AULORIA: In the Watercolor Studio

September Goodies!

Angie — Tue, 01 Sep 2026 01:34:45 GMT

Subscriber rewards are here! Here’s what you can look forward to each month, starting today!

Free Subscribers

Two articles a month
Downloadable Wallpaper
A 10% Discount Code to my Shop

Paid Subscribers

All Free Subscriber rewards
A downloadable template of the painting so you can try at home!
A list of art supplies used and paint swatches (if applicable)
Access to the chat rooms! I’d love to hear how your projects are going, antics from your studio assistants (pets), and other fun life things. It’s also a great place to ask questions or share exciting art supply finds.

Founding Subscribers

All Free and Paid Subscriber rewards
A Real-time Process Video of the painting of the month! Each video has relaxing music in the background, at least one candle lit, and some seasonal trinkets to set the mood. This month we’re celebrating the Fall Season with some Watercolor Autumn Leaves!

I’m so excited to finally share all these goodies with you!

All subscribers can click on the image below to download your Free Wallpaper!

My Complete Plein Air Kit

Angie — Sun, 16 Aug 2026 22:13:12 GMT

Normally, when the school year ends and summer starts, my overstimulated, introverted teacher self hides away in my home and doesn’t come out again until the next school year. However, I decided to do some of my summer recovering in some local parks this year.

I love camping. Well, let’s be honest. I love “glamping”. I want the fresh air, to sit by a campfire for hours alone with my thoughts, and to be reasonably comfortable in that environment. I often head out to a place about an hour away from home that’s still in the woods, still requires a tent; but has actual bathrooms and park rangers are still around if something goes wrong. This place is safe enough for me to feel comfortable going alone.

The mental effort of planning trips and making sure I didn’t forget anything is a huge barrier for me getting outside, so I decided to make myself an “art to-go bag”. Just something I could pick up when I felt like it and head out the door. I’m also the type of person that likes to be prepared. I don’t want to get into the mountains for a 3 day trip and wish I had brought this or that. So I decided to get a tote bag that could handle some artistic versatility.

As a side note, I’m not sponsored by anything right now. So if I rave about something, which I’m about to do, it’s because I genuinely loved the product.

I’ll list everything at the end if you want more information about what I packed.

I ended up finding a tote from Bagstellar. It has a TON of different pockets, two inside that can hold a water bottle and one of them has a space to fit a handle through if your bottle has one. It also has a place for a tablet or laptop. It’s soft and a bit slouchy; and the handles and long strap are super comfy. I actually loved this bag so much I got another one as a teacher tote and my coworkers have bought a few themselves.

I wanted to minimalize the amount of bags that I took, so I put some products in my art tote that I would normally have in my purse for a trip. (Sanitizing wipes, lotion, chap stick, tissues, feminine products, mini hair brush, eye drops, Tylenol, and cleaner for my glasses.) That way, if I wanted to head out on a whim, I would just need to put my wallet and keys in the tote.

I also have my HALO Bolt in the bag, which was gifted to me a while back from my husband. It’s an external battery that has all sorts of outlets on it. That way I can charge my phone, power a fan, even jump start my car if needed. The center pocket fits a water bottle (that I use for painting), two collapsible water cups, a roll of my paint brushes, colored pencils, and my camera comfortably.

The inner pockets held my wallet, keys, erasers, washi tape, a pencil sharpener, my Etchr palette, a palette from Deep Deep Light, a small set of graphite pencils, two small sketchbooks, SD card case, an extra camera battery, and charger. I also put a larger sketchbook in the laptop pocket.

Now, this is a pretty packed bag. It did fit everything I’ve mentioned and it wasn’t busting at the seams; however, it was on the heavy side. I wouldn’t take this much if I was walking around with it. This trip was mostly spent with my body firmly planted in a camping chair next to the fire pit. It was so restful.

Bonus Item

I also do want to mention something that made the trip so much easier this time. It’s the 3 Second Tent from Reactive Outdoors. It actually took me about 5-7 minutes to fully set up, but that’s a lot faster than other tents I’ve owned. I was able to get my camp site set up really quickly and had more time to paint than usual. It also pops up with the rain fly already attached; so it’s quick to set up, even in bad weather. It’s really light and you don’t have to fight to put it back in the bag either.

I’m looking forward to taking some solo trips in the fall, most of which will be day trips to local parks. (I’ll take some pictures to share.) I’d love to hear how your own adventures are going and what you take on art trips.

What’s in the Bag?

Below are affiliate links. I’m not sponsored, but using the links below for purchases does give me a small commission and helps to pay the bills.

The Bags

Art Supplies

Technology

Body and Beauty

Camping

Reactive Outdoor Tent

Granulating Watercolors and Letting Go of Control

Angie — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 02:26:12 GMT

Anyone else start watercolor painting with a frustrating battle for control? When I began using watercolor, I had no idea what I was doing. I was used to rendering realistic drawings with pencil. I had predictability and control. Then I tried watercolor and that all went out the window. Sound familiar?

Over time, I found SOME predictable qualities; but the huge “ah ha” moment for me, was letting go of control. Not all control, of course. I learned about what caused blooms, hard and soft edges, and the different types of watercolor paint. When I first was introduced to granulating watercolors, everything clicked. Now my palettes contain primarily granulating watercolors. Here’s why.

I naturally gravitate toward texture in my work. Even when I used mostly colored pencils or acrylic ink, I always found ways to let the medium create variations in coverage. It’s easier and more visually interesting for me to start with the unpredictable qualities of the paint rather than controlling every application of pigment. It’s almost like improv. Instead of starting with a blank page with endless options, I lay down a wash and let the paint do its thing first. Then I respond to what it lays out for me.

