I have also added a video if you would rather watch that, and I made a quick step by step too:

Reference Photos: 

The first thing you need when sketching anything is a reference photo. A great place to find free images you can use as reference photos is Unsplash. Or you can just google what you are looking for, but not all of the images on google are free to use, so just be careful not to get in trouble. Lucky for you, you don’t have to search for one, you can just use the images in this tutorial!

Here are some of my favorite mushroom reference photos:

Paper and Pencils:

When sketching it’s best to have paper that is slightly rough. This helps you with shading and creating texture. Another thing to look for in sketching paper is that it is slightly off white. Off-white paper makes it easier to add highlights and have a more finished off and realistic look. I feel it also makes it look more artsy and professional. But any type of paper will work great.

If you are wanting to paint on your mushroom make sure you are using paper that can be painted on.

Step 1:

I start with the stem of the mushroom because it sets the angle of the rest of the sketch. Try for an organic shape that is probably longer than what you would think. Draw a swerve line down then wrap back up following the first line. Try to make the bottom slightly fatter than the top. Remember; mushrooms grow in nature so keep the shape of the stem very organic. 

Step 2:

Sketch an eye shape at the top of your stem. Draw the top line so it looks like it’s resting on the top of your stem. The bottom line should go behind the stem, not in front of it. This is the under part of the mushroom top. This really adds depth to your drawing so make sure it’s the shape and angle you want it. If you need to go back and look at the reference photos to get the shape you are looking for.

Next, create slightly curved lines on an angle that point in towards the top of the stem and fan out downwards. This gives a lot of depth to your drawing.

Step 3:

This is the top part of your mushroom. Draw a dome or rainbow shape at the top of your mushroom. I like to make the bottom lines fluidly connect to the eye shape. I find it hard to get this part right on the first try, so when you draw this for the first time use a pencil and don’t get frustrated if you have to redo it a few times. This part can also add a lot of character to your mushroom and can be fun to try different variations of this line. 

Some mushrooms have oddly shaped tops so look at some and find what you like best!

Step 4:

While not all mushrooms have spots on them, it is a main characteristic of many. You can change the spots to different shapes or not have any at all. If you do want to add spots to yours start by adding a slightly large one towards the center then add some smaller ones in random places on the dome. As finishing touches place spots that don’t fully fit on the mushroom so it has more of a realistic look to it.

Don’t forget to fill in the spots! Or don’t if you just want the ring outlines of the dots.

Finishing Touches:

After all the basics are finished you can add grass, shadows or ground. I like to add shading and blend it all in. Then I redefine the main lines to give hard edges. I also like to sketch texture lines on the stem and the top. On the eye shape part I put little lines for more depth. I draw the ground with the side of my pencil and lightly blend it. To draw the grass just do some loose lines going upwards and starting from a bunch on the ground. Drawing the grass works best if you draw quickly and almost flick your pencil across the paper.

You could also give your mushroom an animal or bug friend! Lots of people like to draw fairies with their mushrooms too. After you have drawn everything you want in your picture you can add some color to it or leave it in black and white.

Mushroom Ideas:

Here are some ideas and inspiration as to what to draw with your beautiful mushroom:

• With a frog
• Dragonfly 
• Ladybug 
• Crazy colors
• All pastels
• Wet mushroom
• Just the shadow
• Growing off the side of a tree
• Growing on a mossy rock
• Has moss on it
• In a swamp
• Has slime on it
• Lots of mini ones
• Give it a smiley face
• Growing on a fallen log
• Somewhere it shouldn’t be (like in a shoe)
• Make it a fairy home
• Raining on it
• Draw it all in one color (like only use yellows)
• Flowers around it

You can also use your sketch as an outline to paint on!

If you want to know the best way to watercolor paint your mushroom, read my tutorial on the basics of watercolor.

Thank you so much for reading!

I hope you had fun drawing your mushroom.this basic shape has a lot of potential so explore what you can draw with your mushroom. 

For more great art content follow me on social media!

You can also share your mushroom with me there too!

The post How to Draw a Mushroom appeared first on ButterStyle.

In This Blog Post:

1. Rock Painting
2. Outside Finger Painting
3. Bubble Art
4. Paint Pouring
5. Crepe Paper Flowers
6. Flower Pressing
7. Diy Beach Anklet
8. Paint Your Shirt
9. Memory Board
10. DIY Stickers

1. Rock Painting

Supplies:

• Rock
• Paint
• Paint Brush

What to do:

Choose a rock that isn’t overly rough so painting doesn’t get difficult. Then you’ll need to rinse your rock off to remove any dirt. Let fully dry before painting. Next, cover your rock in a base coat of one color. You may want to lay some paper towels out under your rock so you don’t get paint on anything. After the base coat is dry, sketch out your painting or design with pencil. Then paint what you sketched out. Be careful around the edges as the curve of the rock can throw you off. 

