5 Tips For Creating Art That WOWS With Simplicity!

[@Blick_Art]

Some artists take decades to come to this realization! A lot of times, the best paintings appear to be more complex than they really are, because a good composition allows the viewer's eye and mind to infer connections. That feeling is really satisfying for the viewer, because its the natural way we see the world around us!

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

Love this! Connection is everything (on so many levels!) 💕

[@francoforleo4971]

This is possibly the most informative demo on watercolour I’ve seen… 👏🎨👏🎨👏🙏

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

Hooray! Glad you enjoyed!

[@DQ_ArtGroupie]

You know how Emeril Lagasse likes to say "BAM" when he adds a spice or an ingredient which wakes up the flavor in a dish he's preparing? At a few key points I could hear him saying "BAM" when you brought all those simple shapes together into each of your studies and your final painting. Busy rainy city street scenes like that still seem magical to me, but maybe I'll try one after seeing this.

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

Love that! Thank you!

[@nellkrams3698]

Squint….blur my eyes…do a thumbnail sketch…limit my number of colors and use a BIG brush!! I’m so guilty of using a small brush for those details!! I do that in Watercolor Mastery, too! Then I see a closeup of what you have painted using a larger brush and it’s not detailed. Maybe I should hide my smaller brushes!!🥹. I loved how you broke the painting down into shapes. The hourglass! Now why didn’t I see that?? How do you train your eyes to see these shapes?? Maybe we could have a few paintings on Watercolor Mastery that work on finding the shapes in a picture? Great tutorial!! I’ll be watching it several more times in between painting my daily watercolor challenges in your Watercolor Mastery class. Have I told you how much I love this class? BEST.CLASS.EVER and BEST.TEACHER.EVER!!

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

Nell you are just so kind! Thank you for the generous comment!

[@carmenbauer8822]

And she can sing too! Seriously, this is super helpful because I’m a detail hound too. I also would love a reminder on do’s and don’ts of composition. Will check to see if you have a video for that. Thanks, Emily!

[@barblallier9413]

I always need help with composition too. She's so helpful and I adore her energy!❤

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

Well I don’t know if that counts as singing…but thank you! And I’m so glad you enjoyed this!

[@wrenbayley]

I love this! So much useful information, and to the point without all the fluff. Thank you. Saving for future reference.

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

Thanks for watching and for the nice comment! ❤

[@fammue]

Haven't been here for a while, congrats on over 100k subs, have been around since the time you only had a few thousand subs, so proud of you!!! 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@BTiegs]

Dear Emily, Your multiple thumbnail sketches to simplify this WC painting are a BREAKTHROUGH for me in how to plan and simplify a painting. You are definitely teaching me what I need to learn. Thank you for making this approach to painting so clear and simple. Bill

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

You're so welcome! Thanks so much for stopping by!

[@Highlandsartistry]

I'm dying to see you use the Kuretake Gansai Tambi watercolors 🎉

[@ChantelleArts]

brilliant video and fantastic tips throughout ❤❤❤

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

Thanks so much!

[@Gigiridgway]

You’re great, always

[@MadBytes]

Thank you 🙏

[@sarahrez6453]

Super helpful video, thank you so much! I get overwhelmed easily, so these will definitely help.

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

I'm so glad!

[@christinefisher5716]

Super insightful and concise! Thanks!

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

Very welcome!

[@chiarasola826]

Gorgeous painting!!! 😍

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

Thank you! 😊

[@glorioskiola]

Hi, thanks for sharing these gems!

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

My pleasure!

[@sabbiemv]

Ah brilliant video. Thanks Emily! It’s not often I watch a KZbin vid then end up running for a notepad and pen, but I did this time (and wrote down all 5 tips in my best handwriting 😊) I’m very guilty of jumping into a painting and then panicking halfway through as it’s too overwhelming… so I just leave it unfinished (sometimes barely started) and console myself in a tutorial instead. But this video has actually given me a plan of action! Fabulous as always ❤

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

I’m so glad! Thanks for the nice comment!

[@barblallier9413]

Yes, I'm trying to get in habit of plan for the work, including time and materials,,it helps a lot to keep it simple!

[@lhidalgo8487]

Great advice!

[@sujanithtottempudi2991]

wow! what a simplification. suddenly when you explained....it looks simple. Hour glass shape and butterfly shape...What a way to take off. thank you

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@terrilikens4975]

This short video packs a solid punch. Well done. Thanks!

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

Appreciate it!

[@Annapaintswithwater]

Great video and cool painting! Thank you.

