iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

figment @phantomwise.bsky.social · 01/01/2026

I often do two paintings on one page and try to keep some connection between them in subject matter or colors. Here’s the full page for my winter meditations. I wish it would snow where I live!

Two watercolor paintings on one page. On the top is a red striped lighthouse on a snowy slope; birds fly above it and a dark sea. On the bottom, a creek winds through a snowy scene with trees on either side.

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figment @phantomwise.bsky.social · 29/12/2025

I haven’t been happy with my original paintings lately, everything feels slumpy and difficult. So I followed a Paul Clark tutorial for this one to try to shake off the doldrums. I lost my whites around the cottage: white gouache to the rescue! #watercolor #landscapeart

A watercolor winter landscape of a river winding through snowy banks. Stands of trees with lingering leaves are on either side, and a cottage surrounded by pines sits in the distance.

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figment @phantomwise.bsky.social · 22/11/2025

I did this a few weeks ago, after an early autumn road trip that took me into the mountains and over the snow line. #watercolor #traditionalpainting

A watercolor painting of autumn trees along a river. In the background looms a series of mountains, varied in their mistiness. The farthest mountain is snow-covered.

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figment @phantomwise.bsky.social · 16/11/2025

forever thinking about the light in the desert before, after, and during storms. #watercolor #traditionalart #landscapepainting

A watercolor painting of sandstone cliffs and mountains trying to capture the moment when light strikes mountains after a storm. The distant cliffs glow yellow while the foreground is a mix of blue, gray, and muted pink.

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figment @phantomwise.bsky.social · 08/11/2025

I often work small so don’t usually sketch or thumbnail. But I watched a video today on thumbnailing landscapes as a practice of its own and was inspired to make some in 1 or 2 layers. I like the idea of having a store of thumbnails to choose from when I do have time/energy for a bigger piece.

The watercolor landscapes on one page. They are thumbnails loosely capturing landscapes in one or two layers. At the top cows stand under a tree as a storm approaches. In the middle two bare trees are silhouetted against a yellow and lavender sky. The bottom is a late summer landscape of a dirt road and fence with green and red fields in the background.

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figment @phantomwise.bsky.social · 18/10/2025

Here’s the full set! they’re on to their new life. Happily the recipient liked them (not a guarantee with this person !). #watercolor

Six handmade watercolor and ink cards. Each has a different flower drawn in ink and a geometric shape for composition. In some, everything around the shape is painted; in others only the area in the shape is in color.

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figment @phantomwise.bsky.social · 12/10/2025

the last two cards I did for the small gift set. The hydrangea was the only one I used pencil on, and that just guidelines. This year I ditched pencils and erasing for ink sketching and I’m happy with how confident I’ve gotten with ink… even if it means my mistakes last forever! #watercolor

A watercolor and ink card of a purple and blue hydrangea. A vertical rectangle cuts through the whole card and within it there is no color, only line work.

An ink and watercolor card of three pink and yellow tulips. A circle frames the middle tulip. Everything within the circle is painted, outside of it is ink alone.

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figment @phantomwise.bsky.social · 30/09/2025

Here’s a tutorial painting following a video by Bianca Rayala. I really liked the color combination of pv29 perylene violet and pbr7 monte amiato sienna in the sky! #watercolor

A loose watercolor winter landscape of bare trees in front of a mountain and muted violet and yellow sky.

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figment @phantomwise.bsky.social · 08/09/2025

Here’s the only other one from the sketchbook that I photographed before the spill. I haven’t checked on it since yesterday but I could tell that several were damaged.

A watercolor landscape of a sunset behind the silhouette of a rock formation.

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figment @phantomwise.bsky.social · 07/09/2025

I’m working on a small set of cards to gift to a family member who’s a big gardener. These went smoothly and I’m feeling confident I’ll finish the project in time!

Two handmade floral cards done with black ink and watercolor. On the left is a pink flower against a purple square. The drawing outside the square is unpainted. On the right is a red and yellow poppy. A bar through the middle is unpainted.

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figment @phantomwise.bsky.social · 06/09/2025

I have a small sketchbook that I use mostly for little sky studies. If I don’t do skies regularly I forget how! In this one I wanted to capture the feeling of noticing a pretty sky in a mundane setting. most of my favorite sunsets and rises have been witnessed in parking lots. #watercolor

A gentle sunrise over an empty parking lot. The sky above is blue with wispy clouds while the sun event is yellow, orange, and purple. Trees and power lines silhouette against the sky.