In looser, water-heavy washes, of granulating watercolor the pigments start to separate and settle into the tiny grooves of the paper, creating soft speckling and natural variation. On rougher papers like 100% cotton cold press, the texture is deeper, so the paint has more places to fall and gather, which means more drama and more interesting surfaces. In a single brushstroke, I can suggest fur, grass, or leaves shifting color instead of layering multiple paints or overworking an area. The texture stays, the light of the paper shines through, and the paint does part of the storytelling for me.

Granulating colors also often contain multiple pigments that separate out without turning muddy. I can use a green for leaves and get a rusty red that blooms along the edges, or a deep blue that breaks into flecks of black for an ocean under a stormy sky. If you’ve tried these paints and only gotten chalky or frustrating results, the first thing to check is your paper. If it’s not 100% cotton cold press, you may not be giving the pigments enough room to spread and separate.

To make this easier to see, I’ve included the photos above and downloadable swatch cards of my main palettes on 100% cotton cold press paper. You can use it as a reference when you’re choosing colors or planning textures in your own paintings.

If you found this helpful or would like more information, please let me know. I’m still working out what would be the most valuable and interesting to you. Thanks for reading. <3

Deep Deep Light Palette

19.9MB ∙ PDF file

Multi Brand Palette

16MB ∙ PDF file

Art and Anxiety

Angie — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 09:19:30 GMT

Before I begin, I just want to write a note saying that this is just my own experience with anxiety in my art practice. This isn’t meant to address anxiety in the realm of mental health, which would be way out of my scope. If you’re struggling with anxiety, please reach out to a mental health professional.

In my own experience, I’ve noticed that artists can be incredibly hard on themselves. They naturally have their own taste. Their sense of what’s “good” art is very specific, even if they don’t quite have the words for each nuance of what they individually respond to. This sense of style, taste, or inner art critic is incredibly valuable; but sometimes, that inner critic can run a little wild or worse, it links hands with our own insecurities. It happens to a lot of us and just happened to me this past week.

I’ve been experimenting with linocut printing. I’ve only done a couple of carvings, but I suddenly became inspired to create a set of prints to sell in my shop for fall. Suddenly I found myself in “The Creative Process.”

For those who are not familiar with the creative process, I’m referring to the typical stages people take when creating something. They can have different labels, but the stages typically look like ideas, research, planning, creating, refinement, sharing, and maybe some more evaluation in the end. I don’t typically create things with the intention of following this process, but it’s easy to fall into this very natural progression.

I learned, or rather re-learned, something incredibly important about the creative process last week. It’s almost impossible to create “good” art while your head is stuck in refinement. Allow me to walk you through my own process as a cautionary tale.

Dreaming

It started with wanting to produce something that autumn enthusiasts (myself included) would be excited to collect. Something that felt special but accessible. I wanted whoever viewed the prints to be suddenly inspired to grab a pumpkin spice latte and enjoy it at golden hour while wearing the coziest clothes in a comfy spot of their choice. So I decided on creating a limited set of four small linocut prints that would invite the autumn season into someone’s home.

In order to generate some ideas, I sat back and listened to some of my favorite playlists to put me in that autumnal mood. I looked at Pinterest and royalty-free photographs from Unsplash and Pixabay for references. I knew that I wanted to include a fox and some oak leaves. I love drawing deer, so I searched for some photos of a very elegant-looking stag. The fourth image took some time to decide upon, but I eventually landed on a sparrow. There’s something charmingly humble about a sparrow.

Gathering Materials That Felt Right

Since this was my first serious attempt at linocut printing, I did a lot of searching into materials. After looking at a lot of papers, I decided on cream Shin Inbe. When it arrived and I opened the roll, I instantly loved the texture. It was the perfect warmth, and the surface reminded me of old parchment. Something aged and well-loved, looked over hundreds of times. I needed ink and wanted something with enough contrast to be easily read, yet soft enough to remind people of cozy blankets. I stumbled upon some oil-based bronze ink and tested it on the Shin Inbe. It was perfect. It brought to life that warm, autumn feeling I was aiming for.

Up until this point, my inner critic and keeper of my artistic taste was working wonderfully. I knew what I wanted and conjured up what we would both be happy with, in theory.

Playing With the Blocks

I knew that the first attempt wasn’t going to be perfect, or maybe not even close to the vision I created for the set; so I designed and carved a block just to get warmed up. It was a little fox trotting upon a vine of very generic leaves. It was cute, but not as special as I wanted, which was also completely fine. The goal was just to get warmed up and try out the tools. Goal met.

Then I designed the actual set. Since I have been drawing for years and I knew I wanted to keep things simple, this was an easy step. I breezed through it and was ready to transfer the images to blocks fairly quickly.

Carving was slow at first, but it didn’t feel frustrating. It was relaxing to quietly whittle down the blocks while listening to music or a podcast. I rolled out the bronze ink and hoped for the best as I did my first test prints. I was pleasantly surprised that I was really happy with the results and only had minor things to clean up to reduce unintended marks.

Refining: The Role of the Inner Critic

The inner critic had done its job so far. After coming up with the goal in the dreaming phase, gathering materials, and checking the designs and the final blocks that had been carefully carved, that part of me that guards my artistic taste and personal style approved of the work. It was time to do the work and for that critic to take a backseat.

Spoiler: It didn’t.

Production: When the Critic Tried to Take Over

I began printing and kept waiting for it to turn into one of those smooth, repetitive processes: roll, ink, press, lift, repeat. But because this is a new art form for me, I kept finding fresh ways to mess things up. Too much ink, not enough ink, a tiny shift of the paper, a weird edge catching. Every time I thought, “Okay, I’ve got it now,” the next print would show me one more thing I didn’t know yet.

