When Autumn Leaves Begin to Fall

 Commemorating the carpet on my lawn right now! 

Autumn leaves... in the glory of gold, bronze, red and green... 

This little watercolor tells the story!  

Visit my website for more to see!

Fall is Coming ... So is a FREEBIE!!

 

 

 

Leaves are turning colors and birds are preparing for a fall flight...
But Bluejays stay for the duration!  

 

This little guy is my October free give away! 
One of my friends will be the winner and this mini-painting (3x3" with it's own display easel) will stay in it's new home this winter!    It could be YOU! 

 

Click the button below!
All you need to to is be part of my email friends - you'll get a once a month newsy note which always contains
something special as a gift.  Every few months there is a give away contest, like this little bluejay painting. 

 

There's nothing to lose ~ but many possibilities for fun!  

 

Yes! Add me in!

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Scents of Summer

 

Scents of Summer

Watercolor & Ink on paper. ©2020 Helen Read 

Summer seems to be slipping away - it always slips away too quickly for me! 
Here's a little reminder of the beauty we enjoy during the warm days of the year. 

Watercolor always captures the carefree days of summer time, 

and this was a quick respite from a long week of work!  

Pen and Ink to Watercolor

 

The beginning of any school year is always hectic ... but this year so much more so!  I'm teaching all of my high school students remotely.  All the hands on things we usually do in person is now digital.  It's an entirely different kind of stress!  There hasn't been much time to sit with my own art.  

 But yesterday, Saturday, was a rainy day - and it was a day of art therapy for my own inner soul! 
It's was most needed!  

The top picture is a pen and ink drawing of a garden scene.  I always love the look of pen and ink - lovely detail, delicate shading with line or stipple - it just captures my imagination.  

But the need for color on a rainy day is compelling - so I added watercolor to bring it to life.  

Sometimes you just need, for yourself, to indulge in line, shape, and color.... to free your mind of stressful thoughts, to let your hand flow freely over the page... it's deep therapy! 

Coming SOON!!

 My Summer Creation! is almost finished!!  

 

I'm so excited - this has been on my mind for a long while and it's finally coming to fruit!   I've taught hundreds of students to draw for the last several decades.  So, finally, I've put together a course to teach graphite drawing!  

It's almost ready to go - but visit my website to see all the details:  https://HelenCReadArt.com

I take a low stress, positive approach to drawing for the new beginner or the person who has some background in drawing but would love to take their skills to a new level.   

 In 5 Chapters, you'll learn 

• Observation skills
• Drawing with greater accuracy
• Tricks for proportion and perspective
• How to make seamless shading
• Create realistic textures
• How to accurately transfer an image
• Compositional guidelines
• And from start to finish, how to create a beautiful realistic drawing 

There are 20 demo videos with clear instruction, and over 30 pages of downloadable notes and a variety of other free resources.  Plus a friendly voice of encouragement and support! 

Join my wait list to be informed when it will be ready for registration! 

If you'd love to learn to draw OR if you'd love to take your skills to the next level
ALL while having fun.... this could be just the course for you! 

STAY INFORMED at this link!

 

For Just a Day

Daylily, watercolor and ink

Daylilies - such showy bright buttons of color!  July is the month that they burst into bloom.

This will be my free gift in early August to my friends who receive my newsletter! 

It's easy to get a friendly, colorful newsletter right in your inbox!

You can join me at the button below!  I'd love to be friends!

Let's get connected!

Yes! Let's be Friends!

For Email Newsletters you can trust.

Daybreak

Daybreak, 11x14" oil on canvas
©Helen Read

Dawn can be the most magical time of day!  It's as if colors vibrate and come alive as the sun lights the sky.  Ancient scripture tells us that blessings are new every morning... and so it is!  Beauty is renewed, the birds begin to sing, light and color delight the eye! 

Please click here for pricing information and a purchase link.
To see more, visit my website!   

Proven! After years of teaching drawing....

I know that these 5 Tips work! 
For those who are new to drawing, for those who need a timely reminder, these 5 tips (plus a few more bonus tips) will up your game and do away with common frustrations!

I've taught hundreds (probably thousands) of students how to draw over the years.

These tips come from that experience and from the common things that can get in the way of progress.

My FREE DOWNLOAD will help you draw a better drawing,
(without stress and self-criticism!) 

Click here!  You'll get the immediate download, then several more helpful tips will come to your inbox on the next 3 days!  

