Hop-A-Long Studio

The Art of Self-Care

  • HOME
  • CLASSES
  • COMMUNITY
  • SHOP
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
  • HOME
  • CLASSES
  • COMMUNITY
  • SHOP
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
  • HOME
  • CLASSES
  • COMMUNITY
  • SHOP
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT

Recent Posts

  • gel plate printing for beginnersHow to Start Gel Printing with Zero Experience
    In Techniques
  • How to use watercolor powders with stencilsThe Best Way to Use Watercolor Powders with Stencils
    In Techniques
  • Watercolor Pigment Powders Brusho Crystal Colours, Lindy's Gang Magicals and Nuvo Shimmer Powders how to use on watercolor paperWatercolor Powders Demystified! You need to Try these!
    In Techniques
  • How to Get Comfortable with Your Watercolors an Easy Art Journal Project
    Art Journal,  Techniques

    How to Get Comfortable with Your Watercolors

    February 10, 2023 /

    Are you new to watercolor paints or have recently purchased a new set of watercolors? Watercolors are a wonderful medium but every new color or set of colors can take time to get used to. The colors may act differently than what you’re accustomed to, which can cause frustration. So how do you get comfortable with a new set of watercolors? I recently purchased a new set of Russian watercolor paints called White Nights at my local art store. I wanted to share with you my process and the exercises I use to get familiar with the paints and color combinations. We’ll be creating a simple watercolor painting in our…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

    You May Also Like

    How to get the best results with napkin decoupage

    New to Napkin Decoupage? Start HERE!

    June 28, 2024
    Adding diamonds to diamond painting

    Everything You Need to Know About Diamond Painting

    August 31, 2024
    Creative Stamping with Watercolor Markers

    Creative Stamping with Watercolor Markers

    February 11, 2022
  • Gift Ideas for Artists
    Artist's Journey,  Techniques

    The Best Gifts for Artists that Love Watercolor and Acrylic Paint

    November 5, 2022 /

    It can be hard to know how to choose a gift for the artist in your life. Choosing the best gifts for artists can be challenging, especially if you don’t know much about art supplies. In this guide I’ll share with you some fantastic gifts for artists and how to decide which gift is the best for the artist in your life. 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 Gifts for Artists Part of choosing the best gifts for the artist in your life is to answer the following questions.…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

    You May Also Like

    7 Techniques using Zebra Mildliner Mix Pens

    7 Unique Ways to Use Zebra Mildliner Mix Pens

    August 3, 2024
    What is Art Journaling and Why Should I Try It?

    What is Art Journaling and Why Should I Try It?

    June 3, 2022
    How to Use Watercolor Paint

    How to Use Watercolor Paint

    July 17, 2020
  • wet-on-wet watercolor techniques mixing colors
    Techniques

    Easy Wet-on-Wet Watercolor Techniques for Beginners

    October 28, 2022 /

    If you are new to watercolor and learning wet-on-wet watercolor techniques, watercolor can sometimes feel challenging. You may feel like you have no control over your brush or your watercolor paint. Today we’ll cover the basics of wet-on-wet watercolor techniques for beginners to help you get great results every time! 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 Problem The problem with wet-on-wet watercolor is how do we control the water? When I was new to watercolor painting, a lot of my projects ended up looking like colored blobs instead of landscapes, clouds,…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

    You May Also Like

    Best Acrylic Paint Pens Paint Marker Comparison Hop-A-Long Studio

    The Best Acrylic Paint Pens: A Paint Marker Comparison

    July 9, 2021
    3 Lessons from The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck

    3 Lessons from The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck

    May 1, 2020
    Alcohol Ink Christmas Ornaments

    Fun and Easy Alcohol Ink Christmas Ornaments

    December 10, 2021
  • 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…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

    You May Also Like

    Art Journal with Napkins Technique Tutorial

    Art Journaling with Napkins

    January 14, 2022
    5 Acrylic Background Techniques for the Art Journal

    Intimidated by the Blank Page? 5 Acrylic Background Techniques for the Art Journal

    June 10, 2022
    Canvas of Intentions Mixed Media Canvas Class

    Looking for a Creative Start to The New Year?

    January 9, 2025
  • Collage Techniques with Tissue Paper Gelli Prints
    Art Journal,  Techniques

    Unique Collage Techniques with Tissue Paper Gel Prints

    July 15, 2022 /

    Looking for unique collage textures for your art journal? Try using collage techniques with tissue paper gel prints. This is an easy and beautiful way to add layers and textures to your projects. If you’ve been following along for the last few weeks, I’ve shared some of my favorite gel print techniques. Today we will discuss how to incorporate these beautiful papers in your projects in practical ways.    In this tutorial I’ll be sharing collage techniques with tissue paper gel prints. More specifically, how to create multiple layers that work together to create beautiful mixed media pages. Hop-A-Long Studio is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site,…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

    You May Also Like

    How to Create a Wine Bottle Vase Overall Project

    How to Create a Wine Bottle Flower Vase

    May 7, 2021
    How to Find Rest During COVID-19

    How to Find Rest During COVID-19

    March 27, 2020
    Art Journal Page Using Gel Textures and Gel Prints

    Creating Art Journal Textures with Gelli Prints

    April 22, 2022
  • 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

    4 Lessons I Learned From Almost Anxious

    4 Lessons I Learned from Almost Anxious

    June 5, 2020
    Dealing with Loss During the Holiday Season

    Dealing with Loss During the Holiday Season

    December 5, 2019
    Live acrylic painting demonstration for creativity service

    The Importance of Creativity

    November 12, 2019
  • Contour Drawing with Watercolor and Wax Resist
    Techniques

