How I Create my Paintings
- Nov 10
- 2 min read
🎨 How I Create My Paintings
Today, I’d like to share a bit about how I create my paintings — the tools I use, the artists who inspire me, and my creative process. Everything I mention here is based purely on my personal experience — NO ads or sponsorships, just my honest thoughts.
✏️ My Artistic Journey
I started sketching in 2016, inspired by two artists I deeply admire — Jenny Jing Zhang, a Chicago-based artist, and Lisbeth Zwerger, a renowned children’s book illustrator. I love Jenny’s loose, expressive linework and Lisbeth’s calm, refined watercolor atmosphere. Their influence shaped how I see balance between spontaneity and serenity in art.
💧 My Traditional Watercolor Process
After experimenting with several watercolor brands, I found my favorite: Daniel Smith Watercolors. Their rich pigments and transparency suit my style perfectly. Over the years, my technique has evolved into something solid and uniquely mine. I especially love painting flowers — their organic forms allow for freedom and fluidity.
I usually start by sketching the outlines with waterproof brown ink, which blends more gently into the watercolor than black does. Before painting, I like to spray the background using shimmering inks from Altenew’s Ink Spray Series — they add subtle sparkle and help me set the mood of the piece. Once the atmosphere feels right, I begin layering my Daniel Smith colors to bring the flowers to life.
💻 Moving Into Digital Painting
While I still enjoy traditional watercolors, I’ve also fallen in love with digital painting, especially using Procreate. Unlike traditional mediums, I can carry my iPad anywhere and paint whenever inspiration strikes. It’s also faster — I can complete a piece in much less time without compromising quality.
I don’t create my own brushes because there are already so many great ones available. My two go-to brush sets are:
Adilson Farias’ Procreate Watercolor Brushes
Lisa Glanz’s Vintage Brush Set
Both come with beautiful paper textures and color swatches, which I use regularly. For digital art, my process is similar to my watercolor work — I begin by setting the “mood.” I’ve created several backgrounds using scanned textures from my favorite shimmer ink sprays, and once I feel the right atmosphere, I start building the story within the piece.
💫 Final Thoughts
For me, art is all about emotion and storytelling — whether through watercolor on paper or pixels on an iPad. Each tool, color, and texture helps me express a small piece of the world as I see it.
You can find the links to all the products I mentioned in this article below.:
Daniel Smith Watercolor: https://danielsmith.com/product/daniel-smith-extra-fine-watercolors/
(It is a very popular brand and you can also find it in any art supply stores and Amazon)
Altenew Spray Ink: https://altenew.com/products/12-metallic-shimmer-ink-spray-bundle
Adilson Farias’ Procreate Watercolor Brushes https://adilsonfariasart.gumroad.com/l/kegiwg
Lisa Glanz’s Vintage Brush: https://www.lisaglanz.com/shop/vintage-tales-brushes-and-canvas-effects-for-procreate/
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