For more rock painting dot ideas check out my other tutorial Dot Painting Mandalas.

2. Outside Finger Painting

Supplies:

• Finger paints
• Large paper

What to do:

Use some rocks to hold your paper down so no wind blows it away. Look around you and decide what you want to paint. Dip your fingers into the paints and spread the paint onto your paper. Try to recreate what you see using your fingers instead of paint brushes. Please be sure you are using washable finger paints so you don’t stain your skin or driveway. For an added challenge use your feet to paint with or other objects you find outside like leaves!

3. Bubble Art

Supplies:

• Bubbles
• Canvas/Paper 
•  Dye 

What to do:

Mix your bubbles with your dye. Lay out your canvas or paper. Blow the colored bubbles towards the canvas / paper. Try to get the bubbles to land on your canvas. Either let the bubbles dry or pop them then dry.

If you mix the dye with dish soap in a bowl you can gently scoop out clusters of bubbles and set them on the canvas to dry. 

4. Paint Pouring

Supplies:

• Canvas
• Pouring Paints

What to do:

This will get messy so you may want to lay out a tarp and use gloves. There are many ways to do paint pouring but I’d like to share one of the best and easiest ones. First I like to start by coating the canvas in a thin base of white to help the other paint move across the canvas smoother. While the base is still wet, fill a cup with layers of paint. Pour the paint from the cup across the canvas. Pick up the canvas and tilt it back and forth to spread the paint to the edges. Let the paint dry fully before moving it.

5. Crepe Paper Flowers

Supplies:

• Crepe paper / paper strips
• Scissors
• Hot Glue

What to do:

Lay out about a yard of your crepe paper in a long line. Cut out petal shapes into the crape paper keeping them connected along the bottom. Line the bottom edge with hot glue and roll the crepe paper to form a coil. Once hot glue has cooled gently pull and tug at the petals to shape it into a flower shape. You can leave it like this or put it on top of a pencil or stick.

6. Flower Pressing

Supplies:

• Flowers / leaves
• Book

Wax paper

What to do:

Pick flowers and leaves in the morning and use them right away for best results. Use an old book that is ok to get damaged. 

Lay your wax paper on a page of your book. Gently lay out your flowers so they do not touch each other. Lay another piece of wax paper on top of your flowers and close your book. Set something heavy on the book to press the flowers. Let them be pressed for about four weeks.

7. Diy Beach Anklet

Supplies:

• String
• Beads 
• Scissors 

What to do:

Use a length of the string to measure around your ankle. Cut the string at that length plus two inches to tie it. Take small beads and thread them onto the string. About half way through add a small charm with a different color of bead on each side. Finnish beading the rest. Once you have filled the whole string minus the two inches for tying, wrap it around your ankle and tie it loosely on your ankle. Cut the strings off at about ¼ of an inch.

8. Paint Your Shirt

Supplies:

•  Shirt
• Acrylic tole paint
• Vinegar
• Spray bottle

What to do:

For these types of crafts always make sure you are being carful not to get a mess or a stain anywhere. Lay your shirt out on a flat surface. Sketch your design onto the shirt with a pencil. Following your sketch paint your pattern with the tole paint. Before the paint dries, take your shirt outside and lay it in the sun. Then use the spray bottle to spray the design with a mixture of vinegar and water. Let fully dry in the sun.

9. Memory Board

Supplies:

•  Printed photos
• Wood board
• Mod podge

What to do:

Print out your favorite memory photos. Cut the images out so they have a small white border around them. Put a small amount of mod podge onto your wood board, then place the cut out photos onto your board. Add any other decorations you want such as ribbon or glitter. Once all the images and decorations are placed, thinly coat the 

Images with mod podge to seal them in. Let it fully dry. 

10. DIY Stickers

Supplies:

•  Tape 
• Paper
• Scissors

What to do:

Draw a design or picture on a piece of paper and cut it out. Lay wax paper over your work space. Then make an area of tape on the wax paper bigger than your drawing. Place your drawing on the area of tape and tape over the top of your drawing. Cut it out leaving a small border around your drawing. When you are ready to use it, peel the wax paper off and place the sticky side of your sticker to whatever you want.

All of these crafts are perfect for summer and they make perfect gifts! Have fun creating art and crafting! 

Share with me what you made on social media!

The post 10 Crafts to do Right Now for This Summer appeared first on ButterStyle.

