HOW TO LOOSEN UP YOUR ART 

Note to myself: I must NOT watch your videos right before I have to go to bed... I'm SO inspired and want to start to try all of your advice. But I really need to sleep now (it's almost midnight here in Germany)... I think I calm myself down by telling me I will watch it again tomorrow...😇 Thank you so much for sharing your art and your lovely kind of talking about it and the process and everything... it always lifts me up ❤

One vitally important thing to remember is to be conscious of your 4 joints (of drawing/painting). More elbow and shoulder movements rather than finger and wrist movements will loosen up your art immediately!

I am going to have to watch this over and over. I am a senior citizen and all my life I have wanted to create and in my mind the voice tells me "it's not going to be any good and you're just going to waste paper. You won't want anyone to see it so don't even try" Thank you for saying all this out loud.

omg I feel so much lighter! I was feeling so stuck lately, even felt like I'm going backward and contemplating to stop painting. Now i'm realising how much pressure I put on myself (because of covid this is now my main income and it's not much) But honestly, I've stop having fun, I'm so stressed out before starting a painting! My head goes straight to "This one has to sell", "this one is gonna save me!" 😅 I see it now so clearly! It was not only killing my painting, but mostly killed all my creativity and inspiration. I can't thank you enough for that video ❤

What an honor to be included in this video Sandi! Thank you for teaching me/us!!!!

Watching again…because we need constant reminding until it becomes internalized!

The timing of this video is totally wild because I chose the word "loose" to be my word for 2021. I struggle with perfectionism, and frankly it just keeps me on the sidelines - in nearly every aspect of my life. I don't want to hold on so tightly and try to control everything. Thanks for sharing your ideas and experience!!

I will always include you in my prayers of gratitude. You are such a blessing. I am 70, teaching myself, and so always looking for resources. Finding you and your videos, IG, etc, has brought so much to my fledgling practice. Thank you.

Sandi, I will try to keep this short- God Bless you, my friend! I'm 57, a self-taught artist- living in the Pacific NW, w/beaches, whales, landscapes, etc. I am a perfectionist- everything I make, is seen by family members, (do to small house with limited work space for me in the dining room), so nothing is hidden, and they like to critique my work- with good ideas,-but in the self talk pressure of "Will I be able to SELL this?" so after watching your video, NOW I feel like I can ":BREATHE, & instead of sitting, stand up to paint (I am seeing a chiropractor for my left shoulder, and spine issues, and the minute I put my work up on the easel, that I had laying on the floor under the table with my plants!....I held the brush out in front of me, holding it as you did.... the stress and pain i was feeling in arm was decreased and my whole JOY of painting came back to me. My neck from looking down all the time is better. I LOVE your artwork, All I can say is that I am an avid fan of yours now- and I KNOW the Lord brought me here today! My whole afternoon turned around for the good today! Thank you so Very MUCH! I Love your dog, too! Kelli

Many don't understand, (Like my husband), they think great paintings are just boom done and every painting a "real artist" makes is a masterpiece, but really it's the 80/20 rule. I personally feel I must create a masterpiece for validation- I want to pursue art, I want my husband to see my painting and think 'yeah, you should go for it'. I've won competitions and been in exhibitions but never got that validation from him. So I needed to ask myself why do I paint? Is it because you just have to, to enter flow state or because you wanna sell a painting? And if it's because you enjoy it than you have to learn to just move on- cause you'll get to make another! Stop working on that one you hate and move on, when it's dry paint another over it. Successful artist ENJOY the process.

Thank you Sandi!!! The best thing happened to me when I started watching your video - I had to stop it about 5 minutes in and take my pastels outside and sketch. I truly appreciate the energy and inspiration you give to other artists. I did, eventually, come back inside and finish watching.

Amazing. I just rented a top floor finished attic apartment and decided to use the tiny side for my living room and sleep on my futon living room sofa just to dedicate the large, airy side to a full art studio. I do leatherwork, drawing, painting, carving, etc and it's been years since I've had a space to set up and walk into and just get inspired! I"m doing that now and your video is so on time because my struggle is always, always, getting looser. Thank you so much!!! Valuable, usable information.

This video opened doors for me that I didn't even know existed. Thank you. I'm having a BALL like never before.

I'm just starting learning loose and abstract. I feel like I'm learning a new language. Thanks for your videos. I just found them and am so thankful for them and enjoy your southern charm.

This is my current goal. I love being an artist, but creating art stresses me out and overwhelms me to the point where I don't want to create. I took a semester off of art school and I am focusing on learning how to love creating art again.