    Loosen Up with Contour Drawing and Painterly Effects

    January 7, 2022 /

    Do you ever struggle with drawing and getting overwhelmed by the details? Contour drawing is a great way to loosen up your drawing practice. Today I will share with you how to create a contour drawing and how to create painterly effects using watercolor paints. What is Contour Drawing? Contour drawing is the practice of drawing an outline of the subject using one continuous line. When contour drawing you do not take your pen off the page as you draw. The benefit of contour drawing is that it defines the basic shape by creating a line drawing. If you tend to get stuck in the details when drawing, this technique…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

    You May Also Like

    How to Blend With Pan Pastels Art Journaling Project

    How to Blend Pan Pastels: A Journey in Blending and Layering Pastels

    July 23, 2021
    How to Become Unoffendable and Live a Happier Life

    How to Become Unoffendable and Live a Happier Life

    July 24, 2020
    Using Liquitex Matte Medium to seal pressed autumn leaves

    How to Press and Preserve Fall Leaves

    October 14, 2022
  • Watercolor Landscape Paint Along with Gouache
    Art Journal

    Watercolor Landscape Paint Along

    June 11, 2021 /

    Today’s project is a watercolor landscape paint along using gouache. I love using landscapes in my art journal pages. Creating landscapes is great practice for understanding how different art mediums work together. For this watercolor paint along we will be using colored pencils, acrylic paint, gouache, and ink to make a dynamic mixed media art journal page. What is Gouache? If you have never used gouache in a project, it is an opaque watercolor medium. It has similar pigments and binders as watercolor paints, but includes a white filler, such as chalk, which makes these paints opaque. Gouache provides a different result than watercolor. The opaque nature of the paint…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

    You May Also Like

    How to Create a Traveler's Notebook

    How to Create a Traveler’s Notebook

    April 23, 2021
    Painting with Ink Art Journal Project

    Painting with Ink: An Art Journal Project

    November 13, 2020
    Layering Details using Caran d'Ache Technalo Water Soluble Graphite Pencils

    How to use Water Soluble Graphite

    June 17, 2022
  • How to create layers using ink blending
    Art Journal,  Techniques

    How to Create Layers Using Ink Blending

    April 16, 2021 /

    Creating in a journal is a great self-care practice but it can be challenging to add layers and dimension to a page. Today we will discuss how to create layers using ink blending in your creative projects. Layering Inks Layering inks is a great way of creating dimension in your projects. There are several things to consider when you are creating layers with your inks: Color Values In my last article I shared about how to use color values when creating a monochromatic project. By using a variety of color values this creates different shades and intensity of color, which adds dimension to your project. Type of Ink Certain types…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

    You May Also Like

    Creative Stamping with Watercolor Markers

    Creative Stamping with Watercolor Markers

    February 11, 2022
    Preparing for a Pandemic Christmas

    Preparing for a Pandemic Christmas

    December 11, 2020
    How to create unique color combinations in the art journal using a color wheel

    How to use a Color Wheel to Create Unique Art Journal Color Combinations

    May 5, 2023
  • How to Paint a Night Sky
    Art Journal,  Techniques

    How to Paint a Night Sky

    February 19, 2021 /

    This week we will be learning how to paint a night sky using watercolor paint. This is one of my favorite self-care exercises as it is simple and so relaxing. What makes learning how to paint a night sky so fun is this technique can be used with other colors and other applications. This provides practice and an understanding on what colors you can create from blending watercolor paints. The Inspiration The inspiration for this project was thinking about the warm summer days when I can get out of the city and see the stars. I love the night sky, there is something about the expanse of it that is…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

    You May Also Like

    4 Things I Learned From Failing Forward

    4 Things I Learned from Failing Forward

    February 7, 2020
    How to Stamp on Acetate Sheets with Paint and Inks

    How to Stamp on Acetate Sheets with Inks and Paints

    July 1, 2023
    Must have mixed media supplies for the art journal including art journal, acrylic paint, gesso, matte and gel mediums, watercolor paint, acrylic and watercolor brushes, paint pens, pigment pens, stamps and stencils

    Must Have Mixed Media Supplies for the Art Journal

    November 12, 2021
12

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

  • Art Classes
  • Art Journal
  • Artist's Journey
  • Projects
  • Techniques

Tags

Acceptance (10) acrylic paint (16) Acrylic Painting (17) Applying Art Mediums (14) Applying Brusho Powders (10) Art Ideas (22) art journal (17) Art Journaling (61) Art Tutorials (156) Art Videos (162) Awareness (19) Blending Color (22) Card Making (16) Card Tutorials (11) Christmas (9) collage (14) Creative Foundations (24) Creativity (28) Drawing (12) Embossing (11) Gelli Plate (9) Gelli Printing (17) Goal Setting (9) Ink Blending (13) Inking (42) Inks (11) Making Good Choices (12) Mental Health (32) Mindfulness (24) Mixed Media (12) Mixed Media Art (16) napkins (9) Self-Care (47) Self-Care Activities (16) Self-Care Videos (33) Self-Discovery (14) Stamping (62) Stencilling (48) stencils (9) Tim Holtz Distress (23) Values (9) Watercolor (14) Watercolor Basics (13) Watercolor Painting (19) Wild Whisper Designs (21)

Recent Posts

  • gel plate printing for beginnersHow to Start Gel Printing with Zero Experience
    In Techniques
  • How to use watercolor powders with stencilsThe Best Way to Use Watercolor Powders with Stencils
    In Techniques
  • Watercolor Pigment Powders Brusho Crystal Colours, Lindy's Gang Magicals and Nuvo Shimmer Powders how to use on watercolor paperWatercolor Powders Demystified! You need to Try these!
    In Techniques
[mailerlite_form form_id=0]
© 2019- 2025. Hop-A-Long Studio Limited. All Rights Reserved.
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.