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figment @phantomwise.bsky.social · 01/09/2025

Getting back into painting after a sickness break with a couple common motifs. These are both predominantly two color pieces with the third for accents. Limited palettes are my comfort zone! #watercolor #lineandwash

A diptych of watercolor paintings, both done in blue, brown, and yellow. On the left, misty pine trees are reflected in water and backed by sunlight. On the right is a close up of birches with blue brown background, with details of the trees done in ink.

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figment @phantomwise.bsky.social · 29/07/2025

A golden field! Reference image from a class on skillshare that I decided not to do. #watercolor #traditionalart #watercolorpainting

A watercolor painting of a white farm house in a golden field. Trees frame the house. The sky is stormy.

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figment @phantomwise.bsky.social · 25/07/2025

I made this for a monthly challenge on pmp-art around the theme of gates. I was delighted working on this and I hope that comes through. #watercolor #watercolorpainting

A traditional art watercolor of a wooden gate in adobe wall. Despite the desert tones of the wall and gate, cool greenery looms behind it.

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figment @phantomwise.bsky.social · 11/07/2025

I forgot to even take a picture of this one until a discussion on discord of how hard rocks are to paint reminded me! I was unhappy with the sand when I finished so I put it in my no-share pile, but on second glance, I really do like my green cliff and birds! #watercolor

A watercolor painting of the black sand beach in Iceland. A cliff with bright green sections and very dark shadows stands above the beach, with many distant birds flying around it.

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figment @phantomwise.bsky.social · 04/07/2025

I almost gave up on this after the first layer, which was uglier than usual. But today I decided to pick it up again for practice and I ended up feeling happier with it. This limited palette of only blues and browns was fun! #watercolor #traditionalart #painting

A watercolor painting of a landscape done in blue and brown. In the foreground is water and a shoreline. A tiny village nestles into the foot of some mountains, with one house standing apart.

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figment @phantomwise.bsky.social · 28/06/2025

Today I finished this class. I did my own versions of a couple pictures that I didn’t like so much. I feel like I learned a lot!

A pair of watercolor landscape paintings on the same page. The left painting has a darkening sky over a glowing mountain range. The right has an opposite color scheme, a bright sunset over mountains that are already in shadow.

A pair of watercolor landscape paintings of mountains on the same page. The left painting is monochromatic with shades of purple. The right painting has complex areas of dark valley with areas of light illuminated by yellow light in the sky.

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figment @phantomwise.bsky.social · 24/04/2025

I like to do tutorials and workshops when I’m struggling with my creativity and time for art. Classes two mountains followed tutorials by Shanan Subhan on skillshare. I always learn a lot from her classes!

A diptych of misty watercolor mountains. The one on the right is pink with a sunset glow while the left mountain is blue and misty.

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figment @phantomwise.bsky.social · 21/04/2025

In fact I made two paintings! Both trying for a misty, spring vibe since it’s finally stopped snowing where I live.

A traditional art watercolor painting of a yellow hedge under a stormy sky with distant mountains. The hedge is painted in an impressionistic style because I don’t know how to paint them realistically.

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figment @phantomwise.bsky.social · 21/04/2025

Between heartsickness and physical sickness, I haven’t been well enough to paint much this spring. But I finally was able to this weekend.

A watercolor landscape of a meadow with trees in pastel colors. It is misty, or trying to be. A flock of birds adds interest to the peachy sky.

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figment @phantomwise.bsky.social · 29/03/2025

On my art discord, we did a square challenge around the theme of inspiration. I tried on some more complex inspirations before embracing exploration & experimentation as my inspiration and just diving in with things I had—typically, forgetting to check if I had glue first!

A simple, unglued square collage of an angry yellow goose hissing over her eggs against a backdrop of a muted primary triad enriched with the starry texture caused by salt.

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figment @phantomwise.bsky.social · 18/02/2025

Yesterday I was inspired to color an ink sketch I made during january’s birbfest challenge. I love birds and especially owls! This is gouache, not watercolor, since this mixed media paper isn’t very sturdy.

A square painting of a barn owl sitting in the window of a barn.

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figment @phantomwise.bsky.social · 16/02/2025

I spent my afternoon relaxing with a skillshare tutorial (by Shanan Subhan, whose loose watercolor classes really click with me). I’ve been struggling to find relaxation in art lately amidst the chaos of life and tutorials can feel safe and comforting.

a sketchbook page featuring two winterscapes in watercolor. Both feature distant trees on a horizon. The top painting has a lake in the foreground which reflects the foliage. The bottom painting has a snowy field and bare tree.

