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The Art of Self-Care

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  • SHOP
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
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  • CLASSES
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Recent Posts

  • 3 Ways to Make Your Mixed Media Pages POP!3 Techniques to Make Your Mixed Media Pages POP!
    In Art Journal, Techniques
  • How to Make Collage Papers for FreeMake Gorgeous Collage Papers for Free
    In Techniques
  • How to Choose an Art Journal You’ll Love
    In Art Journal
  • Art Journal Page Using Gel Textures and Gel Prints
    Art Journal,  Techniques

    Creating Art Journal Textures with Gelli Prints

    April 22, 2022 /

    I love creating textures in my art journal and Gelli prints are a great starting point for adding depth in any project. I’ve been experimenting with ways to add textures on my Gelli prints so that they pop on my journal pages. Today’s art journal page covers several easy techniques for altering gel prints with a variety of mediums and tools. Hop-A-Long Studio is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more. Creating Shapes Lately I have been enamored with simple shapes in my art journal projects like circles and rectangles. I recently discovered the Helix Circle…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

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    Mystified by Acrylic Pastes? How to Color Pastes in 1 Easy Step!

    March 3, 2023
    Gelli Print Feather Focal Image Technique

    Creating Beautiful Textures by Gelli Printing with Stencils

    April 15, 2022
    Finding A New Normal

    Finding a New Normal

    May 29, 2020
  • Gelli Print Feather Focal Image Technique
    Techniques

    Creating Beautiful Textures by Gelli Printing with Stencils

    April 15, 2022 /

    Gelli printing with stencils is an easy way to create beautiful and unique textures for your art journal and creative projects. If you are new to the gel plate, gelli printing with stencils is an easy way to get comfortable with the medium. I discovered gel printing many years ago, but my first experience with printing was so frustrating! I would see videos that made the technique look so easy, but I never got consistent results. Thankfully, I was able to take an in-person art class with an excellent instructor. Since then, I’ve been hooked on the medium! In this tutorial I will share what I have learned about using…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

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    Guitar Card Using Watercolor Pencils and Wild Whisper Designs Feel the Beat Stamp Set

    How to use Watercolor Pencils

    January 15, 2021
    How to Use Pan Pastels

    How to use Pan Pastels

    January 1, 2021
    Building Meaningful Connection During COVID-19

    Building Meaningful Connection During COVID-19

    April 3, 2020
  • Art Journal Page Using Distress Embossing Glazes, Stampers Anonymous Mod Cactus Stamps and Wild Whisper Designs Brush Script Stamp Set
    Art Journal,  Techniques

    Distress Embossing Glaze Techniques for the Art Journal

    April 8, 2022 /

    I love when new colors of Distress Embossing Glaze are released, these beautiful bright colors are perfect for spring! Today I wanted to share with you some of my favorite embossing glaze techniques and how to use these glazes to create beautiful resists. Hop-A-Long Studio is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more. Distress Embossing Glazes If you haven’t heard of Distress embossing glazes, this is a unique embossing product. These translucent embossing powders are so versatile because they can be layered and color mixed unlike traditional embossing powders. The Distress embossing glazes are also…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

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    Deco Foil Christmas Cards Merry and Bright

    Deco Foil Christmas Card “Merry and Bright”

    December 3, 2021
    Detail of Leaf Rubbings Art Journal Page using Caran d'Ache Neocolor 1 Wax Pastels and Tombow Fudenosuke Pen

    Using Leaf Rubbings and Ink for Drawing Practice

    October 15, 2021
    Canvas Preparation for the Art Curious

    Canvas Preparation for the Art Curious

    March 4, 2022
  • Nadine Milton Value Drawing of Moraine Lake
    Artist's Journey,  Techniques

    My Journey in Learning How to Draw

    April 1, 2022 /

    Learning how to draw can feel challenging and intimidating. Many of us learn to draw as children but don’t practice drawing as we get older. As an adult, how do we regain our drawing skills and improve on them? Today I will be sharing a few simple ideas to start you drawing again and my personal journey in this process through a drawing course.  I Can’t Draw Have you ever told anyone that you can’t draw? I have said these words too many times over the last few years. Learning how to draw has always been an area where I struggled. Often I compared my work to others and felt…