I am grateful for the time you've taken to create this compassionately cohesive & comprehensive guide. I used to draw and paint and create with zest and joy, but a painful illness filled me with an even more disabling fear of failure. I'm not physically capable of the realism that I used to create...I allowed this inability to hold my body in the ways that I'm used to to prevent me from even trying anymore. It's been hard to forgive the lack of control that I have been blaming on my shakey hands & arms. I guess what I'm rambling towards is this: Thank you for showing me how to relinquish my desire for control so that I can also let go of this last bit of anger that I've been harboring against my own body.

SANDI THE BEST.

Excellent excellent excellent! I will be watching this over and over! Thank youuuu!

In one of your videos, you showed us these fabulous hand made...sketchbooks. It was like they were old books converted. I would love to get one. Thank you for the best channel ever... kindred spirits.

Thank you!! I was taught to put a small folding table with my pallette on it in front of my easel to keep me from getting too close. Also, tape a brush onto the end of a stick, extend your arm all the way & draw.

I agree with you so much! I finished two large scale pieces for the first time in twenty years or more BECAUSE I was having fun and enjoying it🤗

I have drifted away from painting, the expectations, perfectionism, tightness, and lack of joy! Every piece had to be a masterpiece. WHAT!!!??? You have given me hope and the courage to try again. I want to PLAY this time with looseness, color, mark making and messing up. Using colors that aren’t in the subject? So fun!! Looking forward to a morning walk tomorrow with my marker and small sketchbook! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Finding your channel has been a revelation!!! I do art as a form of therapy and I always face the problem of being to uptight, rigid, just tense and over thinking It. Thank you so much!!!

Thank you thank you thank you! I am so happy to see a really experienced artist talking about how art is really made. I binge watch your videos. I am a full time artist and an old Crone and I need the message as much as anyone...

OMG, this is an amazing video. You asked for what was helpful, are you kidding. It was all helpful. Loved it all it will be saved in my library as a resource. Wonderful. I laughed out loud when you talked about your niece and her asking you about your mistakes. I did a wonky sketch of my grandsons and showed my son and I could hear a pause . Ahh...he didn’t understand and that’s ok. Some of my best paintings are when I am not planning and I start with using my favorite colors. I could go on....thank you so much for sharing your art and knowledge. Words can’t express how much I appreciate you. Looking forward to another year of art with Sandi....ha ha. ❤️🙋🏼‍♀️🌻

You are so generous! What I love best is that you are able to say it and mean it -- that it MATTERS to just do it. You are an artist with no "side" no "pose" because you are richly in the middle of your work and so your joy and focus spill over. There's enough for all!

I'm watching this video AGAIN!!! for more inspiration and encouragement...thank you for posting this video...it's wonderful encouragement for those of us who might need it!!! Thanks, again!

Thank you Sandi...been watching you for so long now and my twins are artists too (along with me.) I've shared you with my young 13 year old girls bc I just love everything about you!!! As a human to another human...You are immeasurable as a good person bringing wellness to the art life in an approachable way. Thank you for putting amazing content out there!!!

I have got so much from this video. I’ve been a watercolorist for decades but have started in acrylics in the past year and want everything to be loose and joyful. Thank-you for sharing your experience and great tips! I feel like jumping up and down after watching this!

SO helpful!!! Thank you! And your enjoyable personality jumps off the page to infect and inspire me!!

hello :) your energy is very good..like a happy child :) it's like you're bringing some of my things to the surface.. love from turkey

To end loose you need to start loose - excellent tip. Thx. I find not wearing my glasses until I reach the highlight stage helps me stay loose, keeps everything slightly out of focus so I can't focus on fine detail too early.

Thanks for letting everyone in on this, Sandi! So many need to hear this from you.... Thanks for being transparent and vulnerable (and of course, funny!!)! Well done, as always!

OMG! I have for years tried to become more loose and what a help this has been. I am doing the 100 day project and trying to paint loose abstracted florals. Now I will try not to worry about them not being any good but just to experiment using your ideas. Thanks so much.

I love your personality and approach. Certainly will loosen up in my sketchbooks more with your tips. While my work is the opposite of yours (very detailed and controlled) I do agree on the "no hope, no expectations"' when working. If you mess up, just move on. Desacralizing art is the best way to do art day in day out and still having fun along the way. :)

Going to watch this over and over to remind myself, such helpful advice! I struggle with the fear of messing up when I feel that the painting is close to being finished because I'm scared of messing it up after all that work

Love this video. Gunna watch it again and again. Thank you Sandy. I enjoy both your art and yr lovelie self. You are a gift to the planet and to me.

