Easy Organic Stone Shape Painting | Abstract Watercolor Tutorial

In this video tutorial, I guide you through the process of creating a beautiful abstract watercolor sampler featuring organic stone shapes. Inspired by techniques from the book Creative Abstract Watercolor book by Kate Rebecca Leach (@essoldodesign on Instagram), this project focuses on using watercolor to form natural, flowing shapes, which are then enhanced with creative mark-making once dry. I demonstrate step-by-step how to build up your composition, play with color, and add depth with marks, resulting in a vibrant, eye-catching sampler. Perfect for anyone looking to experiment with abstract shapes and textures in their watercolor art.
*Supplies I'm using in this video:
(Some of the links are affiliate links. If you use my link, I get a small commission, which will go toward my art supplies and to support this channel! I appreciate your support!!)
Handmade Art Journal - **New class - Fabric Snippet Rolls and Clusters: Enhancing Your Art Journal
Available on my site: 2lilowls.com/p...
And Skillshare: skl.sh/3Vq9JRS
The Color Cube - sarahrenaeclar...
Ocean Paper watercolor sets: theoceanpaper....
Posca - Ultra Fine to Fine Paint Marker Pens - black: amzn.to/3ZhP4Dd
Posca - Ultra Fine to Fine Paint Marker Pens: white - amzn.to/3zmTtKm
Posca Paint Marker Medium Point (PC-5M) 29 Colors - amzn.to/3Zn1bij
Kuretake GOLD MICA Ink - amzn.to/3XyeaMW
Arrtx 60 Colors Paint Markers - amzn.to/3MA3M0T
FINELINE APPLICATORS 2/PKG - amzn.to/44Ims5j
Pigma Micron Fineliner Pens - amzn.to/4eoMEH4
Caran d'Ache Classic Neocolor II Water-Soluble Pastels - amzn.to/468tdPw
Kuretake GOLD MICA Ink - amzn.to/3oG04dt
Creative Abstract Watercolor book - amzn.to/3zdBpSY
*My very favorite supplies that I might mention in every video:
*You can check out Skillshare here: www.skillshare...
*Check out my Amazon Store for more goodies: www.amazon.com...
*Check out my favorite Sketchbox products here: shopsketch.com...
*Get Sketchbox Subscription: www.getsketchb...
StencilGirl Stencil Club - www.stencilgir...
Joggles Stencils: shrsl.com/4e32b
*Facebook Group for Art Peeps: / deniselovecreativecomm...
Color Cube:
The Color Cube - sarahrenaeclar...
Favorite Paper:
Hahnemuhle Collection 100% Cotton Watercolor Pad - amzn.to/43mlJGA
Arches Watercolor Pad 9x12-inch - amzn.to/3PF9Jfi
12x16 Khadi Paper - amzn.to/3uOHJOG
8x8 Khadi Paper - amzn.to/3SVVKlL
Artway Indigo Journal - amzn.to/3SZngPf
Favorite Pens/pencils:
Faber-Castell Graphite Pencil Pitt Graphite Matt 14B - amzn.to/443RhB0
Faber-Castell Graphite Aquarelle Water-Soluble Single Pencil, 6B - amzn.to/3tmLA4h
STABILO All-STABILO -Black - amzn.to/3URofU8
Posca - Ultra Fine to Fine Paint Marker Pens Set - amzn.to/3wLmIVR
Archer & Olive - www.archerando...
Inks:
Kuretake GOLD MICA Ink - amzn.to/3oG04dt
Kuretake Gold mica Paste - amzn.to/3V2EpYZ
Kuretake Zig Gold Marker - shopsketch.com...
Favorite Paints:
Masha's Watercolors - selections vary - www.etsy.com/s...
Kuretake Watercolor Gansai Tambi 48 Color set - amzn.to/3qaThZW
Kuretake Watercolors Art Nouveau set - amzn.to/3ZWACgp
ARTEZA Acrylic Paint, Set of 60 Colors - amzn.to/3MxPKwp
Liquitex BASICS Acrylic Paint Set, 48 - amzn.to/3s48vAX
Liquitex Heavy Body White - amzn.to/3wCyiCz
Favorite Brushes:
Raphael SoftAqua Brushes - amzn.to/3L5Bpq7
Princeton Artist Brush Neptune, Size 4 - amzn.to/3pkXPgg
Princeton Artist Brush Neptune, Size 8 - amzn.to/3SznDRX
Princeton Umbria Filbert 8 - shrsl.com/4fxsb
Misc:
Artist tape - amzn.to/3Hf6fLP
Art Sponges - amzn.to/3L9xf0k
Jack Richeson Grey Matters Paper Palette (50 Sheets), 9" x 12 - amzn.to/423Q7o2
Hardboard art panels - you see me tape things down to these and they come in several different sizes: amzn.to/3C8EK3z
Painters Color Diary - 9x12 watercolor - amzn.to/3NHFCSm
Ranger Heat It Craft Tool - amzn.to/3FVjNLn
Clear Sleeves Storage Bags - amzn.to/3R5GbIj
Zoie + Chloe Multipurpose Silicone Bowl Scraper - amzn.to/4b5iTKS
White Gesso - amzn.to/48rbhiW
Clear Gesso - amzn.to/4bH9GIO