I burned through all of my backup paper faster than I expected. At one point, I realized I had basically no margin left. If I ruined even one more, I wouldn’t get the number of sets I was aiming for. Every pull of a print suddenly had stakes: each one had to work.

Meanwhile, the ink had opinions about where it wanted to live. I had ink on my hands constantly, and I kept touching things that absolutely did not need my fingerprints: the table edge, random tools, the arms of my chair. (They still have ink on them, by the way.) Slowly my anxiety started to ramp up and that inner critic joined hands with it. Instead of waiting its turn, that voice inside was asking some pretty harsh questions.

“What if nobody wants these?” “Have I wasted a whole week and money on something that won’t sell?” “Why did you think jumping into selling a new medium was a good idea?”

And it just spiraled from there until suddenly I was hearing,

“You’re not good enough to sell your work.” “There’s a good chance these won’t sell and it will prove that you don’t belong in the art world.” “You have already failed. Take the hint.”

I was supposed to be in the production phase, not refining, and it was certainly not the time to evaluate the worth of all the effort I was putting into this project. It had no business making blanket statements about my worth as an artist either. But this is what happens time and time again. I hear it in every project. This inner critic not only interjected in the wrong phase, it wasn’t even constructive anymore.

So I ignored it.

The production phase is not the time for critique.

The test prints had already done their job. I had already cleaned up the blocks. The designs were as resolved as they were going to be for this project. At that point, the job in front of me was to show up, print the edition, and stay present with the work.

So I made myself a quiet rule:

Once it’s time to do the work, it’s time to be present and enjoy producing what I dreamed of in the first place.

Ink the block, place the paper, apply pressure, lift the print, and set it to dry. Over and over. To notice the shimmer of the bronze ink on the cream paper. To feel the rhythm of the work. To let myself actually like what I’d made.

Were there imperfect impressions? Yes. Did I discard some misprints? Also yes. But there’s a difference between reasonable quality control and letting the critic convince me that I should change the project or quit.

Sharing / Delayed Criticism

I let the finished prints be what they are: my first real linocut edition. A complete little autumn set on warm cream paper with bronze ink that glows in the light. It’s time for me to be proud of the work and share it with my audience. I can accept feedback, especially the positive comments.

There are things I’ll do differently in the next project. That’s where the critic will actually be useful again, but it’s not while I’m trying to enjoy the work I’ve already done.

What I’m Taking Forward

My inner critic needs to be constructive and show up only when it’s time to make adjustments.
Feeling anxious is not an invitation to revise or scrap a project.
Be present in each phase of the process without judgment.
Enjoy the work.

Thank you for reading.

Watercolor, Fox Prints, and a Reset in the Woods

Angie — Sat, 20 Jun 2026 19:00:58 GMT

I’m officially in summer mode in the studio. While that comes with some relaxation, I’m also hitting the ground running for fall preparation. Here’s a look at what’s in progress for a few big autumn releases this year.

Works in Progress

I finally have time to finish the large draft horse painting I started a couple months ago. He’s been sitting on my desk waiting for some love for a while, and I’m really excited to finish him up so I can find him a good home. He’s painted with some of my favorite watercolors, and the details are slowly coming to life with texture in colored pencil. If you’re interested in this one, or know someone who would be, he’ll be available on my website soon.

I wanted to try something new for the autumn collection this year: a special, cozy mini pack of prints that would make a fun seasonal gift. So I started a collection of four linocut prints. There will be four small prints in this set: fox, oak leaves, sparrow, and stag. I love the warm, textured shin inbe paper and copper ink for this set, and each print will be 4x6 inches. I’m planning to finish up the carving in the next couple of weeks, so keep an eye out for sneak peeks in Notes.

Along with the prints, I want to do a larger collection of watercolor paintings for autumn. At first, I wasn’t clear on what I wanted to focus on. I kept coming back to deer and moths, so I’ve decided to just explore those subjects until something more concrete emerges. I’ll be spending time in my sketchbook doing studies—not worrying about composition or themes yet. I’m just becoming familiar with the shapes, gestures, and expressions. I also tend to dive into music more during this stage. Often I’ll get a mood or feeling that I want to infuse into a painting or collection so it feels more grounded. I’ve noticed people tend to connect with my work more when I do that. I’d love to make a zine of the collection as well, but that will depend on how long the painting process takes.

Taking time to Reset

I also just came back from the woods. It was hard to step away when I knew there was so much that needed to be done, but there was no way any of it would happen without taking time to recover from a long school year. I was absolutely overstimulated; every task felt like I was still trying to put out fires (because that’s what May feels like to a teacher). So I did a hard reset in a yurt where my only job was to keep the campfire going. There were some other campers around and they kept looking over with confused, maybe concerned, looks like, ‘That lady has been by herself staring into the fire pit for four hours and hasn’t moved.’ I’d just chuckle to myself and roast a hot dog. Anyway, now my mind is able to be creative and productive again, and I’m looking forward to sharing more updates soon.

Thoughts of an Aging Artist

Angie — Sun, 14 Jun 2026 01:39:31 GMT

I’ve never thought about getting older, the empty spaces of time where I could feel my body wearing out. Suddenly noticing I’m weaker without changing my routine. Not hearing as well as I used to. Having to ask others to read out a menu board at a restaurant because suddenly all the words are too small. The way the world with all of its possibilities starts to shrink as my mind reaches for things my body just can’t handle anymore.

I never want that world to be so small that it excludes art. That can’t be a reality.