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figment @phantomwise.bsky.social · 15/02/2025

Four small paintings using three colors. from my friend Sandra’s color triad challenge on my art discord. Pb29, pv19, and py150. These were hard for me—my creativity and time are suffering in these chaotic weeks. I initially planned 4 seasons but needed to be simpler so just did whatever.

A sketchbook page divided into four parts, with four watercolor paintings of landscapes. The top two are a farmhouse and barn with a foregrounded tree. The bottom two are simple mountain scenes, one in winter and one in summer.

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figment @phantomwise.bsky.social · 03/02/2025

a friend in my art discord is running a limited palette challenge. week one is exploration of the triad, and abstract lines is one my favorite ways to do that! I don’t really enjoy making pie slice color wheels so I’m leaning into alternate ways to swatch and test. #watercolor

An abstract watercolor of colored lines and shapes using three colors: nickel azo yellow, quinacridone rose, and ultramarblue

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figment @phantomwise.bsky.social · 26/01/2025

Yesterday I finally started painting in the cheap joe’s Kilimanjaro sketchbook I’ve had for a few weeks. I made some New Year’s art goals but my only REAL one is to use better paper—even for practice! #watercolor

A painting of Several watercolor trees. The trees are gold and brown with blue shadows, suggesting early autumn.

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figment @phantomwise.bsky.social · 25/01/2025

Here are some more of the birds I’ve done for the birbfest challenge on instagram.

Two post-it note sized paintings of birds done in watercolor, gouache, and ink: a stonechat and a rainbow lorikeet

Two post-it note shaped paintings of birds done in gouache and ink: a potoo and a penguin.

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figment @phantomwise.bsky.social · 02/01/2025

I made these for birbfest2025 on instagram—a month long set of bird prompts. Check it out at birb.challenge! Several folks on my discord are participating which is always fun! My art discord is always open to new members!

A painting of a lady ross’s turaco, a blackish blue bird with a red crest. It’s outlined in bright red pastel.

A watercolor painting of a lady ross’s turaco, a blackish blue bird with a red crest.

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figment @phantomwise.bsky.social · 01/01/2025

I had surgery a couple weeks ago—this time I planned ahead and bought a small watercolor sketchbook to make quick and simple little paintings. They take around 15-20 minutes so still get to make art without pushing myself too hard! It’s also a nice way to practice #watercolor fundamentals.

A small watercolor painting, about 4x2 inches, of a bright pastel sunrise above snowy mountains. The painting makes use of negative space, with the mountains and foreground left mostly white.

A small (about 2x4) monochrome watercolor painting. A practice of values and wet on wet techniques, the painting shows a misty blue green lake with tree covered islands in the distance.

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figment @phantomwise.bsky.social · 26/11/2024

Here’s my third & final entry for magrish@instagram’s sky challenge! This is the least like the b&w reference photo, which is fine! Going into the challenge, I gave myself permission not to worry about exact matches and instead focused on my color choices! #watercolor #traditionalart

A watercolor painting of a sunrise over a distant mountain range. The sky is dominated by pink tones while the mountains are purple.

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figment @phantomwise.bsky.social · 17/11/2024

Here’s my version of the second week of Maria Smirnova’s sky challenge on instagram (@ magrish on insta). This type of sky is not easy for me so even though I have constructive criticism for myself, I’m pretty pleased with this!

A watercolor skyscape: gray-bottomed clouds in a blue sky above a horizon of autumnal trees.

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figment @phantomwise.bsky.social · 12/11/2024

Here’s the finished piece from the work in progress I posted the other day. It’s for Maria Smirnova’s annual instagram sky challenge: she posts a black & white photo and it’s up to participants to choose the colors! It’s fun, and a lot more challenging than it seems.

A city skyline at sunset painted in watercolor. Dark blue clouds loom over a bright cadmium red and gold sun.

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figment @phantomwise.bsky.social · 11/11/2024

Mood: monochromatic frozen watercolor landscapes. The one on the left closely follows a skillshare tutorial by Zaneena Nabeel, and the right is my variation. #watercolor #traditionalart

A duo of watercolor landscape in payne’e gray. Bare trees stand stark on snowy shores of a dark lak3z

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figment @phantomwise.bsky.social · 10/11/2024

It was so nice to do some painting yesterday. This was noodling around on a sky challenge from instagram and it felt great. No matter how horrible things are, painty does usually make me feel better. #watercolor #traditionalart #worksinprogress

A sunset painted in watercolor in a sketchbook using blue and orange. The sketchbook is on a black desk with a china cup and saucer for mixing paint.

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