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    Nadine Milton

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    Art Journal Project: The Courage to Be Seen

    Having the Courage to be Seen

    September 12, 2020
    Detail of Leaf Rubbings Art Journal Page using Caran d'Ache Neocolor 1 Wax Pastels and Tombow Fudenosuke Pen

    Using Leaf Rubbings and Ink for Drawing Practice

    October 15, 2021
    Everything is Figure-outable Art Journaling Page with Fluid Acrylics

    Using Fluid Acrylics in the Art Journal

    July 22, 2022
  • Neurographic Art Blended with Pan Pastels
    Art Journal,  Techniques

    Neurographic Art with Pan Pastels

    March 25, 2022 /

    If you haven’t tried neurographic art, this is a great self-care exercise for your creative practice. I was recently introduced to neurographic art by a subscriber on my YouTube channel and wanted to show you how to do this easy technique using blendable Pan Pastels. Hop-A-Long Studio is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more. If you are new to art journaling or a creative practice, knowing where to start can be half the challenge. The beauty of neurographic art is that you don’t have to have art experience to enjoy this technique. It is…

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    Nadine Milton

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    (SM)ART Goals for Artists

    (SM)ART Goals: Starting and Developing Your Creative Goals

    December 31, 2021
    Reviewing and testing the Best Zebra Pens

    Why You Need Zebra Pens in Your Art Collection

    May 17, 2024
    Mixed Media Art Journal Page Summer Days

    Mixed Media Art Journal Page – Hot Summer Days

    August 13, 2021
  • Choosing the Best Watercolor Marker
    Techniques

    Choosing the Best Watercolor Marker

    March 18, 2022 /

    Choosing the best watercolor marker for your creative practice may seem daunting. There are many brands, styles, and colors of pens and markers available. How do we figure out which brand would be the best for us? Today I will share with you my experiences using watercolor markers and what to look for when purchasing a watercolor marker. Hop-A-Long Studio is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more. Choosing the Best Watercolor Marker There are several things to consider when choosing the best watercolor marker to use for your creative practice. What are You Using Your…

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    Nadine Milton

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    5 Art Journal Background Ideas Using Ink

    5 Art Journal Background Ideas Using Ink

    June 25, 2021
    My first mixed media page in the Dina Wakley Ledger Journal

    My First Impressions of the Dina Wakley Ledger Journal

    March 14, 2025
    How to Use Pan Pastels

    How to use Pan Pastels

    January 1, 2021
  • Art Journal Textured Background Techniques with Acrylic Mediums
    Art Journal,  Techniques

    Textured Background Techniques for the Art Journal

    March 11, 2022 /

    I love adding interest to my projects with art journal textured background techniques. These beautiful techniques work for both my art journal projects and canvas projects. Adding texture as part of the initial layer before adding color lends to unique and beautiful results. Textures enhance the final look of your project and can help with design cohesion. Preparing the Surface Before adding background textures make sure to add a layer of gesso, especially on stretched canvas surfaces. This will strengthen the surface, add tooth, and allow you to add texture easily to the surface. Art Journal Textured Background Techniques There are many art journal texture techniques out there, but here…

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    Nadine Milton

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    Art Journal Backgrounds with Spray Paints and Inks

    Easy Art Journal Backgrounds with Spray Paints and Inks

    April 21, 2023
    Watercolor Landscape Paint Along with Gouache

    Watercolor Landscape Paint Along

    June 11, 2021
    Dealing with Loss During the Holiday Season

    Dealing with Loss During the Holiday Season

    December 5, 2019
  • Canvas Preparation for the Art Curious
    Techniques

    Canvas Preparation for the Art Curious

    March 4, 2022 /

    If you’ve been art journaling for a while, you may be interested in trying a project on canvas. For many of us it can be intimidating to know where to start with canvas preparation. When I first started painting and using canvases for mixed media, choosing a canvas, and learning how to prepare them for painting was confusing. This tutorial will show you how easy it is to prepare a canvas for painting including tips and techniques to give you great results. Materials for Canvas Preparation A Stretched Canvas or Canvas Board Choose a stretched canvas or canvas board that you would like to use in a project. Most stretched…