Supplies:

You only need a few things to get started and the supplies aren’t expensive.

• Yarn 

Using soft yarn will result in more dense looks while with regular yarn you will be able to see the individual strands.

• Scissors 

I use material scissors, but any scissors will work.

• Pom pom maker

These make the process faster and easier. They are also inexpensive.

Optional: 

• A trash can or garbage bag 

As you are trimming the yarn it’s best to have something to catch all the scraps and clippings.

• A pet grooming brush

You can use this to split the fibers of the yarn once you are done to have a more fluffy look.

• Felt & Hot Glue

Felt is my favorite go to for adding details and accessories.

Why Use A Pom Pom Maker:

While you can make a pom pom maker at home from cardboard I recommend buying one. I used a cardboard one for a long time and you can get good poms but it’s difficult to use and the finished product isn’t always what you may have been hoping for. In fact I never really got into making poms until I got a pom maker. 

The difference between a store bought pom pom maker and a home made one is density, sizes, and ease. With a pom pom maker it’s super easy to make beautiful poms that are nicely rounded and very full. The maker also allows you to make bigger or smaller pom poms than you normally would have been able to (and they look better too!). 

You can buy high quality pompom makers on amazon for a great price. These pom pom makers are some of my favorite crafting tools ever. 

You can also get a giant pom pom maker!

Yarn:

You can use any type of yarn you want, but there are a few things to keep in mind when choosing your yarn. 

I usually use a size 4 medium weight yarn. Yarn that is thick and fluffy is my favorite as it produces fuller poms. I also prefer softer yarn, but if you are just making it as a decoration the level of softness doesn’t matter. If you want to be able to see the individual strands of yarn very well I would suggest a regular sized yarn and thinner for a very frizzy or fine look. The smaller the yarn size the more times you will have to wrap the yarn around the maker, which means it will take longer the thinner your yarn is. So if you are just trying it out, or want to create faster, go with a bigger yarn size.

You can also pick multiple colors to use!

Wrapping:

Once you have picked out your yarn and gathered all your supplies, take one side of the pom pom maker and pull it open. Be sure that the two pieces of that side are lined up. Start wrapping the yarn around that side. Go in a back and forth pattern until you have completely filled that side. I find it easiest to fill the edges first, then wrap the middle, unless you are using a pattern.

Push that side back into the center and pull out the other side repeating the process. Try to keep the second side consistent with the first side. 

Cutting and Tying:

Tying off your pom pom can be tedious but the maker will help hold the yarn and keep it from becoming too frustrating.

Hold the pom pom maker in one hand and use scissors to cut down the middle of the pom pom following the groove in between the two pieces of each side.

(note: be careful not to cut your hands while using the scissors)

 Cut an 18 inch long piece of yarn and pull it around the center of your pom pom. Pull the yarn strand tight and tie the string in a firm double knot. 

You can use a longer piece of yarn instead and after tying wrap it again and tie it to get the pom pom as tight and secure as possible.

Pull the sides of the pom pom maker away from the pom pom and tug the center of the maker apart.  Yay! You have freed your pom pom!

Trimming, and shaping:

You might have noticed that your pom pom is not perfectly sphere, don’t worry we’re not done yet! 

Take your pom pom and start trimming any yarn strands that are longer than the others. Remember not to cut them too short, you can always go back and trim a little more but you can’t untrim it. This part takes a bit of patience, but so worth it. I spend a lot of time going back around my pom pom over and over again snipping little bit by little bit.

If you are attaching this to something you can leave the long pieces of yarn you used to tie it with and use those. If you’re not attaching it to something cut the long string to the length of the rest of the yarn.

Brushing and extras:

Now that you’ve completed your basic pom pom you can have some fun with it! 

Try using a pet grooming brush to comb out the yarn and split the fibers. This will result in an extremely fluffy pom. Be careful not to brush too hard as it may pull some of the yarn out. After you have brushed it out it may need a small amount of trimming again.

Another way to enhance your pom is to add felt accessories. Cut out the shape of felt you want and hot glue it into or onto your pom. Use plastic eyes to make cute faces for your animals.

Use wool felting to shape it too!

What to do with your pom:

Pom poms are great for so many things, like:

• The top of winter hats
• Cute animals
• Making decorative pillows
• Decorative rugs
• Wall decor
• Key chains
• Mini poms for statement jewelry 
• Put them on your backpack
• Cute funny fake plants
• Halloween costumes 
• Book marks
• Holiday decor

These are just a few ideas, there is so much more you can do with pom poms!

Thank you for reading how to make a pom pom! I hope this helps you enjoy making your pom pom! 

