not all those who wander are lost.” J. R. R. Tolkein, The Fellowship of the Ring
…. A short synopsis of the #30inks30days challenge I am doing in September (a different color fountain pen ink every day, which is a great way to use ink samples I’ve collected through the years). I am doing these very small portrait drawings each day in different colors of ink in the Tiny Journal (part of the Sketchbook Project).

Referenced in this Episode:
- The Art of Creative Watercolor: Inspiration and Techniques for Imaginative Drawing and Painting
- Episode 367: An Illustrated Journal
- Episode 365: Fifty Before Fifty
- Scott Adams: The Man Behind Dilbert (#106) (Tim Ferriss podcast)
Show Information:
- Guitar music: Nicholai Heidlas on SoundCloud
- Creativity Matters Group at Facebook
- Patreon page
- oamyoamy at Instagram
- Try Creative Bug with the Living a More Creative Life: 30 Ways in 30 Days class
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