 It's all free!! And there's nothing to lose... in fact, there's a lot to gain! :) 

I love helping people become more confident and proficient artists!  Let's connect!  

Check out my website meant for artists and those who love to create!

 

Ruffles and Lace

Coming in just a few weeks  ~

this is my gift in July to my friends!  

I love Irises... such beautiful color!  

My first awareness of irises was as a child.  We lived in Texas on a ranch.  The colors of the summer landscape were green and sand - sometimes a reddish sand.  To get a flower to grow in summer probably meant it was a cactus.  (I learned early in life that picking the beautiful flowers of a cactus was never a good idea!)

But one year I found some iris growing next to a chimney on our property... that was it - just the chimney.  I'm not sure when the house had accompanied the chimney; well before I was around!  And near the chimney were purple irises.... still thriving, still blooming, years and years after anyone had tended them. 

 Such tenacity!  Harsh conditions. Abandoned but thriving. 

You'll be able to download this, print it and enjoy it in your own home, but you will need to get my newsletter to do so!  Every month I send out a newsy note with my latest work, with gifts and links to cool stuff!  

It's super easy to join - just click the button below and you're in!!
My newsletter will be sent during the first week of the month - click the button and watch your inbox on July 7th! 

 

Count Me In!

For Email Marketing you can trust.

FREE, You say?

That's right!  Totally Free!!

YOU can learn the basics of drawing... with the materials you've got at home - and with stress-less instructions right in your own inbox!

I've taught hundreds of people how to draw, and I know everyone can learn!

Sign up and you'll get your first lesson right away - then 4 more... one on the next 4 days.

You'll learn some basics and see your skills improve!

Click the link and get started!

Soon to be announced... a WINNER of this little mini painting!

UPDATE 6/10/20  -  This one is going to Washington State! But sign up anyway, because there will be another give away a few months from now!

And it could be YOU!!  

That's right - I'll be giving this little original oil painting to one of my friends in just a few weeks.  You can get all the details about how to enter your name into the drawing when you get my newsletter in a couple days! 

Click the button below to get the link and when my note comes out on June 2nd, you can enter to win!  Super easy, right!?  

Over the last few years, these little mini paintings have flown all over the US... and I can't think of a better place to send this one than to your house!  

Then once a month I'll send you a little note so we can stay in touch!  My notes always have something fun just for you - free downloads, contests, new work, and surprises!! 

Yes, Please! Sign me up!

For Email Marketing you can trust.

Beautiful Chaos

 

Beautiful Chaos,  30x22" watercolor/acrylic on paper 

©2020 Helen Read 

Ah... the early moments of spring ... just as the first blooms begin to appear - it looks as if the chaos of dried leaves, twigs, branches will never yield life.  

Then... the first buds and blooms appear - as if by magic! 

And once again the triumph of life emerges from what looked like hopeless debris. 

This painting is composed of circles upon circles... thousands of them.
Symbolizing to me, the exuberance of life...in colors of growth.

More Information on Availability of This and Others Here!

 

Freebie Coming in June!

Did you know?   I create a  free watercolor download every month as a gift to those who receive my newsletter!  

This next month, this is the little painting that you'll be able to download, print, and frame.    Just because giving gifts to my friends is, well... fun!!  

If you haven't signed up for my monthly newsletter - you can do it right now! 

You'll get a colorful, friendly visit in your inbox each month

with news, and other fun things!  Some times I have a drawing for a free mini oil painting, discounts, downloads and invitations. 

The next newsletter comes out in early June ~

Sign up right here and watch your inbox!

Please sign me up!

For Email Marketing you can trust.

TWO. Months. In..... to this pandemic shut down!

We've been shut in...and the pandemic continues. 

For some of us, it's been very difficult.  For others we've done OK. 

WHAT IF, THOUGH....

you could use this time to learn a new skill? 

What if, you could try something new without any negative self-talk -  just try something new for fun... and watch yourself get better?  

What if - you could do something you've always wanted to do - but didn't have the time or a friendly plan of action to help you!? 

If you've always wanted to learn to draw - you CAN!!   

 I'll send you Five FREE lessons - right into your inbox; 1 a day for 5 days!  

 You'll find the instruction fun, easy to follow, encouraging, and you won't have to have any special materials!  

I've taught hundreds (probably thousands) of students to draw, and I'd love to 

help you with your drawing skills too!   

Use this link and you'll get your first lesson right away!!

There's no better time than NOW and you have Nothing to lose!!