There's no need to visit a museum or fancy gallery to find beautiful art when there's a whole world of inspiring illustrations to be found inside children's picture books. This daily practice from artist, educator, and children's book illustrator Constance Moore pulls from these different facets of her life to bring you a unique art class for all ages. Each day, Constance shares a children's book, including a few she has illustrated herself, with a creative prompt inspired by the art in each book. Explore the elements of line, shape, and color while focusing on using accessible tools and materials found in most classrooms. Try playing with watercolor, tempera paint, oil pastels, or whatever materials inspire you. This class includes drawing, painting, collage, and even a three-dimensional piece. With years of experience teaching art to children, Constance embraces the joy of getting back to the basics, allowing you to discover and free your own creative spirit.

Garden historian Mac Griswold poetically states that “Gardening is the slowest of the performing arts,” but this art moves swiftly once the growing season is underway. In this class, led by lifelong gardener and artist Lorene Edwards Forkner, learn how to make the most of every season by developing a personal garden journal that provides space for exploring garden dreams, stashing pertinent plant tags and seed packets, and diagraming planting ideas. Included is a practical garden log sheet: a place to record seasonal weather and keep track of bloom time and harvests, along with garden wins, losses, and discoveries. A well-used garden journal is a valuable reference when plotting for the future but you need not limit yourself to the realities of your growing region or resources; simply choose any plant that appeals to you and have some fun!

How you make marks on the page is completely unique to you and is an essential part of what makes up your visual vocabulary. Your visual vocabulary includes the amount of pressure you put on your pencil, your color palette, and the shapes and elements you use over and over that altogether create your artistic style. Join artist, illustrator, author, and longtime Creativebug instructor Lisa Congdon for this month-long mark making daily practice. You’ll explore the basics of mark making, build your own repertoire of marks, and learn how to use those marks to create drawings and collages in different media like colored pencil, watercolor, and collage. Lisa will guide you through drawing everything from leaves to birds to landscapes, as well as one large final project where you can combine and play with everything you learned in class as you continue to refine your drawing toolkit. Find Day 31’s recorded live conversation with Lisa HERE.

Whether this is the month you finally learn to crochet, or it’s time for you to add new stitches to your arsenal, expert crocheter Twinkie Chan will show you how. Begin with learning basic crochet stitches and their written abbreviations, then work toward crocheting small, friendly swatches with more decorative stitches. Once you’ve spent the month immersed in Twinkie’s wonderful world of crochet, you’ll end up with a beautiful collection of square swatches that you can use as coasters or seam up to make a super cute and colorful stitch sampler to hang on the wall. Build the skills - and the confidence - to crochet almost anything with just yarn and a hook.

A pattern a day keeps boredom away! Join Austin, Texas based marbling artist Mercedez Rex and immerse yourself in the captivating world of marbling, mastering techniques that adorn paper with mesmerizing patterns. Throughout your month-long journey, delve into four distinct pattern categories: Stone, Gel-Git, Nonpareil, and Chevron. Embrace the interplay of colors, gradually advancing to more intricate designs. Grow your creativity through marbling and experience the enchanting art of swirling colors, unveiling breathtaking designs that will ignite your imagination.
Need an introduction to marbling? Check out Mercedez' first class, Creativity Through Marbling: An Introduction

To share your work on social media use the hashtag #MZRXdailyPractice.

Every single day since 2018, writer and gardener Lorene Edwards Forkner has been on continuous quest for natural color. Encouraging you to pick up a brush and pay attention, she shares her personal daily practice of painting a grid in watercolor inspired by collections of natural elements such as flowers, shells, and rocks, as outlined in her beautiful book, Color In and Out of the Garden. Each day this month you will chase color and create gorgeous watercolor studies as you begin to see color more clearly and deeply. Lorene's unique painting process offers a chance to see the ordinary with fresh eyes and look closely with great heart.

Cherry blossom season is fast and fleeting; the peak bloom period, when the blossoms are open, lasts only a few days. Capture that springtime wonder by making ever-blooming paper cherry blossoms with Mia Semingson. Mia is an artist, book binder, and owner of Two Hands Paperie in Boulder Colorado. In this class she teaches you how to use basic origami folds, simple cutting techniques, and a fun dip dye process to transform paper into beautiful flowers. How each one turns out is a mystery until you unfold them, and the surprise is part of the magic. You can use your cherry blossoms to adorn the tops of gifts and Mia also shows you how to attach them to a branch for a beautiful decor piece.

Whether you call it a puff quilt or a biscuit quilt, this particular patchwork method provides maximum coziness and charm. Artist and quilter Faith Hale has explored the myriad methods of piecing, stuffing, quilting and binding this vintage-inspired quilt, and she walks you through her favorite methods, along with a few variations. First learn how to sew the puffs and assemble them together into a top, then decide whether you want to use bar tacks, machine-sewn lines, or hand ties to quilt it all together. In this class Faith demonstrates how to make a 14" square that can easily be enlarged to make lap or even bed-sized quilts right out of a story book. 