I came back to this video just now.. searching in my history to find the very first video i watched of yours.. this was a springing board for me and my artwork (a new level so to speak), it was timely to help me then and I am re-inspired now.. Even when creating more craft/artisan work (not paintings) ..loosening up is such a great lesson. Please make more of these wonderfully intimate, inspirational chats.. i yearn to have artist friends and sometimes this is as close as i get. You're the best Sandi.. Thank you a million times over...

I loved every second of this video. I got sooooo much out of this, that I can't wait to paint tomorrow!! It's almost midnight now and I must go to bed!! You covered so much and so many important and enlightening subjects that I needed to hear!!!! Thank you for putting this out there!!!

Sandi - This video is awesome and I will watch a few times. What really helped is that you mentioned that our negative inner voices can tighten ourselves up and wreck the fun. I'm glad to learn that I'm not the only one who goes through this and hope others can learn to catch themselves. I laughed out loud during your story about showing your niece your "mistakes". I also laughed when I did a double take when I saw you painting with a stick! Very fun and informative and I will try some of these ideas.

I’ve had artist block for a couple of years. This video makes me want to get out my supplies and just mess around. I’m only getting older, so I’m wasting time! Thanks for the inspiration!❤

That was seriously great. This is the second time I’ve watched it. I don’t know why after years of painting professionally I’ve had to come back around and humble myself to really having a beginner’s mind, but I’m grateful that when I really needed the help I stumbled upon you. Thank you so much. You’ve really helped me break through a terrible terrible block.

oh my-I'm actually crying-this video was so helpful for me at this time in my art! Thank You!!!!!

Love the paintings of churches ! Thank you for the inspiration !❤️

There wasn't one thing that was helpful...THE WHOLE THING was amazing! Thank you so much for the tips on how to alter your thinking BEFORE you even set pen to paper. I know I am guilty of trying to create 'masterpieces' every time I sit down to paint. (there's another thing...NO MORE SITTING!) You have been such an inspiration and you have the most joyful smile and encouraging way. Thank you again!

I hear everything you said...I say these things to everyone I come in to contact with, just create...

the "I have got some angry birds" made me laugh out loud

Sandi! I so appreciate the shout out!! Especially from such an accomplished artist/teacher as yourself! Xoxo Peggi

Listening to you talk about Mary and I had so many, yep that is me moments! I won't like it and then when I look at it weeks later I'm like, wow I really do like it. I don't understand why I don't see it either, lol. As you're talking I'm getting more and more excited to just get going on projects. I bought the biggest canvas I have ever purchased today. I have never worked large and the anticipation is almost overwhelming. One of my issues is I don't practice, I just start right in, I need to practice and I know that now. Trust the process. Use a sketch book!!! Love the bird page, may do a smaller painting similar to that. YES!!! Very helpful, every single part. Will be watching this like 1000 times.

This is the best video/advice I have come across in years for loosening up myself and my art. Thank you so much, Sandi!

Thank you so much for this video. So many things sound like what I hear in my head.

I love your videos! I've been trying to figure out what brings me joy when I paint, and your loose landscape work resonates so much with me that I keep watching just to see your painting process. Thank you for sharing your joy with us. I do wish you did online workshops because, as I live all the way in Asia, learning from you in person is out of reach for me.

I wish I could like this video again, each time I watch it. When I first saw it, it really ignited something in me, and I really let go. For about a month, I was pumped to paint and painted daily. Life, serious life happened, as it does, and I got tight and stressed again. I was thinking back to that month and the paintings I did, and what was going on then, and remembered this video! Thank you for sharing this!!!!!!

Watching some of your previous videos, you invited me to enjoy the process, for example: something as simple and basic .... as making the color guide of the new materials ... I painted each color in the shape of a flower ... In the end I am relaxed with a very nice color palette that will facilitate my work. By the way, I also have the habit of using a mirror ... after working on the painting for a long time it is for me the best way to see the details Greetings

I absolutely love your video's! I started painting in the 80's and am still learning. Love you dear. Take care !

Thanks! Marvelous! So glad I discovered you!! Another silver lining oh having to recover from Covid!!