For more great tutorials from me click here.

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The post Creating the Best Pom Poms  appeared first on ButterStyle.

Welcome to ButterStyles blog about watercolor ideas for painting! I am excited to share what I find most helpful when painting. A lot goes into painting and it’s helpful to be prepared before and to not rush into it unprepared. 

Handmade works of art make great gifts that feel personalized and thoughtful, so if you want to make someone feel special paint them something!

You can follow the steps and find inspiration I’ve added in this post or if you just need some quick pointers to improve you can be ready to get started quickly by taking a look at my 10 helpful tips in this blog post to speed up your water color ideas.

10 Quick Helpful Tips:

1. Focus first on the background then the main shapes and finally the details
2. Use masking tape to block a section of paper from paint
3. Do a quick sketch to help guide you 
4. Look at reference art 
5. Start small (don’t be too ambitious at first)
6. Be happy with watercolors natural “blurry style”
7. Try out different water to pigment ratios
8. Use a painting sponge for big areas 
9. Don’t use too much water
10. Let your paint fully dry before adding more

Bonus: Use masking tape to secure the paper to your table to prevent warping

Watercolor ideas and inspiration:

• Paint some animals 
• Check out Miranda Balogh’s website and her social media profiles 
• Flowers are a great way to practice 
• Practice with different brushes
• Try a water color landscape 
• Paint your name
• Try a painting sponge for fun textures and big areas
• Use water color pens or water color markers 
• Try different colors than usual from your watercolor palette
• Go for a walk outside and take pictures of things you see, then paint those things when you get home 
• Use masking tape to line your paper before you start painting

This will create a border around your art. This is also helpful to keep your paper from warping and moving around.

Supplies:

Make sure you have a place that has good lighting and a smooth table or desk. 

 The tools you need will depend on what you are hoping to paint and what style you are hoping to achieve.

 The most important and obvious supply is watercolor paints. The other basic supplies are: paint brushes, watercolor paper, and a jar or cup of water. 

 I also like to have these supplies on hand as well: paper towels, masking/painters tape, pencils, a high quality eraser, pens, a painting sponge, and scissors.

Using watercolor pencils and brush pens can make great art and is fun to work with.

 With this list of tools you can create beautiful works of art! 

Inspiration:

Before you start, imagine what you want your art to look like, if you’re not sure you can look at reference art to get ideas. Ideas can also come from real life by looking around you at your everyday surroundings, or you can look at photos you have taken. 

When looking at your reference art, focus on the values, overall shapes, base colors, and how light and shadow play a part in what you’re painting. Start your painting by being sure to include the key elements of it and the things you love about your reference art.

The Start:

A good start to creating art is sketching out what you have in mind as a guide to help you along the way. Use a pencil to sketch the outlines of the most basic shapes. Don’t press hard with your pencil, keep it light so you can erase lines without damaging the paper or the paint. 

This is also the time you would cover part of your painting with masking tape if you are hoping to keep the paint off of certain areas.

Background:

When painting with watercolor, and most other paints, it’s usually best to start with the background. But with watercolor you can’t apply as many layers as with other paints. So be sure not to cover too much of the objects if you are planning on adding many details.

To do this with watercolor you can start with the lightest colors first or paint the farthest object first.

I find it easiest to use a bigger brush for this part, such as a fan brush. Once you have your background finished, let your paper dry before adding more.

Paint the main part:

Once your background has dried you can now move on to the next step.

Start filling in your main shapes with color letting each section dry before adding more. Don’t get too detailed at this point, just focus on the shapes and colors.

You can also begin to implement shadows by using a bit more pigment to mix with water or mixing a small amount of gray and the base color to make it look darker and slightly muted. 

You should also leave the sections you would like to have highlights with less paint or use masking tape to cover those areas.

Let this portion fully dry before beginning on details.

Details:

Now that you have your background and base you can add the details and finishing touches. A good tool for this is a very small brush.

Just remember not to get too into detail as watercolors can be hard to be very precise. Most watercolor art has a slightly blurry feel to it. 

As you are adding the details, be careful not to ruin the rest of the painting by adding too much water, the best way to add finishing touches is to use a lot more pigment than water.

Thank you for reading ButterStyles blog about watercolor ideas!

I hope this has helped you understand this medium of art and how to best use it. Works of art are great gifts that can be custom and meaningful. 

I wish you well on your art journey and great success in art. 

If you have any questions and would like to contact me click here. 

More resources for improving your watercolor technique and finding ideas: 

Erika Lancaster 

Watercolor Affair 

Miranda Balogh

Follow me on social media!