[@sheilaschmid7768]

Well, that’s it! Even though I just ordered the Dina Wakely journal, and I’ve made two journals with the Khadi paper, I have to make one of your journals with those gorgeous handmade papers and high quality favorites like Arches and Hahnemuele. That pale pink paper with the threads that weave through it is just captivating to me, and adds such a gorgeous element to the beautiful, mindful paintings you’re doing. Your creativity is mind boggling….thank you for sharing your God-given talents with us!!! More fun to be had - YES!🥰

[@2lilowlsstudio]

I’m loving the ones I made with the good paper!! You should totally make some of these. I’m going to make some more!! I ordered some sheets of Jacksons two rivers paper to make a larger size from, I think it will be a great paper to paint on top!! 🤗🎨🥰

[@Craftylisa69]

I can’t put into words how much I have learnt from you after recently discovering you. I love how excited you get it inspires me enormously and it’s a total unrehearsed response and I’m just the same . Thankyou thankyou xxx

[@2lilowlsstudio]

I’m so glad! That really made my day!! Thank you! 🤗🤗🤗

[@sallytreloar6425]

Thank you so much for pushing through. So good to see an artist struggle a bit rather than be youtube perfect all the time. Love the end result. I've done a few of this type of painting before but not thought of doing the markmaking with the watercolour paint while it's still wet. Definitely going to try that one! Thanks

[@2lilowlsstudio]

I'm so glad you enjoy the process! Making perfect art every time is boring... and makes other people think they are doing things wrong if they can't do it as perfectly as you.. I think everyone struggles... most people just don't let you see it! Thank you! 🥰

[@TammieWardArt]

All I can say is WOW. Pebbles for today's win!! Marking marks for the win. Pulling tape off for the win. I love the homemade paper between these 2 pieces. It's a win too!! ❤❤❤

[@2lilowlsstudio]

Thank you!! Your enthusiasm made me smile! 😄 Pebbles, marks, tape pulling-so glad they all won the day for you! And yes, that homemade paper really does bring it all together, doesn’t it? It’s always such a treat to work with. Thanks for being here and for your wonderful energy! ❤🙏

[@RootedMystic]

"Having a reason to come up with solutions instead of giving in or getting stuck? Let me tell you, that's a game changer!". Absolute gold, this. And even if I didn't get anything else from this video (I totally did - your work is gorgeous and I take such delight in watching you paint!!), this would've been worth it. 💯 Thank you - so much - for what you're doing and how you're sharing. I don't think I've ever commented but I've seen a number of your videos and always appreciate them (and you)!!! 😀

[@2lilowlsstudio]

So glad that resonated with you! I find that if I don’t have a reason or goal, I lose interest if something isn’t working out. Making KZbin videos has really helped me push on! Thank you! 🥰🤗🎨

[@MsMoniqueWilson]

That's so pretty!

[@2lilowlsstudio]

Thank you! 🥰

[@g.970]

I just got that book and excited to work my way through the exercises

[@2lilowlsstudio]

I’ve got a whole series coming up as I worked through the book! You’ll love it. These have been fun! 🤗

[@LynnLBE]

I’m just loving the beautiful pebbles❣️❣️. A good way to paint.

[@2lilowlsstudio]

They are! Thank you! 🥰

[@sheilacook1395]

Beauty❤

[@2lilowlsstudio]

Thank you! 🥰

[@xhoxolatequilts]

Not the crayon...MAKING THE ART PIECE SHINE....❤

[@2lilowlsstudio]

Thank you! 🥰

[@machelleshappyhobbies4977]

I love this type of piece and ofcourse the pink. Have a great weekend.😊

[@2lilowlsstudio]

I do too! Thank you! 🥰🤗🎨

[@bonnerdebbie]

Beautiful painting, I love the end result. The black and gold added some wonderful contrast!! Thank you.