This week, my hands and eyes made that fear feel a lot more real. It was more little moments that added up to a giant red flag. More pain while opening a jar of salsa. (I love chips and salsa.) My fingers felt tight and swollen by the end of the day. I couldn’t bend them as easily or straighten them without a little extra effort. My frequently washed hands (aka art teacher hands) started to look like those of someone twice my age. Age spots were starting to peek through if I really looked.

I really had to look, because staring at my computer, my phone, and my artwork for long periods of time had changed my vision. There is a large maple tree outside my studio window. I watch it through the seasons. Now I look out that window and the shimmering green leaves in the summer breeze seem like one undulating being rather than thousands of dancing lights.

I couldn’t sit with that as my new reality. Not yet anyway. So I did the cliché thing to do when something doesn’t feel right: I Googled it. I ended up with a few things to try this week to see if some self-care over time could make a difference.

Before I go into the changes that I made this week, just know that I’m just a random artist on the internet with a creaky body and a severe lack of medical knowledge trying some things. This isn’t medical advice and the best decision you could make is to consult your doctor.

My 80 year old (but really 40-something) skin needed some moisturizer. Desperately. I don’t want to get it on my artwork, so midday application of lotion wasn’t an option. So I purchased a few pairs of very simple cotton gloves to wear at night after using lotion. I ended up using Aveeno. I also have some whipped oil butter from EOS a student gifted me at the end of the school year. Both have been really soothing and my hands now look much more appropriate for my actual time on this earth.

During the day, I tried wearing compression gloves and those were a game changer. The relief I felt in my joints was very noticeable. I’m not going to say it cured anything but it really did help. My hands were less swollen and the range of motion in my fingers increased. I also indulged in some hand stretches and massage. It was DIY with the aid of a few videos on YouTube. I tried to make it more of a treat instead of treatment by using some lavender massage oil and some relaxing music playing in the background.

I also hadn’t considered how dry my eyes were getting alongside my hands. Long hours of staring at photo references, sketches, and paintings had taken a toll. I have a little corner of my art desk reserved for chapstick, a small bottle of perfume oil, cleanser for my glasses, and other small items to get through a work session comfortably without needing to leave my studio. A small bottle of eye drops lives there now. I found it really refreshing to use it a couple times a day. My eyes are actually very desensitized to things like eyedrops, so it was as easy as using any of the other products on the desk.

I also purchased a small, and very cute, timer to place on my desk as a visual reminder to take breaks. Breaks for my eyes, to gaze at the maple tree outside and let my eyes relax. Time to stretch my hands, my back, and my legs. As someone diagnosed with ADHD, the timer helped me stay on task and also challenged me not to hyper-fixate on my work. I found that 20 minutes on and 5 minutes break time was a good balance. Normally, my ADHD would stop me every 10 minutes and then I would get distracted and reach for my phone; but now I intentionally look outside to notice the maple leaves. To stop until I can see each one a little better.

I’m still trying to settle in with the acceptance of aging and think through how to intentionally do it gracefully. Hopefully, the little aids of eye drops, compression gloves, and rest will help me to glide through the second half of my life without a crash landing into disability. (That sounds dramatic, but my introverted self is quite dramatic on the inside.) That’s just how this moment of my life feels, and I don’t want to lose the things that mean the most to me. The things I can’t help but say are me. Art is part of my identity and I’m not sure who I would be without it. But that’s a problem for another day.

Evoking Emotion with Seasonal Atmosphere

Angie — Mon, 08 Jun 2026 01:50:30 GMT

If I want my art to evoke specific thoughts and feelings, I need to feel them first. I need to feel them deeply and sustain that feeling long enough for my creative work to enter that same emotional space. ~Angie Nichols

Most often, I curate feelings associated with seasons. Each season has its own kind of comfort; its own version of quiet or energy. Here’s what summer feels like in my studio.

Summer cozy starts with the light. I love the softer edges of morning and late afternoon, when the sun feels a little gentler and the room looks like it has a built-in vignette. The fan is almost always on; creating a steady, low hum that keeps the air moving and comfortable. The room is rarely quiet. There’s usually something gentle playing in the background—soft instrumental music, rain, or a slow studio vlog where another artist is just talking through their process. My parakeet, Kiwi, chimes in every so often singing in the background while the music plays.

I wear my favorite summer perfume, Solstice Scents’ Smokewood Apiary, which smells like warmed honey with an undertone of smoke. There’s always something cold to drink within reach: iced tea, lemonade, or ice water in a glass that feels good in my hand while the painting I’m working on dries.

On my desk, I keep only the curated art supplies I actually reach for: brushes, favorite watercolors, and a few well‑loved tools, all neatly arranged and within easy reach so the space feels inviting instead of visually overwhelming. Around the room there are small knickknacks tucked onto shelves and ledges. Tiny animals, stones, and odds and ends remind me of specific friends and family. The space feels like a little constellation of people I love watching over the work.

One of my favorite little anchors in the room is a cranberry glass candy dish that used to belong to my grandma. She had dishes like it scattered around her house when my sister and I visited for the holidays, always filled with her homemade fudge and other candies. Now I keep one of her dishes on my desk, currently stocked with Starbursts.

Near the distressed, wooden chest that houses my watercolor paint tubes, there’s a tiny glass globe with horses etched inside; a just‑because gift from my husband because he knows I’ll always be a horse girl at heart. It catches the light when the sun moves across the room. There are also a few small, brass keys tucked into a decorative box alongside paint samples. They’re antique‑feeling pieces I use in the background of art photos, and even though they don’t “do” anything, having them there adds this quiet, old‑world note that makes the room feel a bit more like the stories I’m trying to paint.