I'm so glad to find your channel and this video in particular spoke to my current issue. I just started painting last month as a way to loosen up do to my Parkinson's and boy am I having 😊. Thank you for your teaching, Francesca H

Thanks so much Sandi! You inspire me. Love your approach love your art. Enjoy your videos so much. I appreciate you ❤

Thank you so much for making this wonderful video - I am so encouraged by it and its helping me go into the studio with less fear today!!! I've saved to it rewatch again in the future and share with others!!

I enjoy the book A Passion for Watercolor, Stefan Draughon. Thanks for the video ❤🎉😊

SANDI !! This is the most amazing video ever ! I smiled all the way thru ( unless i was laughing --and at one point crying ( in a good way ) ) I will watch this again & again and it will help me every time. It's such a RELIEF when i can let go of tightness and have fun -- when i quit trying so hard. This is so encouraging and uplifting and so deeply thoughtful and as always downright crazy generous. THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart. You are a brilliant artist and teacher and person.

The way you explained it all made it so clear to me, it made sense that its important to enjoy and play, I have noticed that my drawings are tight and now I understand that I have to begin with a mindset in which I am relaxed and playful, if I am not concious about that its difficult to achieve a loose artwork. Thanks for sharing so many tips, much appreciated.

I think this is my favorite video of yours so far! Organized so well and useful non intimidating tips. Ways to make great changes in your art and process and ENJOY it more. I feel like we are surrounded by so much hyper realistic "tight" art on social media, or art that seems so perfect. We don't see all the behind the scenes crappy art. Not that there's anything wrong with that but at least for me, i sometimes feel like that is portrayed to be "better" art. But it's not for every one! And we never get to see or hear about the process. I'm learning to enjoy the process and that even it it turns out not the way intended, if I painted that day AT ALL with a positive attitude, it's a win. I know these videos take a ton of time and energy but I want you to I'm getting a ton of great info out them and I can't wait to start painting after I watch! ❤️

This video was filled with many priceless insights and tips. Thank you so so much Sandi! ❤

My sould needed this this week. Thank you Sandi! I loved the message about mindset. If you ever make more videos on that, I will claim a front row seat to watch!

Great life lessons in this one. I needed to hear this...over and over...and over...”Trust the Process”. I’ve been debating what I want to focus on with my art journey this year... until now. I want to be less precious with my art, to be bold in my exploration and less fearful of “failure”. you’re inspiring. thank you.

This video is useful and very helpful and wonderful thanks for sharing your experiences 👍🏻🙏💐👌👏

Thank you sooooo much, Sandi!!! I am genuinely inspired by your enthusiasm and extremely helpful information. I absolutely LOVED THIS VIDEO!!! I know at my very core I'm a creative person. The Greatest Creator ever (God) lives inside of me. I'm sure God was not uptight and stressed when he created the world. I've made a promise to myself to ZIP the negative talk. I will have fun and enjoy the process of creating little snapshots of God's magnificent world.

Thank you. Inspiring and reassuring that my messiness is my fun zone

Seriously! I loved it all, from the peeking in through the windows (my mother used to have my dad take her for rides in her favorite neighborhoods at dusk, because it was after lights went on, but before drapes were closed...) to all of the sharing. After painting by patterns, I wanted watercolors and Reid's Painting what you want to see was my first real art book! Eye opening! I love how you bring out the joy in others... and I am warming up to a warm red. I was tired of it in the years of decorative painting, but I am SO attracted to your warm glow in the room with those cupboard doors! I do do red. I picked out barn red for our house 40 years ago and the garage has some dark green trim. I just have not done much red, except for the headboard in the guest room. Color IS everywhere in the house though. Bless you, Sandi! Keep up the cheer!

This was so helpful. Especially the examples of other artists and their looseness. I have fibromyalgia so pain can have me tightening up. I paint to escape , to be fully in the process, to enter into my inner world, to come into my real self. I keep thinking I want to paint more like I did as a child and increasingly I am Thank you so much.

Sandi, Sandi!! Thank you for this video!