[@2lilowlsstudio]

Thank you! 🥰🤗🎨

[@donnachristy-d1w]

Your pieces are always stunning and I love your thought process about problem solving a work in progress- that helps me personally a lot! Thank you thank you thank you!!🎉❤

[@2lilowlsstudio]

So glad! Thank you! 🥰🤗🎨

[@gwenloveless]

I hold my breath every time you shake the posca pen over your work, or specialty papers! Hoping it doesn’t spatter over it! That’s the way a lot of us gets spatters we want!

[@2lilowlsstudio]

Haha!! I know better... but some of the best practices go out of my mind when I'm working, talking, and filming all at the same time. 😁

[@semmaville]

beautiful

[@2lilowlsstudio]

Thank you! 🥰

[@jlm517rocks]

whiteout pens work better but they too have a learning curve... love yr rendition... a little jocelyn benford elements... ty.

[@2lilowlsstudio]

Thank you! 🥰

[@patigc1]

I didn't think you were going to pull this out, but I should know better than to doubt you. Good job.

[@2lilowlsstudio]

I doubt myself every time too 😂 Thank you! 🥰

[@ElizabethNash-b2l]

I use a jelly roll number 10 pen its fine tipped but the best white to go over paint. Like you I find the acrylic pens sometimes don't show. But as you show if you keep going it comes together

[@2lilowlsstudio]

I got some new pens I think I'll love in the haul last week.... this was filmed before I got them! Thank you! 🥰

[@ann-marielofberg1159]

My go with those pebbles turned out way different, but it's fun playing with this experiments side by side with landscapes and other motifs like it, that isn't playful in the same way as this is. But I like mixing those styles.

[@2lilowlsstudio]

I like playing with the shapes! I’ll probably do a few more of these experimenting with them! ☺️

[@JoneJohnson-h1i]

I love watching all your videos. Most of the time you list a lot of your products. I was wondering what your favorite tape is for taping down your paper or creating squares on your paper to not have seepage or tearing of the paper. Thanks Jone

[@2lilowlsstudio]

I mostly use that blue painters tape you get from the paint store. ☺️ Thank you! 🥰

[@maryannebaker4314]

Good morning. Just left Vienna on our cruise. Saw the Gustav Klimt wares being sold. Almost bought a scarf..The Kiss. Thought of you.

[@2lilowlsstudio]

Ooooh!! Lucky girl!! You should have got a scarf!! 🤗

[@avirtualcanvas7584]

I think you completely took the inspiration in your own unique direction,great colour choices,These organic paintings work so well.(Matt) P s was willing you you to use the copic white or the bleed proof white,and you did!

[@2lilowlsstudio]

Thank you! 🥰

[@GenuineParticles]

I love the inspiration piece AND yours! Absolutely gorgeous across from the handmade paper! And you have inspired me to experiment with my white inks on various paper textures to see how they might differ! Thank you for sharing your art and process 🙏👏

[@2lilowlsstudio]

Thank you so much for your lovely comment! I'm so glad the piece resonated with you, and I’m thrilled to hear that you're feeling inspired to experiment with your white inks on different textures-that sounds like an exciting exploration! I’d love to know how it turns out. Handmade paper always adds such a special touch, doesn’t it? Thank you for being a part of this creative journey with me! 🙏💖

[@GenuineParticles]

@@2lilowlsstudio Denise, thank you for your kind invitation to share, and the encouragement to play in my supplies! In this video, you used hot press paper, which is a little different, and also were surprised by how the white ink was handling; it got me wondering… is there a correlation? In my 50s, and only recently started my art therapy journey… even though I’m grown and can go ahead and “waste” supplies as I wish, sometimes it’s difficult to motivate, and I fall back into my hoarding tendencies when those inner critics from my youth get loud. Little experiments like these help me cope with that feeling of “wasting” art supplies. I wonder if anyone else can empathize with this, and finds our host’s sense of experimentation and lack of preciousness about supplies very therapeutic? Last night, I claimed some time to play with white inks and various paper textures, and learned a LOT about my own little collection! I’ll add a second comment explaining what I did and found out 🙂

[@GenuineParticles]