Illustrator and art/literary agent Lilla Rogers has coached thousands of artists and writers through the process of creating children’s books. In this month-long class, use the Magic Writing card deck and follow writing prompts paired with an “oddity” or found object to inspire your writing. Whether you’re looking to learn new writing techniques for your journal, social media, or as the basis for a book idea, this class will introduce you to a plethora of techniques and genres to jumpstart your writing practice. Lilla also shares some agent tips throughout the month for how to pair your art and writing for opportunities to monetize your work, as well as examples of published books, decks and journals that effectively use writing and art together.  Grab a pen and a journal, cozy up in your favorite chair, and embark on a 30-day writing adventure.

Accordion books have been around for centuries but are often overlooked. This class explores how something as simple and unassuming as an accordion book can transform into three dramatic, sculptural artists books. The accordion form is deceptively simple, but is the foundation for all kinds of innovative, modern structures. Learn a simple accordion as the foundation, then explore how to evolve the form in three different ways: as a flag book, a tunnel book, and a carousel book. Break through the practical purpose of basic accordion form and create something unique and beautiful that elevates simplicity into art.

Being a professional illustrator is a collaborative process: you must consider the needs of your client, know how to communicate your thoughts and ideas, and be prepared for many changes, all while maintaining your own artistic style. Mariko Jesse has been an illustrator and printmaker for over 25 years. In this class, she takes you through a sample project with an imaginary client from sketch to final product so that you can see the process step by step. She shows you what a client brief can look like as well as the ideation process, receiving client feedback, and completing the art. Whether you work with analog mediums or digital, the communication and business aspects remain the same. There’s isn’t one correct way to be an illustrator, but once you understand the basics, you can work out for yourself how to develop your practice.

Whether you have an established sketchbook practice or are looking for a creative jumpstart, making art in a book is an exciting and intriguing source of artful exploration. Join artists Courtney Cerruti and Faith Hale as they revisit their favorite Creativebug collaboration: the Altered Book Daily Challenge, in this jam-packed “sequel”. And if you haven’t seen their first class, have no fear- Courtney and Faith cover the basics, while giving you 30+ brand new prompts.

To follow along on social media, please post your progress using the tag #LoveLetterQAL

Learn more about Heidi's inspirations behind the Love Letter Quilt pattern and her history of incorporating love into quilts in this live presentation, originally aired August 9, 2023.

See a beautiful compilation of quilts made in this class on our blog.

Part collage, part book art, part mixed media exploration, the Altered Books Daily Challenge uses simple skills like cutting, gluing, inking and painting to transform old texts into new and extraordinary works of art. Creativebug staff instructors Courtney Cerruti and Faith Hale are book lovers and paper fanatics. In this 28-part series, they share their favorite techniques for altering found books to create unique pieces of art. Once you learn how to choose a book for altering, where to source your ideal ephemera, and how to prepare pages, you’ll follow a daily prompt or technique to spark your imagination. After the month is over, you’ll never look at an old book the same way again.

When asked whether Milwaukee-based artist and quilter Heidi Parks travels with her sewing machine, she answers “yes” and holds up a sewing needle.  Using simply a needle, scraps of fabric, and colorful thread, this daily practice in hand-stitching has something for artists of all mediums. Learn techniques and artistic concepts that relate to a story-telling quilt and sew a quilt top through stitching, appliqué, patchwork, and other hand-piecing methods. This is a wonderful way to use sentimental fabric scraps, work organically to keep creativity flowing, and find beauty in imperfection. The daily prompts of this quilt design are a bit of a scavenger hunt encouraging you to show up curious. And since our hands are our most valuable tool, Heidi - who is also a yoga therapist - shares some hand yoga stretches to give you the self-care your practice deserves.

To follow along on social media, please post your progress using the tag #DailyPracticeQAL 
 

Join illustrator and printmaker Mariko Jesse in committing to make a small sketch every day. You only need a few moments, and you can do it anywhere - from your living room to your local park to a vacation in a far-off location. Mariko shows you how she works in three different kinds of sketchbooks - "everyday," "work," and "observational" - depending on where she is and how much time she has to draw. Throughout the month, Mariko switches between pen, colored pencil, ink, and watercolor, and you’ll learn to adapt to using what you happen to have on hand or in your pockets at the time of your sketches. Consider sketching while you're watching TV at home, eating a snack at a cafe, or even chatting in a Zoom meeting for work. There’s no need to worry about style or getting it precisely right. Instead, Mariko encourages you to enjoy the process of drawing, looking at the world in different ways, honing your skills, sketching in public, and the importance of practice. Your sketchbooks are just for you, and will quickly contain sparks of inspiration for future great ideas. 