The post Watercolor Ideas for Beginners appeared first on ButterStyle.

Zen Gardens are a great way to relax and let your mind wander, they are also helpful for artist block. Mini gardens are perfect for people who don’t have enough time or outside space for a full size garden. A mini zen garden is great to set in workplaces, a decorative shelf, on a counter, or anywhere that is convenient. 

Step1: Setting up for your garden

Making sure you have all the supplies needed is an extremely important part of any project. It is also crucial to have a good workspace that will be beneficial to what you are trying to do. Creating a mini garden may take a few days when you are molding items out of clay, so be sure that you are working in a space that will not be in the way for other day to day things.

Supplies:

Once you have a good spot to be you will need these supplies:

• Clay (I used air dry clay)
• A protective covering for your workspace
• Tools to work with your clay 
• Fine sand
• A tray to put your sand in
• A cup of water

Optional supplies:

• Gloves 
• Mini zen garden rake
• Paint
• Clay sealer/ modge podge
• Other decor for garden

A major part of setting up your space for a project is keeping things organized and clean, even throughout the creating process. 

Step 2: Shaping the Imprint Spheres 

For this part of the tutorial I will explain how to create the first sphere in depth then briefly go over the other methods I used to make different styles.

Ball #1: Craters 

This was the first ball I made and is one of my favorites. (Tip: When working with clay I find it helpful to wear gloves to keep it from sticking to me and prevent my skin from drying out.) 

Tools:

Before getting out your clay, decide what tools you will be using. Each style of zen garden balls will need different tools.

For this sphere the type of tools you need is anything with a rounded end. For example you can use a pencil eraser or the other end of a paint brush, for smaller indents use a ball pin. Anything that you can find that will work like that is great. I happened to have paint dotting tools on hand so I used those.

Getting Started:

The first thing you need to do is take a chunk of your clay and roll it into a ball. The ball I made is about 1.5”. If you are having a hard time getting it fully smooth, lightly dip your finger in the cup of water and use that to smooth the surface. But be careful not to use too much water as that will ruin the consistency of the clay.

The pattern:

Note: this part is only for the craters style ball, but is helpful to know for the other styles of spheres

Then use your rounded tool to gently push indents into the ball. Start with the biggest size then work your way down to the smallest tool. I recommend three sizes of tools to get the best effect. Try to keep your placement as random as possible when deciding where to indent. (Tip: Every so often dip your tool into the cup of water so it is slightly damp. This will make it easter to create craters and prevent cracking) Continue to add dents until you are pleased with how it looks.

Finishing:

 After I had finished I very gently rolled the ball in my hands to help reform its shape, then went back and redefined the pattern with my tools. It doesn’t have to be perfect, let the sphere have its little imperfections!

Drying:

If you are using air dry clay as I did, prevent cracking by: every once in a while throughout the drying process take a paint brush and dip it in water then lightly go over the sphere to moisten the outer layer. This will help the ball to dry evenly.

Ball #2: Squiggly Lines

After making a clay ball use a pointy tipped tool to trace lines going from the top of your ball to the bottom. Make the lines squiggly to add pattern. 

Then use a fat butterknife type tool to deepen and widen the lines. This is another point that is useful to dip your tool in the cup of water occasionally.

If the ball is not fully round once you are finished, gently roll it in your hands then redefine the lines.

Ball #3: Bumps

This ball is roughly 1” in diameter

Roll your ball then make dents in it just like in ball #1. Only use one size of tool for this ball, preferably a small one. 

Make many miniature clay balls that are just bigger than the indents you just made.

Then, using slick (a mixture of water and clay), place your mini spheres in the dents. Gently roll in hands to rounden. 

Ball #4: Stars

This is the easiest way to make an imprint sphere. First find a tool or item that when pressed into the clay it will leave a deep pattern (see photo for reference)

After you roll your clay ball, press the tool into the clay to leave the pattern on your sphere. Dip the tool in water first for best results.

Roll in hands to rounden if needed.

Ball #5: Criss Cross

The ball I made in this style is about ¾” 

You start by putting marking dots in six places across from each other on the ball, as if the ball were a dice and you are marking where the sides are. 

Then draw connecting lines between the marks. (view picture for reference)

After everything is traced use a small pointy utensil on an angle to deepen and slightly widen the lines.

Then roll in your hands to restore shape then redefine lines. Don’t forget to dip your tool in water.

Step 3: The tray

You’ll need to locate a tray large enough to create patterns and a garden in. Also, it must be deep enough to contain sand without spilling.

I used a shallow hat box I found at hobby lobby. The perk of using this box is that it has a lid so I can put my garden away when needed.