When all of these pieces line up—the soft light, the low hum of sound, the smell of warmed honey and smoke, the tiny objects that carry whole histories—I stop noticing them one by one. They blur into a feeling in my body: a looseness in my shoulders, a sense that it’s safe to follow a hunch, and that feeling is what actually shows up in the paintings. The colors get a little softer around the edges, the brushstrokes wander more, and the work starts to feel like those long, slow summer afternoons I’m trying to bottle.

Creativity that Moves in Seasons

Angie — Sat, 30 May 2026 03:07:54 GMT

In my last post, I talked about how I’ve basically been running AULORIA in “nightmare mode” for the past couple of years: squeezing in launches whenever I could, saying yes to too many things, and mostly just reacting to whatever was on fire that week. It kept the lights on, but it did not feel sustainable, and it definitely didn’t feel like the quiet, intentional studio life I’m actually trying to build.

This year, I’m experimenting with what sustainability might look like in my actual day-to-day life. When I zoomed out, my art year started to feel like its own little seasonal cycle. In the winter, I want the studio to go quiet on purpose so my brain and body can catch up. More blankets and warm drinks by the window and fewer deadlines blinking at me from a screen. Spring is for gentle growth and dreaming: low-stakes sketchbook time, playing with new ideas, and planning out possibilities without demanding that everything become a product right away. Summer is my making season; when school eases up and I finally have the time and energy to sink into paintings, try new media with the fan humming in the background, and draft zines while the paint water cups sweat on my desk. Then fall is my harvest season: shop updates, zine launches, and lino print drops. The air starts to cool. Shipping days smell like cardboard, ink, and chai. People are ready to bring new art into their spaces.

Photo by Ahmed Fareed

To make that seasonal rhythm possible, I’m also being a little more honest with myself about money. Keeping AULORIA running costs about $300 a month right now—web hosting, platforms, supplies, and all the quiet infrastructure that makes the visible art possible. My hope is that Substack can quietly cover that baseline through paid subscriptions: roughly sixty people at the $5/month tier (or some mix of monthly, yearly, and a few founders) would get me there. If that piece is steady, then the other things I make—my current watercolor zine, the new zine I’m sketching for fall, and a small lino print drop later in the year—can be the little bursts on top that help me grow the studio and, occasionally, actually pay myself instead of just covering overhead.

That’s really the shape of the experiment I’m running this year: a studio that moves in seasons, with room for real rest and play, and a money plan that’s simple enough to actually live with. I don’t know yet exactly how it will shake out, but I’ll be treating this space like a lab notebook as I go, sharing what’s working (and what isn’t) so you can borrow whatever’s useful for your own creative year.

Hitting the Breaks on My Creative Business Plans

Angie — Mon, 25 May 2026 04:02:42 GMT

For the last few years, I’ve been running my art business in what I’ll now politely call “nightmare mode”. By day, I’m an elementary school art teacher. Nights and weekends I’ve been trying to create, market, and sell my watercolor paintings. On paper, it looked like a plan: teach all day, come home, make art, post online, repeat until it somehow grows into a thriving art career.

In reality, it slowly became a second full-time job that was quietly draining me. I kept thinking if I could just find the right schedule, the right platform, the right content strategy, I’d finally feel like I was “doing it right.” Instead, I ended up exhausted, discouraged, and wondering if I even liked making art anymore.

Somewhere along the way I realized that “sustainable” couldn’t just mean posting more, working harder, or finally finding the perfect system. It had to mean an art life I could actually live inside of. One that fits the reality of my body, my brain, my teaching job, my relationships, and my energy. The artwork itself has to matter more than trying to make content that works for everyone all the time, and I can’t treat my mind and body as a machine. I need a huge change.

So this year, I’m running an experiment.

For one year, I’m treating AULORIA less like a content machine and more like a working art studio you’re allowed to walk into. I’m prioritizing my actual paintings and prints again. Finishing pieces that have been lingering in the background, developing new series, learning new media like linocut printing; then letting the writing, photos, and any videos grow out of that work (instead of the other way around). Substack is where I’m keeping the studio log: the messy notes, the behind-the-scenes decisions, the experiments in making my art practice livable. YouTube will be more like a companion to that—a slower, monthly “painting podcast” vibe instead of a weekly hamster wheel.

I don’t have this all figured out. I’m not here with a neat list of five steps to fix your creative life. What I do have is a finite amount of time and energy, a body and brain with limits, and a stubborn belief that there has to be a way to make serious work without burning everything else down.

If any of that sounds relatable, I’m glad you’re here. You don’t have to be running an art business or posting online for this to matter. If you’re just trying to keep making work in the middle of a very real life, you’re in the right place. As you read, I’d love for you to notice what feels sustainable for you, where your own practice is quietly draining you, and what you might want to change. If something here resonates, come tell me about it in the comments—what you’re trying, what’s hard, what’s helping. That’s the part where we get to sit down with our drinks, exhale a little, and talk about how to make this whole art-life thing feel more livable.

Finding Creative Energy in a Very Tired Spring

Angie — Fri, 08 May 2026 03:14:22 GMT

Part 1: Plein Air Reset with a Twist

In April I finally went outside for a plein air painting day. I’d hit that familiar spring creative rut—the one that shows up right when April and May start chewing up all my energy as a teacher—and I could feel myself needing the quiet of nature to recalibrate. It had been about a year since my last plein air attempt, and that trip to Santa Teresa was beautiful but kind of brutal: I sat out in the open, fully exposed to wind, sun, bugs, and peak pollen season. I spent so much time blowing my nose and fighting my allergies that actually painting felt like an afterthought.