A pajak (pronounced pie-yonk) is a traditional Polish chandelier dating back to the 18th century made of paper and rye straw. Women made them to decorate the home to bring good health and prosperity. Mia Semingson, artist, book binder, and owner of Two Hands Paperie in Boulder, Colorado, shows you how to construct two styles of pajaki (pie-yon-kee) - a traditional structure using traditional rye straws, and a more modern, geometric structure using paper straws. With the right measurements and a little math, you can make your pajak any size you wish. You'll also learn how to create a variety of festive and colorful paper decorations like fringe pom poms, paper cockades, and polish stars or hedgehog stars, as well as fun ways to combine them. There is plenty of room for creativity in this project, and Mia will give you all the skills and techniques to create your own unique paper chandeliers.

Learning through play is artist and educator Joy Ting's favorite way to discover new techniques. Join Joy in this fun-filled class as she demonstrates how to be loose and expressive while exploring the fun of oil pastels and colored pencils. In this daily practice, you’ll be inspired by the natural world around you in order to make drawings in a variety of sizes and colors. Beginning with a simple sketch and fall down a rabbit-hole of creative play, discovering a style that is all your own. 

Blank books are deceptively simple vessels of creativity. In this month, bookmaker Faith Hale demonstrates a new structure, variation, or technique every day. From traditional bidings like a three-hole pamphlet to innovative structures like the blizzard book, you’ll glue, fold, and stitch your way to a library of possibilities. Whether your style is precise or playful, in this class learn fundamentals of bookbinding and find a structure that ignites your imagination.

Learn to stitch a shirt, sew seams, finish necklines and hem edges with just your hands, a needle, and thread. Hand-sewing clothing might seem like a wild idea, but you might actually save time since you can take your project on-the-go without being tethered to your sewing machine. Clothing designer and author Cal Patch teaches you four basic stitches, four kinds of seaming techniques, and four ways to finish edges including applying bias tape. You'll sew one sampler shirt that includes every technique or pick and choose your favorites. This class is perfect for people who may feel intimidated by the sewing machine but are curious about stitching their own garments. Take your slow-fashion wardrobe to the next level.

This workshop starts with the very basics of embroidery – setting up a hoop and threading needles – and dives into a visual encyclopedia of the most common stitches. Rebecca Ringquist teaches straight stitches before moving onto decorative and knotted stitches, including the elusive French knot. Along the way, she offers tips for smooth embroidery and examples from her stitched artwork as inspiration.

The depth, texture, and whimsy of cut-paper illustration begins with one thing: beautiful papers.  Artist and children’s book illustrator Dawn M. Cardona demonstrates how to play with acryla gouache on a Gelli plate to make uniquely textured papers to use in your crafts. You can apply these papers to other classes taught by Dawn, or use them to add interest to any collage or drawing projects. While this process is instantly gratifying, you’ll be rewarded by experimenting on papers with different weights, textures, and colors in order to make them uniquely yours.

To see more of Dawn's classes that use the papers made in this class, visit her artist page here.

Break free from traditional quilting and enter the world of improvisational art quilts. Annabel Wrigley is a textile designer, author, and modern quilter, and she shares her tips and techniques for sewing one of her colorful and iconic doodle quilts. There is no pattern or template needed - you will be doodling your very own unique quilt design. Annabel teaches you how to draw and create a template, choose fabric colors, and appliqué with monofilament thread. You'll then straight-line quilt and finish your wall-hanging with a facing. Gather up all your fabric scraps in your favorite hues, because you are about to make something really special.

In this fun and energetic 10-day course, Lilla Rogers shows you how to find your authentic artistic style by making a multitude of tiny and huge discernments. From playful exercises to mark-making experiments, Lilla encourages you to approach art with an open mind and tune into what makes your heart beat faster. As an agent, author, and artist with decades in the illustration licensing business, Lilla knows how to sniff out style. At the end of this 10-day journey, you’ll have a better understanding of who you are as an artist and how you want to be seen by the world.
 

Artist and educator Courtney Cerruti has an enthusiasm for the postal system that is both abundant and contagious, and she demonstrates that you don’t need elaborate materials or even perfect handwriting to spread joy through the mail. In this class, be inspired to make unique postcards, address envelopes decoratively, and try out wax seals. She shares her favorite materials, postal requirement guides, and an addressing template that creates tidy envelopes every time. Most importantly, you’ll discover that postal bliss is just a stamp away.

Crochet is an endlessly versatile technique for making hats, scarves and sweaters, not to mention sculpture and rugs. And all you need is some yarn and a crochet hook. In this workshop Cal will explain and demonstrate the foundation crochet stitches and finishing off. You can create reference swatches of each stitch, or alternate them to create a stitch sampler.

Artist, educator, and A Field Guide to Color author Lisa Solomon shares her unfettered enthusiasm for color in this daily practice series. You’ll experiment with color theory, patterns, and layering as you move through a variety of watercolor prompts. You’ll also work with masking fluid, gesso, gouache and other materials as you alternate between painting and revealing color. Be prepared to fully engage in color exploration and cultivate mindfulness. After a month of observation, your perception of the tones and shades of your world will be attuned in a new way.