Next you fill your tray with sand. I used 3 pounds of extra fine white sand to fill a 11.5”x11.5” circular box. Be sure your sand is fine or it wont show your patterns.

That’s it, that’s all you need for the tray.

Step 4: Decorating with Extras

The finishing touches of a mini zen garden are what makes it beautiful, and you can have fun personalizing it. 

Painting the imprint spheres is a great way to do this. A popular painting choice for them is planets. After you paint them it’s smart to seal them to prevent the paint from chipping. The sealing method I used was modge podge as that’s what I had on hand.

A classic addition to zen gardens is a rake. You can buy mini ones or make your own. I used dowels, toothpicks and hot glue to make mine. Or you can just use a plastic fork to make those characteristic lines or a pen to draw in the sand.

Other fun ways of decorating your garden are:

• Stones 
• Mini plastic plants 
• Seashells 
• Crystals 
• Animal figurines
• Fake moss 
• Anything you want!

Remember to get creative and have fun with your garden. Make it however you want, you can totally be out of the ordinary and artistic. Zen gardens will help you relax and let your mind wander.

I hope this tutorial on how I created my first mini zen garden helped you! Video tutorial from a different creator: zen garden clay ball youtube

If you would like more details feel free to leave a comment or contact me!

The post Building Your Own Mini Zen Garden (With Imprint Spheres!) appeared first on ButterStyle.

Buying just the right products is essential to all art. Buying craft supplies that are wrong or low quality can create problems, make it harder for you, and in the end you work very hard and still not get the results you wanted. In this blog I will share my top 4 go-to places to get art supplies to try out.

Online companies: 

Amazon

While many individuals feel that utilizing Amazon instead of other firms is unfair to the sellers and other businesses, it is important to keep in mind that the Amazon vendors choose to be there. And it is a great place to find very specific craft supplies for your projects. There are many well known brands on amazon and even if you don’t know a brand there are usually reviews you can look at that are good to be a deciding factor in whether to buy from that seller. Amazon also has many different options for most products so you can choose exactly the supplies you want.. Amazon is usually quite cost efficient as well, which is helpful when you are buying new products fairly often. Amazon

Arteza

Arteza actually started as a pencil company and now has quality art supplies for learning artists. Arteza has many different products for each style and technique of art. They are online so you can look at the great products and purchase them from your own home. It is a great place to find new types of art products for different art. Their products are also reasonably priced for what it is. Arteza produces helpful tutorials on the best ways to use their products. Arteza

In person stores:

Joann

Joanns has an online store but it can be better to go into the store for certain products. This store has great products, some of them are the yarn and beading sections, but the best section is the material section. For material it is a good idea to go to an in person store so you can feel the texture and weight of the material you are considering. There are many Joann stores in the US so hopefully you live close to one if you are wanting to shop there. Joann

Hobby Lobby 

Hobby Lobby has stores located in almost every state in America. They have the supplies needed for basic arts and crafts. The products at Hobby Lobby are good for beginners to try out new styles of art. They have an online store as well so you don’t have to go into the store. Going to a physical store can be nice so you can take a closer look at the products, the downside is that you can’t look at reviews when in a store. Hobby Lobby has deals all the time which is perfect for trying out new products. Hobby Lobby

To create great art it is important to have great supplies to use. If you are just starting to learn to create art it can be hard to know what to buy. Much of the art supplies you need to start making art works for lots of different types of art so you don’t need separate supplies for all your different hobbies. You also don’t need the highest quality products when trying out new arts and crafts for the first time. The best way to go about building up your craft supplies is to start with just the bare essentials then find out what you liked about certain products.
For great tutorials to start creating art visit ButterStyles blogs

The post Where to buy great art supplies  appeared first on ButterStyle.

For the best art supplies go to my website Here

Or for more art ideas and tips click Here

 Here are ten ways to paint butterflies

#1 Basic

When you want a more realistic look this is the best way to start. 

Start by sketching out your butterfly, and filling in the wings with your base colors. Then add more shading if desired. You can also do an ombre effect from the middle to the ends of the wings. Next paint the veins and outline the wings in black. Paint the body in black or dark brown. A background of leaves or flowers can also make your painting look more realistic. 

To get the best result, study pictures and reference art before and during painting.

#2 Abstract

This can give your painting an eye-catching quality. It also can be helpful to make mistakes look like they are meant to be there. It’s definitely fun and relaxing to paint this way!

Start by putting paint in the general area of the wings. Then add more details to the wings and around them. You can then add a body or have just the wings.

