A few updates to my travel gouache palette. Using up old tubes of color instead of buying new.

This will be my fifth year participating in Pleinairpril. What is PleinAirpril and how do you participate? My Goals for Pleinairpril 2026 Why Green? Inspiration in Theme My Curriculum for Pleinairpril 2026 My Guidelines My Painting Gear Pleinairpril 2026 Watch past years of my Pleinairpril studies What is PleinAirpril and how do you participate? Simply put: Paint or draw outside every day during April.

ANNOUNCEMENT I'm currently editing the final draft of Volume 02 of my Sketching Scotland book series, and I'm planning To launch the Kickstarter in late April 2026. Stay tuned! I'll definitely announce the launch when it happens. I usually offer a discount and special art goodies for the Kickstarter backers. After the Kickstarter is over, the books will be in stock on my website at their full retail value. I'll also be reprinting Volume 01 at the same time, and restock those.

A rundown of my favorite sketchbooks.

I've been getting into nature journaling, and loving my gouache palette even more.

Ever since moving into our new home, I've been obsessed with this tree in the corner of the garden. Well, to be honest I have been thinking about it since we first viewed the house! What draws me to these trees? Painting my Tree (series) Watch the Video Supplies used during the video Technically, there are two trees, touching at the base.

I might be one of the few people who need to specify liquid gouache vs. dried gouache palette setups when I talk to others - because I use both regularly! My dried gouache palette is not as common as I thought. When I share videos about my palettes on my YouTube channel I get so many questions about why, how, what - it made me realize that it's been a long time since I shared this type of setup.

Painting every single day is not easy, and even less so when it's outdoors! You are at the mercy of the weather and light, and if one of those is not playing ball, things can crumble quickly. But the lessons gained from building the discipline of daily painting in challenging conditions are well worth the struggles. Every April I take part in the #PleinAirpril challenge - painting outside every day during April - and I feel myself grow quickly in a short time.

Kicking off #PleinAirpril by painting on the coast!

A nerdy rant about my favorite gouache colors.

I've been meaning to make this post for so long. Last May I completed the 150 mile Aberdeenshire Coast Trail by bicycle. It took me past many incredible places, and I painted a lot of them. But one stands out in memory above all others: Dunnottar Castle. I shared my experience there as part of my Coastal Journey in this…