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I Didn’t Listen to the Words of Painting Wisdom

There were words of painting wisdom that I just wouldn't listen to as I played!

There were words of painting wisdom that I just wouldn’t listen to as I played.  The muse kept whispering in my ear, “Let the paint dry.”  But didn’t want to stop playing to wait for anything to dry!

There were words of painting wisdom that I just wouldn't listen to as I played! I started with a scrap of cardboard, a piece of trash.  Why trash today?  Because this Let’s Play video is all about no expectations.  If am using a piece of trash I have no expectation of greatness which leaves me free to play.

What is Let’s Play?  It’s all about rediscovering the ability to play. Each month I share a specific strategy that helped me recapture the freedom and fun of play.  This month’s theme is no expectations. You can see more of the Let’s Play series here. Be sure to get entered in the $50 Dick Blick giveaway by leaving a comment.

Watch Art play on a scrap of cardboard on YouTube.

Here’s the the fineliner video mentioned in today’s video.

I finger painted with Dylusions paints and immediately added sparkle with some Viva Decor Glitter Paste.  Turns out it doesn’t stick as easily to wet paint as it does to dry paint.  So I had some smearing.  OOPS. Did I wait for anything to dry?  Nope.

I added more color with Prima’s Oil Pastels and guess what.  They don’t write so well over very wet paint.  OOPS.  Did I want for anything to dry?  You guessed it. Nope.There were words of painting wisdom that I just wouldn't listen to as I played!

The words were stenciled on damp with very juicy paint.  Did I wait for anything to dry?  Never!  In fact after I stenciled all the words using the Finding My Tribe and Now is the Time stencils, I actually got more water- I wanted it wetter!

There were words of painting wisdom that I just wouldn't listen to as I played!

Not the paint wetter, but the Stabilo pencil I used to outline my messy words.  It wasn’t dark enough, so I just dipped that pencil right into a cup of water and magically, the outlining was very dark.

There were words of painting wisdom that I just wouldn't listen to as I played! Now you’ve seen my play, let’s see yours!  Share what you’re creating with us all in the Facebook group and be inspired by what others are creating! And be sure to leave a comment here to get entered in the monthly $50 gift certificate giveaway!

Here are the supplies I used. Some of these links are affiliate links which means I get a small percentage. It doesn’t cost you anything extra and you are helping me keep this blog and my videos ad free! Thank you- I don’t like ads any more than you do!



Specific ways to rediscover play by Carolyn Dube

Want to see more Let’s Play videos? You can find all the weekly posts here.

Sharing your play:   I, and a whole bunch of others, would love to see what you’re creating!  We’re sharing it in the Facebook group called A Colorful Place to Play. Why Facebook?  I’ve listened to your feedback about how and where you’d like to share your play instead of the link parties.

Monthly giveaways:  Leave comment on any (and all for more chances) of the weekly Let’s Play blog posts to be entered and one winner each month will be chosen by random.org.  Want more chances to win a $50 gift certificate to DickBlick.com?  Pin any of the images from the page or share about it on Facebook- then come back and leave a comment telling me what you did and you can have more chances to win! Giveaway closes the Sunday, October 30th at 11 pm EST and the winner will announced on the blog the following Monday.

Congrats to Misty, last month’s winner!

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Leave a Comment

  • Cheryl Dobbe October 18, 2016, 8:52 am

    I love it! I too have a very hard time waiting on paint to dry, and mostly I don’t regret not waiting!

  • Erika Goodman October 18, 2016, 10:21 am

    Love the Let’s Play series! We all need reminders to get out of our own heads and just create!

  • Barb Housner October 18, 2016, 10:39 am

    nothing better than getting your fingers messy and feeling so good to just being able to play

  • Paulette Barber October 18, 2016, 10:45 am

    There is plenty of trash around our house so I guess it’s time to gather all the supplies and play. And a good way to let my grandkids have fun too!

  • Amy Hodgson-Smith October 18, 2016, 11:00 am

    Hi, Carolyn, love the piece you made! I pinned and shared on FB! Thanks for the chance to win!

  • Kim October 18, 2016, 11:52 am

    I so love your Play theme! and your Bright colors! Thanks!

  • Sylvie Levesque October 18, 2016, 12:18 pm

    It’s very amusing to see you paint and play with your heart. Very inspiring!

  • Corie October 18, 2016, 12:35 pm

    What fun! I am slowly learning how to let loose of expectations and just play. It’s harder than it should be, isn’t it?

    • Carolyn Dube October 18, 2016, 1:19 pm

      Indeed it is Corie!

