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  • SHOP
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  • CONTACT
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  • CLASSES
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  • CONTACT

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
  • Basic art journal techniques using acrylic paint and napkins
    Art Journal,  Techniques

    New to Art Journaling? Basic Techniques using Paints and Napkins

    January 27, 2023 /

    Are you new to art journaling? Or do you have a pristine art journal that you’re afraid to start creating in? The first few pages in an art journal can be hard. You may not feel like you know what you’re doing, or perhaps you’re struggling with what to create in your journal. Today we’re starting with a simple prompt and basic art journal techniques to get you started. 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. Starting with a Thought or Question Usually most of my art journal pages start with a thought…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

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    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
    An Easy Watercolor Tutorial on Watercolor Mixing

    Intimidated by Watercolor Mixing? An Easy Watercolor Tutorial

    February 18, 2022
    How to use Pan Pastels in an Art Journal Page to display your yearly intention

    Show Your New Years Intention with Pan Pastels

    January 1, 2026
  • Easy Foil Alternatives for Cards and Art Journal Pages
    Art Journal,  Techniques

    Easy Foil Alternatives for Cards and Art Journal Pages

    November 18, 2022 /

    Looking for foil alternatives for cards and art journal pages? There are household products that can work amazing on your art journal and card projects, at a fraction of the cost of craft foiling sheets. These techniques are a must know for any creative. Today we’ll go over a few different materials, the positive and negatives of each, and how you can add them to 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. Alternatives to Foil Cardstock Foil cardstock is an amazing option for creating mirrored surfaces, beautiful sentiments, and details…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

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    Goal Setting During COVID-19

    Goal Setting During COVID-19

    April 24, 2020
    How to Use Watercolor Backgrounds in an Art Journal Page

    How to Use Watercolor Backgrounds in an Art Journal

    September 2, 2022
    15 Gift Ideas for Artists

    15 Amazing Gift Ideas for Artists and Creatives

    November 3, 2023
  • Collage with Dried Leaves in Your Art Journal
    Art Journal,  Techniques

    How to Collage with Dried Leaves in Your Journal

    October 21, 2022 /

    Have you ever tried collage with dried leaves in your art journal? Dried leaves can be a hard medium to use because they can crack and disintegrate in your project. But by using a few simple techniques, you can preserve your leaves and create a beautiful, layered autumn art journal project. 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. How to Prevent Dried Leaves from Falling Apart The hardest thing about using dried leaves in your art journal is preventing them from falling apart. Especially with collage, if you use a thick gel medium…

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    Nadine Milton

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    Creating an Art Journal Page Using Paper Glossy Accents and Distress Crayons

    Easy Art Journal Page Using Paper

    September 16, 2022
    Collage Techniques with Tissue Paper Gelli Prints

    Unique Collage Techniques with Tissue Paper Gel Prints

    July 15, 2022
    Easy Brusho Christmas Card

    Easy Brusho Christmas Card

    December 22, 2020
  • Creating an Art Journal Page Using Paper Glossy Accents and Distress Crayons
    Art Journal

    Easy Art Journal Page Using Paper

    September 16, 2022 /

    If you are new to art journaling, it can be intimidating knowing where to start. One of the most basic techniques is creating an art journal page using paper. This doesn’t require a lot of materials and it’s an easy place to get started. But we’re going to spice up this art journal page by adding mediums to the paper. This is a great way to use paper but add your own creative flair to your journal page.    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. The Art Journal Prompt Before I start…

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    Nadine Milton

    You May Also Like

    Travel Greeting Card Using Photos and Wild Whisper Designs Road Trip Paper Collection

    How to Make a Travel Greeting Card

    June 18, 2021
    How to fussy cut napkin images for any project

    How to Cut the PERFECT Napkin Image

    July 20, 2024
    How to Paint a Night Sky

    How to Paint a Night Sky

    February 19, 2021
  • How to Use Watercolor Backgrounds in an Art Journal Page
    Projects,  Techniques

    How to Use Watercolor Backgrounds in an Art Journal

    September 2, 2022 /

    In last week’s tutorial we created beautiful watercolor backgrounds using stencils. But how can we effectively use these watercolor pages in an art journal? It’s always fun to try a new technique, but the real question is how do we apply it to our 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. What to do with Watercolor Stenciled Papers So what can we do with these beautiful watercolor stenciled papers? They can be used as backgrounds in cards or on art journal pages. They can also be cut into images or used in…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

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    Simply Stated Design Advent Calendar 2024

    The Unique Advent Calendar You’ll Love Unboxing!