Make sure not to put too much detail into this painting as it will most likely ruin the abstract look, and try to not make it perfectly symmetrical as that could also hold your painting back from looking the best.

#3 Silhouette

Making just a silhouette of something can look simplistic and clean.

Draw the outline of your butterfly. Next fill in the butterfly or the background with any solid color you would like. You can even make one of the solid colors a pattern.

#4 Chain

This is a very cool effect and very fun to do. For the best effect you should use pouring paint. You can start by covering the canvas in one color of paint or leaving the canvas plain. Then outline a the basic shape with colorful paint. Then lay a chain on the outside of the line of one of the wings. Pull the chain towards the center of the butterfly. The chain should drag the paint with it. For a video tutorial click Here. You can buy pouring paint on my website Here.

#5 Black and white

Painting in black and white can add cool shading and have a modern look.

Sketch out your butterfly and decide on a wing pattern. Then paint your picture in the same way you would with other colors just using white, black, and gray.

#6 Fold in half

This technique is quick and can be enjoyed by younger ages as well.

Make an outline of your butterfly and fold your paper in half. Open the paper back up and paint on half of the paper in your outline using excess paint. Then, fold the paper back in half and gently press the two halves together. Carefully peel the paper back open. You have now made a symmetrical butterfly! 

You can’t get very detailed with this technique but it’s easy and very fun.

#7 Dots 

There are so many different things you can do with this style. It is very eye-catching and looks amazing.

Sketch out the shape of your butterfly and decide what pattern you want your dots in. Use a pencil eraser, the tip of a pen, the back of your paint brush and anything that you can dot paint with to dip in some paint and put dots on your butterfly. It works best if you put the dots on in a pattern but randomly placing dots can look cool too!

 You can put dots on just where the veins of the butterfly are or just the places that don’t have veins. You could also paint it a solid color and then put dots on top of that. There are so many possibilities!

If you enjoy painting dots you can purchase tools meant just for dot painting Here

If you want to learn more about dot painting heres my tutorial

#8 Split down the middle

This can give your painting a very expressive look.

Start by painting one half of the butterfly and the body. Then fill in the approximate shape of the other wing with anything you would like. It can be more butterflies, a landscape, flowers, stars, really anything you can imagine.

#9 Leaves

This is a fun way to bring nature into your painting. It can also be a great outdoor craft.

Find leaves that can be placed to give the basic shape of a butterfly. Paint a leaf and press it paint side down onto your paper/canvas. Peel the leaf off and repeat with the other leaves. When you have finished the wings, paint the body to finish it off. Or you can cover a twig with black paint and press it onto the painting to create the body.

#10 Splatter

Draw your butterflies shape out on a piece of paper then cut it out. Put the cutout on the canvas and splatter paint on your canvas. Let the paint partially dry then peel the paper cutout off. 

Or you could draw your shape on your canvas and splatter paint on the butterfly area of it. Or put the paint in the middle of your picture then use a straw to blow the paint outward to fill in your insect.

Thank you for reading!

I hope this helped you! Now you can use these ideas and come up with your own. Some more ideas to look into and think about are: melting (making the butterfly look like it’s melting by dripping paint down the canvas from your butterfly, or maybe painting just the veins and leaving the rest blank. The possibilities are infinite! Thank you so much! Now go and make art!

For quality art supplies go to my website ButterStyle Here 

Or for more ideas and tips from me click Here

The post 10 Ways to Paint a Butterfly appeared first on ButterStyle.

Dot painting is entertaining, artistic, and beautiful. It is a fantastic technique for both amateur and experienced painters as it can be made simple or complex. The art of creating dot painted mandalas is very popular and enjoyable. They also make wonderful decorations, gifts, and can be sold.

In this tutorial I will show you how to create professional looking dot paintings with minimal practice.  And hopefully you will learn how to make the best dot painting you can, and enjoy this blog. This will give you insight to the process of dot painting.

The Supplies you need to start Dot Painting

The tools used for dot painting are quite simple and can be bought on Amazon or on my website ButterStyle. Amazon/dot.painting/mandala ButterStyle/dot.painting. In fact you can make them yourself! DIY dotting tools are not as good or long lasting but are a good way to try dot painting. 

You will also need the item you will be painting on (rock, paper, etc.) You can also use a stencil to create your pattern. The type of paint you use depends on the look you are going for and what you have on hand. I use acrylic but there are so many types you can try! 

You’ll need something to put your paint on so you can dip your tools in the paint. A paper plate is a low cost option. There are also paint pallets and mini containers for individual colors. You will also need paper towels as well to wipe your tools on.