  • Janice Weiser October 18, 2016, 12:36 pm

    Oooh… liking the effects of using that Fineliner. I might have to go in search of one of those! Thanks for the inspiration!

  • Jay Welker October 18, 2016, 1:25 pm

    I have trouble waiting for things to dry all the time. Looks like you were having a lot of fun!

  • Karen October 18, 2016, 2:46 pm

    I love how you deal with the art gremlins- ignore them!

  • Maureen Bartling October 18, 2016, 2:47 pm

    I love the tribe stencil- very versatile

  • Dottie Lou Crisp October 18, 2016, 2:54 pm

    Carolyn, you never fail to inspire me!!!

  • K Ward October 18, 2016, 4:08 pm

    Fun play! Time to go thru the recycling bin and find something to paint on!

  • Jean Marmo October 18, 2016, 4:33 pm

    I almost never wait long enough! In fact I was just working on a project that is still wet!

  • Sharon Field October 18, 2016, 10:12 pm

    I smile EVERY time I watch you work…uhhhhhhh I mean PLAY! I am still practicing letting go of my control issues!!!!

  • Sharon Field October 18, 2016, 10:12 pm

    I smile EVERY time I watch you work…uhhhhhhh I mean PLAY! I am still practicing letting go of my control issues!!!!

  • Annette October 19, 2016, 12:19 am

    Your videos always make me feel more free with my art. Thank you, again, Carolyn!

  • Michele White October 19, 2016, 12:58 am

    You are SUCH a bridge!! I love the way you knock on the doors of my childhood imagination – the old forgotten doors that playing “adult” locked away so long ago. Bless you BLESS YOU – you constantly remind me that PLAY has NO rules!!

  • Jocelyn October 19, 2016, 8:20 am

    I am so glad I happened across your page on Pinterest! This is exactly what I need to let go and just play again! Thank you for the inspiration!

  • Corrine October 19, 2016, 9:20 am

    Fun and oh so funky, love it’s organic edges. Xox

  • Lia Klobucher October 19, 2016, 12:03 pm

    I love all of your videos. The Let’s Play series is especially helpful to me, since I’m still so new and trying to get out of my “box” because I’m such a perfectionist. Great series. Keep doing what you are doing.

  • stephanie October 19, 2016, 3:52 pm

    too fun! love that you dipped the pencil into water too.

  • Robin Scianna-Norris October 19, 2016, 4:56 pm

    I need to just PLAY more … thanks for the push !!!

  • Charity V October 20, 2016, 2:03 am

    This is so great. I’ve been trying so hard to get back to where I was as a creative soul (before bad relationship) and having too high expectations of myself is where I struggle most. All of your posts are so wonderful, but this one in particular really pulled at e.

    Thank you!

  • Mary Thoma October 20, 2016, 6:22 am

    I love corrugated cardboard for so many reasons and this is just one. Working wet on wet is funtastic!

  • Mary Meynig October 20, 2016, 8:22 am

    This really looks like fun. I hope to have some time to play soon. Thanks for the inspiration.

  • gloria October 20, 2016, 8:39 am

    Another fun Lets Play — you really are an inspiration

  • Annie October 20, 2016, 9:02 am

    Never thought about using oil pastels on wet paint. Thanks for the idea!

  • Carla October 20, 2016, 6:10 pm

    Wow this is my first visit and what an amazingly freeing session.

  • Debra Griest October 20, 2016, 10:34 pm

    I love finger painting with dylusions

  • Sandra October 21, 2016, 3:36 am

    I love your free and easy style to art. I am going to give this a go. I desperately want to have a go at art journaling. I have dabbled a bit but my inner critic keeps telling me how inadequate my work is. This is really inspiring me to kick their butts xx

  • Jeanine October 21, 2016, 5:50 am

    I love the idea of painting on trash. I love painting. Today I found a box of oil pastel crayons that a friend gave me. I spend some time painting with those. Learned they were water soluble and grabbed my brush and had even more fun.
    Did all this before I read this post and I had to laugh. I waited for nothing to dry either.

  • Jennifer October 24, 2016, 11:19 am

    I just love to play with you! It gets me out of my head and ready to create!

  • Ruth Aubertine October 30, 2016, 9:53 pm

    LOVE what you did with your garbage!! Lol!! You inspire me so much!! Can’t wait to play along!!!

  • CL Porter October 31, 2016, 1:23 am

    Thanks for the moment of play on the piece of card board. So sorry I was not able to be at Art Is You in Stamford for your classes. We will meet again. In the meantime I enjoy your videos.