We begin, by lighting a candle.

Or that’s how I begin my art journaling sessions, most of the time! Taking care to place the lit candle on a far corner of my painty table, so I don’t inadvertently singe my arm while reaching for color pencils, knock the candle off while reaching for paints, or drop my paint rag or paper pieces onto the flame and create a fire hazard.

What can I say? I’m a messy artist! And I don’t want my little art rituals to turn into major catastrophes.

Once the candle is lit, we draw a card.

More often than not, I use one of my studio decks — these are personal, handmade decks that are always on display on my studio altar. In the video below, you will see one of my studio decks in action, as I share my little art ritual with you before beginning our painting session.

Watch the process:

In this art journaling session, I combine intuitive painting with stenciling, scribbly lines, and layering techniques to create a simple, whimsical abstract figurative painting.

If you're new to intuitive painting, this art journal tutorial should simplify the process for you.

I hope you enjoyed this little glimpse into my art ritual, and I hope that you will pull out your paints and stencils and have some fun with scribbly mark making and intuitive painting!

I’d love to see your paintings if you’d like to share them with me — just hit reply to this email, DM me on Substack, or post them on Substack notes.

P.S.: Do you have an art ritual? Share it with me in the comments or by replying to this email!