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

Thank you very much!

[@nahipadee8229]

I have been overworking my drawings and this is exactly the info I needed to hear. Thank you. You are a great teacher

[@travispwhenry]

At first I thought the search algorithm was just trying to show me a pretty girl.... But after the first couple minutes you really won me over. We all want simple tricks to make our artwork better AND YOU HAVE ACTUALLY GREAT ADVICE! Thank you for this. I'm at the beginning of my journey trying watercolours and you have been very helpful. Just subscribed and I'm looking forward to delving through your past content.

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

Your comment made me smile! Thanks for watching and subbing!

[@bleuvertetforetdepin7308]

I like that "general concept" series . thank you .

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

My pleasure!

[@arisu229]

I'll try this out. It's very simple.

[@JackieHernandezWatercolor]

This was awesome. I love seeing the behind the scenes of how you prepare for a painting. Thank you for sharing these tips.

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@nancytipton2640]

Such helpful info…thank you so much.😊

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

So glad!

[@jerrifreeman7034]

Great guide!

[@susanwilson1276]

Excellent!! Thank you Emily!!!😊

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

Thanks for watching!

[@janebridge1325]

Such great tips, Emily - thank you so much for sharing these! :))

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

My pleasure!

[@jo-annejacques5400]

Very good tips, Emily! They absolutely make sense. I absolutely love your vibrancy in personality and your paintings. 😊

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

Thank you so much!

[@doreenbuchinskiart]

Thank you Emily for braking down and explaining how you simplified your city street painting! Lovely of course!!! I have avoided trying a busy urban scene-overwhelming, and I am guilty of adding too much detail and using smaller brushes. You have made the process seem more approachable and less intimidating! Thank you 😊

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

Glad it was helpful!

[@R_H21]

Thank you! I never understood the purpose of squinting… but I think I’m finally connecting the dots, thanks to your blurry demo. =)

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

Wonderful!

[@cowgirljane3316]

Great tips! I have the bad habit of being overwhelmed by all the details. Especially trying to paint figures.

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

Glad it was helpful!

[@earlmcpeek4114]

Emily, I love your videos and this one is truly outstanding! In fact, it is one of the best I have ever seen. It is succinct, practical, and so professionally done with cogent, compelling illustrations to reinforce your points.

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

What a kind and articulate comment! Thank you!

[@mjpete27]

Hullo Emily, thanks for sharing these tips for creating better paintings! I am currently working in Alain Picard’s soft pastels landscape painting class and the lessons on thumbnails has been revelatory for me! I have had a value scale that has spent more time buried in my storage case than in use! I am finally using my tools as they are meant to be used! I am finding pastels quite different from watercolors but I am still excited to be learning more about a new to me medium! Sweet video, thank you for sharing your time and efforts with us!

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

Love pastel! And yay for using the value scale! 🙌

[@nancyjohnson7193]

Thank you! SO helpful.😊

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

Glad it was helpful!

[@silviasunesen7649]

Thank you. Great tips

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

You are so welcome!

[@mythribg3349]

Very informative thank you!

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

Glad it was helpful!

[@_Adrian_Llarena_]

5:23 Even the 3rd thumbnail sketch already looks good! You're really good at this. I like the color on the thumbnail more as the warm and cool colors are more noticeable. It's just my personal preference tho. Nevertheless, the bigger painting turned out really good.

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

Thank you so much 😀

[@duck2278]

Do you have any tips or a video on how to sketch an animal before painting with watercolor

[@alphonsine931]

🎨 👩🏼‍🎨 👑 This is a view of the Kärntner Straße in the 1st district of Vienna, Austria, the city in which I live

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

Oh wow! Very cool!

[@cccsssish]

Great video and a beautiful painting! A little questionr: why did you choose to classify the reflection as light when in actuality its value is closer to that of the buildings? Was it in order to accentuate the hourglass shape?

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

If you squint at the image the reflection is still much lighter than the buildings, so a way to simplify was to group the sky and reflection together. And yep, I also liked the shape!

[@cccsssish]

@@EmilyOlsonArt Thank you!

[@anul6460]

Is longer tutorial on your website?

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

Not YET! I did film this rainy scene-just need to edit it. :-)

[@christinebravomom5711]

I'm sure this tutorial will be up to your usual standards, but before I dive in, I just gotta say that your dress is very flattering. 🙂

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

Oh thank you!

[@Sharperthanu1]

This is fine for commercial art butnot for "fine art."

[@debcavan]

Wonderful advice, thank you.

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

You are so welcome!