Follow these links to make your own dotting tools: Make your own dotting tool with household materials! Handmade Dotting Tools | Dot Mandala | Nail Art Tools | DIY || ABC

How to use Dotting Tools

The art of dotting is fairly easy to grasp. All you have to do is dip your dotting tool in a small amount of paint then dot your tool where you want the dot of paint to go. You don’t have to press hard and there is no need for dragging your tool in the paint or on your mandala.

You do have to make sure you wipe off your tools on a paper towel fairly often, so the paint doesn’t dry on your tool. If paint dries on your tool it can ruin your tool and dis-shape your dots. It’s best to hold your dotting tool on a slight angle, like a pencil. 

Step 1: The Center and Surface

To start a mandala you first need to pick out what you will be painting on.

You can paint on paper, vases, wood, ornaments, rocks, or anything you can think of. If you are new to this type of painting it is best to use cardstock paper. If you are painting on rocks make sure it is free of dirt and is fairly smooth.

 Once you have decided what you will be painting on you need to find the center. Using a tape measure or ruler, find the very center of where you want your mandala to be and draw a dot in pencil where the center is.

Step 2: The Pattern

 Next is finding your pattern. A simple google search for ”dot painting stencils” can help you get an idea for what type of mandala you would like to create. Don’t be too ambitious if you are new to dot painting. 

Once you have a pattern picked out or one of your own created trace/draw it on your surface in pencil. Make sure you draw lightly so it doesn’t ruin your suffice or end result. If you don’t want to use a pattern and just free style it all you need is a center mark and possibly some circles going out from your center with lines to the center to help you keep things symmetrical. Find examples of this here.

Step 3: First Dot and Colors

Now that you have your center and pattern you need to pick out the colors you will be using. I find its best use at least 3 colors and no more than 10. Try to pick colors that compliment each other using a theme. You can find inspiration for your colors from anywhere, such as online, past artwork, clothes you like, nature, or anything you see. 

Once you have your colors take the size dotting tool you want for your first dot and place your dot. You can also start from the outside of your mandala and work your way in.

Step 4: Expanding your Mandala:

The easiest process for adding on to your mandala is to build out from your center dot with the biggest dots in your pattern then once the big dots are dry going back and adding the smaller dots. Or you can build outward from the middle not caring about the order of the sizes.

Once the dots are dry you can go back and put smaller dots on the original dots in a different color. You can also go back and add more small dots around the larger ones until it is as filled in as you want your mandala.

Step 5: Being Patient

As with all types of painting it is important to stay patient, and many dot painted mandalas can be very elaborate. 

If you are not patient you risk having a sloppy looking end result or your mandala not being exactly as you had imagined or wanted it. You do not want to put in all that effort for it to not look appealing. Make sure that if you are going close to, or on top of, what you have already painted to wait for it to fully dry.

 With dot painting, it is easy to take a break as most of the tools do not require washing or rinsing, but instead just need to be wiped off on a paper towel throughout use. All you need to do is make sure your paint won’t dry out. You can cover your pallet with cling wrap for short periods of time or use small containers that you keep your paint in instead of a pallet.

If you are having a hard time being patient you should take a break and sit back for a minute then come back to your art. You can also try eating some food or getting a snack to eat while you are painting. Another way to keep yourself calm is by listening to some music. (I find classical the best for painting but using your favorite songs is good too!)

Step 6: Finishing your Mandala

Now that you have completed your dot painting and it is fully dry, you should very gently use an eraser to erase any showing pencil lines. Do not rub the eraser against the painting too harshly as it might damage your mandala. 

This is the time to go back and fix any mistakes that you may have made. You can do this by covering up any misplaced dots with the background color, then after that fully dries placing a new dot in the correct place. Just be careful not to mess it up further.

If you are worried about the paint coming off, you can cover it in modge podge, or use a protective spray coating over your mandala. 

Don’t forget to sign it!

What to do with your finished Mandala

Yay! You made some beautiful mandala dot art! And hopefully you had fun doing it. You can now hang your mandala painting up or set it on a shelf. Dot paintings also make great gifts, especially if you are looking for a handmade gift item. Dot painted mandalas can also be sold to other art lovers. 

If your mandala did not come out exactly as you wanted and imagined, that’s ok. Sometimes it takes a few tries to get used to a new style of painting, and learning what works best for you. Give it another try, your next one will most likely turn out much better. 

And if you are pleased with how your mandala ended up, congratulations! You should still make more as it’s fun, and you get to grow your skills.

Thank you for reading!

For more tutorials from me, subscribe to my blog.To get the best art supplies, go to my website, ButterStyle

The post Dot Painting Mandalas appeared first on ButterStyle.