So many nuggets of wisdom in this video... thank you. 😊 🎨 🖌

I think I have watched this video half a dozen times as I struggle to paint loose. So thank you for making it. I would love to see start to finish how you prep and paint with acrylics in your sketchbooks. I find myself only using certain supplies in my sketchbooks (craft paint vs my artist paints) then I find I can get the same feel when I paint it on the canvas. Thank you. Aka. Ladybird 💕🐞💕

Wow Sandi so glad I found you 🥰 I’ve been an artist for many years and have wanted to become looser in my painting for soooooo long, I found playing is the key but you are next level! Love particularly what you said about picking different colours based on the values….yes! 🎉 thanks for sharing your pearls of painting wisdom ❤❤❤

I want to thank you for this video and basically all of your videos. I am an artist and realism is my nook. However, painting loose is so much more difficult!! I strive to paint loose and this video has truly inspired me. So thank you and God bless you and your journey in this. May you be successful in every turn you take 💜

So so good 🎉 !!! Thank you for saving me from tightness and detail! I have to start tomorrow! ❤

Very nice video. I'm going to become loose! That's what I like!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for this video. It really helped me to be secure in how I’m just painting for myself these days, putting aside the commissions and just working in my journals. I’m stuck in that place of not having enough work - exactly what you said would happen if you don’t paint for yourself and trust the process. Getting out of it slowly. Happy I sat down and digested this video. Thanks again

This is the most mindblowingly transformative painting instruction! Thank you, thank you. . . Love your whole approach Sandi!

You touched a very interesting point: I get tense when I paint, to the point of getting a pain around the right side scapula, which is the side where I hold pencil/pincel. I cling to the material and get a tense arm. I noticed this because I got into some watercolor classes, as I don't know how to use it. But the exercises have right/wrong and we have a group in Telegram with very advanced students, who do botanical illustration, so I keep feeling the poop of the bandit's horse. In acrylic and mixed media painting I'm starting to get loose, but in watercolor I find it impossible, so I found your example of an aquarelist interesting. In fact there is no sense in such physical and emotional stress to create. I found it a super happy coincidence that you approached this issue at the same moment that I'm realizing it. The video was very useful and will be revisited many times. Kisses!

I hope you dont mind an old artist in his later years saying thank you Sandi ,,,,,,so much for a lovely half hour listening to your wonderful chat ,I have subscribed so I can come back and listen to you again

Sandi, just found this video. Thank you so much for taking the time to put this together to share with us. I've always struggled with being tight when drawing or painting. I'm looking forward to putting your tips into practice. I think they are going to be incredibly helpful

So awesome! Thank you Sandi! Great way to start the day!

So inspiring!! I’m going to put a link to my facebook journal group. I know they will find it as helpful as I did!! I love that you showed another artist that inspires you...you do that often, and I always go check them out.

Thank you for sharing this, Sandi! I need to hear this over and over again. Your videos are always so inspirational and make me excited to just create art without pressure and expectations!

Your thought process is the same as mine. Every piece you do is a stepping stone to improvement. It's a learning tool for the next piece you create.

Fabulous Sandi,I have painted for years but only now am I realising the joy that comes from loosening my work up also I am finding it makes me a lot more observant about things around me.Thanks so much for the inspiration.x

Just rewatched this ~ great inspiration the second time around too! Thanks so much and Happy New Year!

Very useful tips Sandi. Thank you for sharing 👍

Ahaha just stumbled across your channel last night, and oh lookie there, there's Katie and Helen from the Good Ship Illustration (who I've done training with and I'm friends with Katie, they're all such lovely human beings). Lovely video, thanks very much Sandi. ❤

You are special. Thank you for sharing!

Thank you for this video, for sharing of yourself and your journey so honestly. What helped me the most was just hearing you talk about confronting the "Artist" ego talk that goes on in the mind, and getting past it. Letting go of those voices. Also, it is soooo very wonderful to be reminded again that it takes a lot of bad art to make good art. I heard an artist say she had done one landscape scene literally hundreds of times just as a practice, and every one of those brushstrokes mattered, especially the ones that weren't "right." I'm excited to check out the rest of your videos. Be happy, be well.

Oooooooohhhh. This is soooooo wonderful!!! Thank you so much!!! I have been an abstract painter for years and started making representational work over the last few years. But because I’m lauded for my realistic paintings I feel stuck because I want to play. I love Rose Wylie and others who work loosely and with abandon. I become afraid of being judged negatively like I’m not a good painter. I so needed this video. I’m looking forward to following you. Thank you very much for your candid and fabulous inspirational videos (and paintings). xoxo

Extremely , dramatically useful! Thank you for sharing!

I was laughing at this video as i recognised myself in so many things you said 😂 I needed this advice.Thank you ❤

I put yellow where the sun is striking something, too. And I usually use cooler colors in the shade, regardless of what color they are. I try hard not to make my art look like rainbows, but it's not easy. :(

That was great Sandi, thoroughly enjoyed it! Thanks

Oh yeah I am gonna try your tips! Very nice video 👍

Sandi, this is just the best video, so much helpful and inspiring information Thank you so much xx