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    Nadine Milton

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    How to get the most textured collage in your art journal

    Create the Ultimate Textured Collage with this Technique

    August 23, 2025
    Fold Up Book Instax Mini Album Using Wild Whisper Designs paper and Local King Rubber Stamps

    One Page Fold Up Book: Instax Mini Album

    July 2, 2021
    Art Journal Textured Background Techniques with Acrylic Mediums

    Textured Background Techniques for the Art Journal

    March 11, 2022
  • 5 Creative Techniques with Watercolor Markers
    Techniques

    5 Creative Techniques with Watercolor Markers

    February 25, 2022 /

    Watercolor markers are a fun and easy way to add beautiful blends of color to your creative projects. Watercolor markers and pens are easy to use and work well on a variety of surfaces. Today I am sharing 5 easy techniques for using watercolor markers in your creative projects.   Hop-A-Long Studio is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more. Watercolor Markers Watercolor markers come in many brands and styles. These range from fine tip pens to dual brush markers in a variety of thicknesses and nib styles. If you are new to watercolor and watercolor…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

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    Glass Painting Techniques with Pebeo Vitrea 160 Glass Paint

    Easy Glass Painting Techniques with Pebeo Vitrea 160

    March 24, 2023
    Rabbit acrylic painting on top of gelli printing collage

    4 Ideas for Using Gelli Printing in Your Projects

    May 22, 2020
    When Things Don't Go According to Plan

    When Things Don’t Go According to Plan

    September 25, 2020
  • An Easy Watercolor Tutorial on Watercolor Mixing
    Techniques

    Intimidated by Watercolor Mixing? An Easy Watercolor Tutorial

    February 18, 2022 /

    If you are new to watercolor painting, watercolor mixing may seem intimidating. Watercolor mixing is a great way of learning the palette, but where to start? What colors do you use? How do you mix colors without creating mud? When I was first learning how to use watercolor and acrylic paints, color mixing seemed impossible to learn. But I was determined to move past only using the color from the tube. I experimented, learned from others and I continue to grow in my skills. The effort to learn color mixing is worth it. Not only does it improve your paintings, but it also provides so much freedom in your creative…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

    You May Also Like

    Mixed Media Art Journal Page Summer Days

    Mixed Media Art Journal Page – Hot Summer Days

    August 13, 2021
    How to Get Comfortable with Your Watercolors an Easy Art Journal Project

    How to Get Comfortable with Your Watercolors

    February 10, 2023
    How to get the best results with napkin decoupage

    New to Napkin Decoupage? Start HERE!

    June 28, 2024
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Nadine Milton

Visual Storyteller & Mixed Media Artist

Welcome to Hop-A-Long Studio! I would love for you to join me in the journey of self-care through artistic expression.

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Acceptance (10) acrylic paint (16) Acrylic Painting (17) Applying Art Mediums (14) Applying Brusho Powders (10) Art Ideas (22) art journal (20) Art Journaling (62) Art Tutorials (156) Art Videos (163) Awareness (19) Blending Color (22) Card Making (16) Card Tutorials (11) Christmas (9) collage (20) Creative Foundations (24) Creativity (29) Drawing (12) Embossing (11) Gelli Plate (10) Gelli Printing (21) Goal Setting (9) Ink Blending (13) Inking (42) Inks (11) Making Good Choices (12) Mental Health (32) Mindfulness (24) Mixed Media (15) Mixed Media Art (16) napkins (9) Pan Pastels (9) Self-Care (47) Self-Care Activities (16) Self-Care Videos (33) Self-Discovery (14) Stamping (62) Stencilling (48) Tim Holtz Distress (23) Values (9) Watercolor (14) Watercolor Basics (13) Watercolor Painting (19) Wild Whisper Designs (21)

Recent Posts

  • 3 Ways to Make Your Mixed Media Pages POP!3 Techniques to Make Your Mixed Media Pages POP!
    In Art Journal, Techniques
  • How to Make Collage Papers for FreeMake Gorgeous Collage Papers for Free
    In Techniques
  • How to Choose an Art Journal You’ll Love
    In Art Journal
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