This time I wanted a redo that was gentler on my body and my brain, so I went back to the same park but upgraded the whole operation. I found a spot where I could look out over a wide, soft green field ringed with low hills and a hazy view of the valley beyond Then I turned my SUV into a little studio: middle of the day, rain drumming on the roof, camping mattress in the back, a pile of cozy blankets, my to‑go art bag within reach, hot chicken noodle soup in a thermos, and my Chromebook propped up with downloaded reference photos ready to go. It felt less like “artist suffering for their craft” and more like “mobile fort with paints and a sketchbook,” which was exactly the energy I needed to coax myself out of that rut.

When I actually settled in, the weather did that dramatic spring thing where it went from full downpour to soft, misty calm. Rain was streaming down the windows when I parked, turning the whole view into this blurred green, and then slowly the sky relaxed and the world outside my little car-cave sharpened back into focus. As soon as the storm eased up, the sound flipped from white-noise rain to birdsong—flocks of finches dropped into the dried wildflowers right in front of me, shaking seeds loose while a ground squirrel hustled around their feet to grab whatever fell.

Everything in the landscape was shifting too fast to chase directly, so I opened my Chromebook, pulled up a deer reference, and painted from that while I paused every few minutes just to watch the tiny harvest happening outside my hatch. A couple of moths drifted in to check on my progress, the soup stayed hot, and the whole thing felt quietly, solidly good. It wasn’t about making a perfect painting; it was about proving to myself that I could build a version of plein air that actually works for my body and brain—and that there are more painting adventures waiting for me this summer.

If you’re interested in what’s in my Plein Air Bag, click here:

Plein Air Painting Kit

Part 2: Inspiration that was Worth the Wait

April also finally gave me room to circle back to a painting I’ve wanted to do since December. Last winter I made a small 5x7 draft horse piece for a zine and immediately knew I needed to see that horse bigger, but life just kept crowding in even after the holidays. The larger version is 12x19 inches, which is a massive jump in scale and a massive jump in commitment: all the little suggested shapes from the original suddenly needed sharper edges and real detail, and I knew from the beginning this wasn’t going to be a quick 1–2 hour experiment.

You can find the “Horses in Winter” Zine here: "Horses in Winter" Zine

I started the big draft horse during my spring break and got most of the main painting done that week, but the colored pencil details have turned into a slow drip of 30–60 minute sessions over the last month—little pockets of time stolen back from busy teacher season. Right now it’s resting on top of my fine art printer, sweet-faced and half-surrounded by an unfinished patch of wildflowers, quietly waiting for me to come back and finish the field. This painting has stretched me in all the best ways, and once it’s done it’ll be tucked safely into storage to wait for a big fall shop update. I’ll be sharing more about it as we get closer, with little hints about what I have planned for September and beyond (plus some fun surprises especially for Substack!)”

Part 3: Borrowed Inspiration and Dreamy Watercolors

When Deepdeeplight first previewed the Lullaby palette on their site, it felt weirdly personal, like someone had built a greatest-hits tray out of my favorite colors, added several I’d been eyeing, and then topped it with a brand new shade called “Lullaby.” I pick up palettes I’m excited about pretty regularly, but this one felt very “me” in a way I couldn’t ignore. I was itching to swatch every color and see how they played together.

Deepdeeplight is already my favorite brand to paint with, and the women who run it are wonderful to work with, so sharing their new work felt like getting to brag about a friend. Once I dug into the story behind the name—Santa’s dream of childlike innocence, bears on bicycles, an elephant floating with the help of a hot air balloon—it clicked straight into my own memories of loving carousels. I kept thinking of those wild, whimsical animals carved into motion, decked out in bright colors and plastic gems, and it suddenly felt obvious: of course this needed carousel animals. I ended up choosing four of my favorite mounts—a horse, rabbit, camel, and lion—and turned them into simple line illustrations that felt more like coloring book pages I’d made for myself.

Download the Templates for Free!

Carousel Painting Templates

12.2MB ∙ PDF file

The pressure dropped away and I could just relax into the painting, watching this curated little world of color dance together inside the lines. Afterward, I built tiny altars around each piece for the photos: dried lavender (which is still quietly scenting the studio), warm brass keys and butterflies, a deep blue table runner I’m absolutely bringing back for winter, a frosted-glass horse globe my husband gave me, and a tiny rabbit figurine that reminds me of the knickknacks my grandma kept. All of it layered together into this cozy, nostalgic little universe. In the end, my hope with the Lullaby video and the free templates is simple: that they nudge you to pull out your own paints and supplies, and follow your own happy memories and dreams onto the page.

Join the Sketchbook Challenge!

Studio Update: Horses in Winter

Angie — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 01:06:03 GMT

New Art Collection: Horses in Winter

February was a very busy month! I released a new art collection in my shop all about horses enjoying storms and snow.

“Foggy Morning” 8x8 in.

I created several mini watercolor paintings of horses. I wanted to explore creating mini paintings and atmospheric settings. Originally, I wanted this to be a fall collection, but the series was postponed due to health reasons. (I’m fine now.)

Though in the moment it was frustrating, I’m glad it was delayed so that I could paint snow. I had not painted snow before and it was a lot of fun!

I ended up with a lot of sketchbook paintings as well. I tried out new paints, color combinations, and different art styles. My favorite painting ended up being inside my sketchbook and I would LOVE to recreate it on larger paper. I used several of my favorite paints from Deep Deep Light Watercolors. I used the color “Velvet” for the grey, moody sky. The weeds and dried grasses were created by using lots of water with “Soul of the Oak” so that the colors within the paint would bloom and separate. It was such a lovely texture! The blue roan coat of the horse was “Asphalt”, which has quickly become one of my new favorite paints! I feel like I just bought it and I’m almost out. I finished the details with my Caran d’Ache Luminance Colored Pencils.