I used a black Sharpie to color black squares on different watercolor papers (Baohong 100% cotton hot press, cold press, and rough papers; Arteza cellulose cold press; and Arches cold press) and labelled each square with the pen or ink type. My collection is small. Three pens: Posca white, Pitt artist white, and Uniball Signo. Two bottles: Dr. Ph. Martin’s Bombay white and Liquitex titanium white (which I applied straight from the droppers). I added added dots and zigzags all of the black squares. I found all the inks and papers to have their specific charms, and we all have different styles and uses, so it’s actually difficult to give objective results, but I will try: There wasn’t much difference between cold press surface and rough. Uniball looked best on cold press when I could get the nib to flow (it felt better to use on hot press). Posca was brighter on hot press, but dried kind of bumpy, which might be desired depending on the use. I preferred it on the cold press though. Pitt feels good but dries very light. For the droppers, Liquitex won over Ph. Martin’s on all surfaces. For me, in my (very tiny) collection, the winner was Posca on all surfaces, with a wishlist item of “empty marker” to add the Liquitex acrylic ink to in the future. Uniball ink is so so lovely, but the ball point gets stuck on bumpy surfaces. To be continued! Thank you for indulging me with my observations here! This gives me a ton of empathy for artists who show their experiments so generously. It’s difficult business, and you make it look easy! Thank you again, and cheers to all on this early autumn Sunday!

[@2lilowlsstudio]

@@GenuineParticles Thank you for sharing all of those observations! You are right, it is a lot of work to make and share that info - here is one I did about 6 months ago on all the whites I had (kzbin.info/www/bejne/mHish61pmbqZipIsi=gBlJEDSqiW5nv8bt) and of course when I finished I found some white things I forgot... and I was looking for ones that worked over watercolor, and I, of course, could have tried different papers and different paint brand... so much you could do in a test of your supplies like that! That is probably why you see me paint in more videos than supply comparison 😂

[@2lilowlsstudio]

@@GenuineParticles It took me many years to lose my fear of using my art supplies... I'm 50.. and just in the past year have I really gone all in with purpose to use them and not worry about them. Me doing this channel is as much for me and showing up for my own art practice as it is to share with everyone else. I heard once - the only art supplies you waste are the ones you don't use. Some of them dry up or go bad - so that really is a waste of those if you never use them! 🤗

[@patriciabeaumont4442]

Love this Denise…such an inspirational work of art…gorgeous colors….When putting your mica gold into the fine liner do you dilute it a little?….❤❤❤

[@2lilowlsstudio]

No, I did not dilute it. Thank you! 🥰

[@patriciabeaumont4442]

Thanks Denise … excited to use my new fine liners…😊

[@glynismccartneyintricatesc5281]

🇨🇦❤️🍂🍁

[@2lilowlsstudio]

Thank you! 🥰

[@Lainers2000]

This piece is perfect with the handmade paper next to it. Always love the reveal and the close ups at the end…I can really see the colors and texture. It almost looks like the author used a ruler to make some of the white lines? You used the book as an inspiration but made it your own. Thank you for starting my Friday off on a high note.

[@2lilowlsstudio]

She probably did… but it didn’t really matter since I couldn’t find a white I was happy with that day. I think the white pens I got and showed in the last art haul will work better, definitely going to have to paint something I can really test those out on! 🤗

[@mariacohen5179]

Question please- marker storage, hearing lots that they dry out if in cups, yet I see to buy storage with an “ angle” then I thought how much improved is that? Are your markers flat on their sides? Thanks big time - so so love your videos 🥰

[@2lilowlsstudio]

Mine are stored flat. Here is the one I have on my desk: amzn.to/3U9Sip4

[@sashahedges1508]

Denise what is that book that you have underneath your sketchbook, supporting the left hand pag please? It looks lovely and bright but I can’t see the title! lol x

[@2lilowlsstudio]

It is - The World between 2 Covers - Here is a link to check it out: amzn.to/4f0Jl9C

[@lorielong8284]

​@@2lilowlsstudioI need to get this book for our library! 😊

[@copperblue7]

Denise, or anyone who knows, is the Kuretake gold mica ink that you are using in the fineliner?

[@2lilowlsstudio]

Yes. It is my favorite kuretake gold mica ink. I just used a little funnel and poured it in the bottle. I did not dilute mine. ☺️

[@copperblue7]

@@2lilowlsstudio thank you so much!

[@BlueLotusLife]

Sometimes white on hot press just doesn’t work…

[@2lilowlsstudio]

That is my least favorite paper in this book! Wish I had left it out!! 😂 Thank you! 🥰