    October 22, 2024
    Merry Christmas from Hop-A-Long Studio

    Merry Christmas from Hop-A-Long Studio

    December 25, 2020
    Gift Ideas for Artists

    The Best Gifts for Artists that Love Watercolor and Acrylic Paint

    November 5, 2022
  • How to Use Watercolors with Stencils
    Techniques

    How to use Watercolors with Stencils

    August 26, 2022 /

    Using watercolors with stencils may seem like two things that don’t go together in your art journal. The loose nature of watercolor appears incompatible with stencils. But with a bit of experimentation and imagination, you can get some amazing and unexpected results using watercolors with stencils. 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. Adding Watercolors to Stencils When adding watercolors to stencils, you may need to change your expectation for the final result. When using acrylic paints, gel or paste mediums with stencils, the medium can be applied, and the stencil removed immediately.…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

    You May Also Like

    Stamped Background Used for Greeting Card and Softcover Book using Stampers Anonymous Stamps and Pan Pastels

    Stamped Background for Moving Past a Creative Block

    August 6, 2021
    Valentines Art Journal Page

    Valentines Art Journal Page

    February 5, 2021
    Art Journal Project Using Watercolor Paint and Distress Stains

    Art Journal Project Using Watercolor Paint and Distress Stains

    June 19, 2020
  • Nadine Milton Sketching in Kelowna Japanese Garden
    Artist's Journey

    Why You Should Try an Art Retreat

    August 13, 2022 /

    If you’ve never experienced an art retreat, this can be a fantastic way to boost your creativity and reset your creative practice. I recently returned from an art retreat and many people had questions about my experience. Today I’ll share with you what I learned and why an art retreat might be the perfect experience for you. What is an Art Retreat? Most simply, an art retreat is a chance to get out of your regular environment and take time to create art. These can be structured, instructive classes, or just a quiet place for you to get away and work on your art. A lot of professional artists do…

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    Nadine Milton

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    Urban Sketching for Self-Care

    Urban Sketching for Self-Care

    September 18, 2020
    3 Ways to use Tombow Markers

    3 Ways To Use Tombow Markers

    February 28, 2020
    gel plate printing for beginners

    How to Start Gel Printing with Zero Experience

    May 3, 2025
  • How to Use Gel Prints in Your Art Journal
    Art Journal,  Techniques

    Feeling Stuck? How to Use Gel Prints in Your Art Journal Projects

    July 29, 2022 /

    Do you ever stare at your stack of gel prints wondering how to use those gel prints in your projects? You’re not alone. It can be overwhelming to take the beautiful prints you’ve made and figure out how to incorporate them into your journal. Today I’ll share with you one way that I like using gel prints in my art journal and how easy it is to add gel prints into your 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. Adding Gel Prints to the Art Journal There are so many ways of…

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    Nadine Milton

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    How to Become Unoffendable and Live a Happier Life

    How to Become Unoffendable and Live a Happier Life

    July 24, 2020
    Working in a Series with Gelli Prints Calendar Project

    Working in a Series with Gelli Prints

    December 30, 2022
    5 Napkin Hacks to Make Your Napkin Art Pop!

    5 Easy Hacks to Make Your Napkin Images POP!

    August 23, 2024
  • Everything is Figure-outable Art Journaling Page with Fluid Acrylics
    Art Journal,  Techniques

    Using Fluid Acrylics in the Art Journal

    July 22, 2022 /

    Have you ever used fluid acrylics in your art journal? If you haven’t heard of these beautiful acrylic paints before, I would highly recommend trying them in your art journal. These acrylic paints are highly pigmented and work so well on their own and with other mediums. 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. What are Fluid Acrylic Paints? Fluid acrylic paints are a highly pigmented paint that have the consistency of heavy cream. These paints are much thinner than a heavy body paint that many of us use in our projects. Golden…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

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    Working in a Series with Gelli Prints Calendar Project

    Working in a Series with Gelli Prints

    December 30, 2022
    Struggling with Contrast when Gelli Printing? Here’s How to Fix It

    Struggling with Contrast when Gelli Printing? Here’s How to Fix It

    December 8, 2023
    Beautiful Mixed Media Holiday Tag Designs for Last Minute Gifts

    In A Rush? 3 Beautiful Holiday Tag Designs for Last Minute Gifts

    December 22, 2022
  • How to Gelli Print on Canvas
    Art Journal,  Techniques

    How to Gelli Print on Canvas

    July 8, 2022 /

    Have you ever tried gelli printing on surfaces other than paper? This summer I’ve been playing around with different surfaces with my gel plate to see what interesting results I’ll get. My newest experiment was how to Gelli print on canvas and I’ve been surprised by the results. 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. Types of Canvas for Gelli Printing There is a variety of canvas that can be used for Gelli printing. My favorite canvas is artist canvas pads in black and white. These pads are easy to use as the…

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    Nadine Milton

    You May Also Like

    Which Pen To Choose? The Search for the Best Permanent Pen

    The Search for the Best Permanent Pen

    October 29, 2021
    Urban Sketching for Self-Care

    Urban Sketching for Self-Care

    September 18, 2020
    Why art journal?

    Demystifying Art Journaling: How to Start & Why It Matters

    February 13, 2026
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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.

Categories

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  • Art Journal
  • Artist's Journey
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  • Techniques

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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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