AULORIA Website and Shop

I Created a Zine!

I made, what I am considering, my first zine. Technically, I had produced one back in 2018, but it was terrible! (I really had no idea what I was doing and it was pretty cringy. I also didn’t take it terribly seriously.) But I am so proud of this newest and definitely first zine!

It has all of the Horses in Winter paintings, all my sketchbook paintings, sketches, color palette, and more! I had no idea what an undertaking this would be, but I think it turned out really well.

I ended up using a print on demand service for this project so that those outside of the United States that wanted a copy could order one. You can view the entire book by clicking below. I would love to know what you think!

Check out the Zine!

Fill a Sketchbook Update

I am still working on my Fill a Sketchbook Challenge. I did some painting in February, but I have some catching up to do in March to make my April 5th deadline. It has been so nice to follow other painters’ styles and tutorials. It’s so relaxing and inspiring. It’s also not too late to join in the fun! I have a whole post about how you can participate.

That’s all for February! I’ll be spending March recharging my battery but sharing the process with you in a few weeks! Until then, thank you for reading and take care! <3

Fill a Sketchbook with Me!

Angie — Sat, 03 Jan 2026 07:53:52 GMT

Welcome to a New Year! I’ll be filling up a brand new watercolor sketchbook and you’re invited to join in the fun! This beginner friendly challenge is perfect for any level artist to brush up on their skills. We’ll have 3 months to complete each of the 24 step by step tutorials of various watercolor styles, subjects, and techniques.

1. Gather your materials.

2. Paint with me during the Livestreams or Watch the next video in the playlist (on my YouTube channel) to follow along!

3. Join me on April 5th to celebrate and watch the sketchbook tour!

Follow along to fill your first page in this video.

8 Inch Bird

521KB ∙ PDF file

8 Inch Bird

521KB ∙ PDF file

Materials:
The links below are Amazon Affiliate links for products I’ve used in the video in case you’re wanting to try them yourself. They will direct you to the Amazon website. Purchasing after using one of these links provides me a small commission.

Princeton Aqua Elite Watercolor Brushes: https://amzn.to/4gcKmeO
MEEDEN Round Porcelain Watercolor Palette: https://amzn.to/44EgUeV
Acid Free Artist Tape: https://amzn.to/4rZnF4O
Scotch Washi Tape: https://amzn.to/4s9vm8F
US Art Supply Sketchbook: https://amzn.to/4axI4I9
Tumuarta Mini Sketchbook: https://amzn.to/48OXoyF
Winsor and Newton Cotman Watercolor Set: https://amzn.to/45HpTNg

Winter Watercolor Tutorial

Angie — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 18:19:30 GMT

Happy Holidays! Enjoy this step-by-step tutorial with a downloadable template.

Reindeer Template

24.9KB ∙ PDF file

Fall Favorites and New in the Studio

Angie — Tue, 11 Nov 2025 20:07:26 GMT

It’s my favorite season so I thought I’d share some fall treats! (By treats, I mean non-edible but still very satisfying ways to get you into seasonal spirits). So grab a drink and get ready for a cozy catch-up heavily inspired by autumn. Enjoy!

Watercolor Decor

First, I have a very simple watercolor activity to kick off the fun fall festivities. I created a tutorial on how to create a watercolor leaf garland to decorate your space. One viewer commented she was going to do this with her kids (so cute)!

If you’re wanting some color inspiration, I also swatched my favorite watercolors for this fall. You can view a downloadable PDF of the swatches in my swatch library here on Substack! Swatch Library

Shop Update

I’ve been busy creating a series of paintings called “Horses and Storms”. I have started with some mini paintings to get warmed up. Here in California the weather has still felt like summer most days; so I’m painting misty mornings and crisp autumn air hoping that it will become a reality soon. I’m really looking forward to listening to a rainstorm outside my studio window.

Trying New Art Supplies

I’ve recently treated myself to a few new art supplies, one of which I recently tried out. I picked up a tube of Daniel Smith’s Bloodstone Genuine and tried it out in my sketchbook. I look forward to finishing this sketchbook page and the results will be on my YouTube Channel soon! AULORIA YouTube Channel

I also decided to invest in the Derwent Drawing Pencil set of 36. They now sell sets from 12 to 72 pencils. I swatched each of them on white paper and also on top of gray watercolor to see how opaque they were. There is a downloadable PDF of these swatches in the Library as well.

What I’m Watching: Fall Edition

Since it is the season of all things cozy, I thought I would also include some of my favorite videos in the last month. I hope you’re inspired to curl up with a blanket and something pumpkin spice flavored as you watch.

Natasha Newton

Natasha just produced her first zine! I’m so excited for her (and me too since I’m currently waiting for one to arrive)! Sit back and enjoy a flip-through of a beautiful autumn-themed zine of her folk art inspired paintings.

Morgan Evelyn Cook

I watch a Morgan video if I need a good giggle, some encouragement, and practical ways to navigate a somewhat stressful existence. Her Fall Reset video this year is so fun and down-to-earth. If 2025 has been a bit rough and you need a girlfriend to have para social coffee with, Morgan is your person.

AlexrainbirdMusic

I love putting on playlists from alexrainbirdMusic, especially during the fall. Here’s their indi/folk playlist for November 2025.

That’s all for now! I would love to hear from you in the comments!

<3 Angie aka Auloria

Dipping My Toes into Plein Air Painting

Angie — Mon, 21 Apr 2025 01:23:08 GMT

Santa Teresa Park in San Jose, CA - Photo by Angie Nichols

Spring is always very busy for me but this year was busier than most. I released some new artwork for sale and my students had a huge art show last week. All of my physical and creative reserves were being spent and I found myself not wanting to move or make anything by the time it was done. It was ok for a day or two. Then I found myself in a funk of creative block and imposter syndrome mixed with a dash of lethargy. In the past, this would start a downward spiral of questioning my worth as an artist, but now I know it’s just plain tiredness. Nothing to panic about, but certainly something to address.

