Let’s make things super accessible by going small! This Mindfultober prompt is “Tiny” and we’re going to use petite paper and mini marks to create something cute and soothing. Going tiny encourages us to focus on the small details that make a big impact. This prompt is very dear to my heart as I love working small – it’s one of the easiest ways to make creating accessible. In this step-by-step guide, I will show you how to paint a twinkling night sky, mindfully.

Step 1: Gather Your Supplies

Before we dive into the creative process, let’s make sure you’ve got all the necessary supplies at hand:

• Metallic watercolour paint: I’m using handmade metallic watercolours, but commercially available ones are just as good.
• Your favourite dark watercolours: These will form the background to this piece. Tubes or pans work just as well.
• A palette: To mix up your dark background colour.
• A big wash brush: This makes painting the background quick and satisfying, but you can always use a regular brush if you don’t have one of these.
• A small brush: This is for adding the ‘Tiny’ details – go for one of your smallest brushes
• Tiny paper: I have a tiny watercolour sketchbook I made myself, you can use a small piece of watercolour paper, or mark off a small section of a larger piece of paper.
• Two glasses of water: One to clean your brush, one to get fresh water from. Metallic watercolours contaminate brushes really easily, so make sure you do use two glasses of water here (and clean your brush well afterwards).
• Paper towel or cloth: to dry your brushes
• A heat tool or hairdryer (or patience!): We’ll be working in layers so you’ll need to either wait for each layer to dry, or use something to speed up the process.

With your supplies in place, you’re ready to start your Mindfultober journey!

Step 2: Add Water to Activate the Metallic Paint

Metallic watercolours take a little longer than normal watercolours to activate, so add water to them first and leave it to work it’s magic. This step is crucial to getting a really deep sparkle and shine from those paints.

Step 3: Create a Dark Watercolour Mixture

Mix up a dark watercolour mixture that speaks to you today. I’m mixing Paynes Gray and Phthalo Turquoise, but you chose whatever colours you like. The deep, dark tones will provide a stunning backdrop for the “tiny” details that will follow.

Step 4: Cover the Page in Your Dark Colour

Apply the dark watercolour mixture to cover your entire page. I recommend using a large brush for this because it is immensely satisfying but more normal sized brushes do the job just as well.

This is just your first layer, so don’t worry if it’s not as dark as you were hoping for. We’ll be applying two more layers to get it nice and dark.

Step 5: Dry This Layer / Allow It to Dry

Take a moment to either dry the layer with a heat tool or let it air dry naturally if you have the time and the patience (I don’t so I use a heat gun).

Step 6: Paint a 2nd Layer of the Dark Colour

To deepen the background, add a second layer of your dark watercolour mixture. By gradually building up the colour like this we can make sure we get a deep colour, without any of the odd shininess you can get if you use watercolours too thickly.

Step 7: Dry This Layer / Allow It to Dry

Repeat the drying process, ensuring that this layer is also thoroughly dry before proceeding.

Step 8: If Needed, Mix Up More Background Colour

I ran out of my mix here, so if that happens to you, don’t worry and just mix up some more. We’ve got one more layer to paint.

Step 9: Paint a 3rd Layer of the Dark Colour

Apply the third layer of the dark colour. This should leave you with a lovely, rich background colour when it dries. If not, simply paint more layers until it does.

Step 10: Dry This Layer / Allow It to Dry

As before, allow this layer to dry completely before moving on to the next step.

Step 11: Thoroughly Mix Your Metallic Paint

Thoroughly mix your metallic paint. You’re looking for a thick, almost gloopy texture to ensure maximum shininess when dry.

Step 12: Paint Tiny Dots at Random

Using your small brush, paint dinky dots at random on your petite paper. The thick metallic paint will create a stunning contrast against the dark background.

Step 13: Paint More Dots in a Different Colour

If you have one, add another layer of tiny dots using a different metallic colour. For a dynamic and visually appealing composition, vary the size of your dots. This creates a sense of depth and variety in your piece.

Step 14: Enjoy Your Finished Art

Once you’re happy that you’ve finished your painting, step back and enjoy your finished piece. Then thank yourself for making the time to do something just for you. This prompt, “Tiny,” allowed you to appreciate the beauty of small details and the power they hold. Hopefully you found this a relaxing and fulfilling experience, allowing you to embrace the spirit of Mindfultober 2023.

See a Real Time Example for Mindfultober Tiny

You can watch my real-time example of this approach here – it’s just over 11 minutes long:

Take it Further

If you enjoyed this approach for Mindfultober Tiny, consider trying my Skillshare Class: A Mindful Approach to Practicing Watercolor: Values, Palettes & Brush Control If you don’t have a Skillshare membership, this link will give you 1 month’s free access to Skillshare, where you can take this class plus thousands of others. (If you choose to continue your access after a month with a paid subscription, I’ll be paid a small commission.)

Mindfultober Specific Blog Posts:

• Mindfultober
• Circle Part 1 of 2
• Circle Part 2 of 2
• Intertwine
• Shadow

Final Thoughts

This approach to the “Tiny” prompt for Mindfultober 2023 focuses on working in a miniature space, using large and small brush strokes to help us work mindfully while exercising our creativity freely. If you feel comfortable doing so, please do share your creations with the world and let your process inspire others to explore the peacefulness of creating “tiny” in their own lives.

The next blog post in this series will look at the 4th prompt, “Shadow”. I look forward to seeing what you create.

Happy drawing!