I decided that I needed to change a few things about my art practice and business to put more preventative measures in place. I knew there were a few things I needed to pull myself out of creative block.

Rest: I needed to rest my mind and body AND be ok with it. I needed to give myself permission. I found myself feeling guilty and continually needing to remind myself that rest is part of being productive. If I wanted to play computer games or binge watch a show for hours, it was ok.
Get out of the house: I am introverted and will become a hermit given the chance. Getting outside, getting fresh air, being exposed to a healthy amount of sunlight all seemed like good ideas. Just a change of environment helps to bring me out of negative head spaces.
Easy to do: If I’m already feeling like becoming a permanent fixture on my couch, generating motivation to do something outside of routines can be difficult. Whatever I was going to do, it needed to have a path of little resistance.
Creative: I really wanted to paint. I missed making beautiful things since I had spend the past month either working on administrative or logistical tasks.

I have a few art buddies that enjoy plein air painting (painting outside), so I thought I would give it a try. It checked all the boxes of what I was looking for in a new, creative activity. The next step would be assembling my “plein air to-go bag”.

Product links are Amazon affiliate links. I’m not sponsored by any of these products, but purchasing after following these links does give me a small commission.

I wanted a bag of supplies that I could just have ready to go. The first thing I researched was a paint palette. I ended up using the Etchr Mini Palette with 19 wells. It came with a mixing palette and I prefer using porcelain. I filled it with a few paints from Daniel Smith, Schmincke, and Winsor and Newton.

I have been loving my Princeton Aqua Elite paint brushes, so I got a small set to have in my to-go bag wrapped in an inexpensive brush roll from Funny Live. I also packed a couple of small sketchbooks, water cups, pencils, and other essentials. (A full materials list is at the bottom of the post.)

My husband and his family love to hike, so I picked what seemed to be a scenic park and asked them to come along. I did not want to be alone in a new, and remote, place. We let the heat of the day and harsh lighting pass before arriving at around 4:30pm. It was a beautiful day and couldn’t have asked for better weather. There were picnic tables and a few benches near the entrance of the park, but I wanted to discover new locations as well. I took my wagon, camping chair, small folding table, and to-go plein air bag and started down the trail.

It didn’t take long to find a shady spot to set up. My family continued down the trail and by the time I was sitting and painting, I heard my name being called. They decided to call me from each hilltop they visited. So as I painted and felt myself going back into the creative “zone”, tiny figures would appear on various hilltops to summon my attention. It was silly and fun. I had a wonderful time painting while listening to birds and the wind in the tall grass. Occasionally, friendly hikers would pass and say hello.

After completing a painting in my sketchbook, I decided to pack my little wagon and head back to the trail head to take some pictures. I also had a hard time with allergies while I was painting so I wanted to take a small break in my car. After a small snack break I took some more pictures. Many birds started singing and a few cows also kept me company for a while.

The sun started to set and I got a few more pictures before it disappeared behind a hill. My family appeared not long after and we started for home.

I felt so much better the next day. It wasn’t a total fix. I don’t want to give the impression that just spending a few hours outside can undo burnout, but it was a good step in the process. Paying attention to my sleep, diet, water consumption, etc. over the course of a couple of weeks also played a part in recovery.

If you haven’t tried plein air painting, I whole-heartedly recommend at least trying it. I do also advise to be well-prepared for going, especially if you’re going to more remote locations. Below is a list of supplies I brought along with me. It’s not an exhaustive list, but it might help you think through your own adventures.

*Materials List:

*I am not sponsored by any of these companies. Opinions about these materials are my own and I purchased all of these items myself. Following the link will lead you to Amazon and purchasing after using these links will give me a small commission.

Watercolor Swatch Library

Angie — Tue, 18 Mar 2025 22:50:30 GMT

Below you will find downloadable picture files of paints that I’ve swatched. I hope they are helpful to you. I’ll continue to add onto this post each time I swatch new watercolors, so this would be a great post to save!

Ds Primatek Swatch 1

316KB ∙ PDF file

Ds Primatek Swatch 2

452KB ∙ PDF file

Palette 2026

395KB ∙ PDF file

Fall Palette 2025

641KB ∙ PDF file

Derwent Drawing Set Of 36

683KB ∙ PDF file

Winsor And Newton Swatch Download

1020KB ∙ PDF file

Deep Deep Light Swatch Download

10.2MB ∙ PDF file

Holbein Swatches

4.46MB ∙ PDF file

Schmincke

319KB ∙ PDF file

Daniel Smith Swatch Download

1.01MB ∙ PDF file

Hello, my name is Angie.

Angie — Sun, 16 Feb 2025 09:07:32 GMT

Hi. My name is Angie. I’ve been making art for most of my life, but I feel like I’m just starting to live like one. Art has been something “on the back burner” for many years but I finally took the leap to start selling my paintings. I spent all of 2024 preparing for the launch of my first collection of paintings to be put up for sale and opened up shop about a month ago.

“Rabbit” 11x14 Acrylic Ink Painting...

So far, starting a business has been pretty wild; and hopefully, someone will find me voicing my journey helpful. I also am dipping my toe into multiple brands of watercolors and other art supplies at the moment. I’d love to share my discoveries on here as well as new projects I’m working on.

If that sounds like a good time to you, I have a button you can push so that we can continue the conversation as things progress. I’m just going to leave this here in case you want to click on something…