Jane Davenport's Blog
September 20, 2025
July 29, 2025
ARTventure Creative Prompts!
ARTventure in August is a month-long creative journey through the world’s most iconic galleries, masterpieces, and muses — with a playful twist. Each of the 31 daily prompts invites you to imagine yourself inside the artwork. Sketch, paint, collage or doodle — whatever your style, these prompts are your invitation to make art history yours!
Here is a drag and print version:
And here it is:
1. Undulating at the Uffizi
Strike a muse-like pose and let your limbs flow like drapery in a Renaissance fresco.
2. Bawling with Birth of Venus
Draw yourself overcome with emotion, standing soggy-eyed before Botticelli’s seashell superstar.
3. Pondering Primavera
Sketch your inner thoughts as you drift through an enchanted garden of eternal spring.
4. Marvelling at Mars and Venus
Capture your reaction to the god of war snoring while Venus smirks — romance or roast?
5. Tiptoeing through the Tate
Did you just miss the last exit bell? Sneak through the contemporary masterpieces, wide-eyed and a little worried!
6. Lollygoggling at the Louvre
Home of the Mona Lisa and a few other paintings.
7. Peeking at the Pre-Raphaelites
Draw yourself amidst flowing hair and dreamy stares.
8. Fainting at the Feet of David
Overwhelmed by Michelangelo’s marble magnificence?!
9. Blushing with Botticelli’s Graces
Tangle yourself into their swirling dance!
10. Sketching with da Vinci
Peek into his journal- what inventions do you see?
11. Can-Canning with Toulouse
High kicks and higher spirits!
12. Lounging with Lempicka
Sculpt your silhouette in sharp Deco lines and lipstick fierceness.
13. Reclining with Renoir
Stretch out in sun-dappled garden bliss, maybe with cake.
14. Voguing with Vermeer
Turn the light, the pearls, and the silence into a runway moment.
15. Pinch Your-Self with Picasso
Twist your features, rearrange your face — a Cubist selfie!
16. Musing with Modigliani
Elongate your neck and your imagination mid-poetic sigh.
17. Flouncing with Frida at Casa Azul
18. Sighing in the Sistine Chapel
Gaze up to that heavenly ceiling drama.
19. Twisting with Ingres
An over-the-shoulder pose with a neck that’s just a little too long.
20. Gawking at Guernica
Imagine your reaction if you stumbled into Picasso’s most intense canvas — mid-scream or mid-sketch?
21. Sunbathing with the Sunflowers
Soak up Van Gogh’s golden glow — are you one of the flowers, or just visiting?
22.Wading into Waterlilies
Step into Monet’s pond (literally!) — draw the scene from inside the swirl.
23. Partying in a Piero della Francesca Painting
Geometric halos and solemn stares — what happens if someone cracks a joke?
24. Posing with the Muses of Gauguin
Reclining Polynesian goddess, surrounded by parrots, patterns, and maybe a coconut or two.
25. Wandering with the Woman with a Parasol
Hold tight to your parasol and let the wind ruffle your skirt.
26. Hiding in a Hieronymus Bosch
Find yourself tucked into a surreal world of flying fish and mischievous snails.
27. Spinning in a Starry Night
Who snuck snacks into the hallowed halls? Oh, it’s you with crumbs and a sketchpad.
28. Daydreaming with Degas’ Dancers
Capture yourself backstage with the ballerinas — are you stretching or snoozing?
29. Painting with the Powdered Shadows of Laurencin
Use her signature shades: dusty rose, dove grey, baby blue, and ballet slipper white.
30. Reposing with Raphael’s cherubs
Halos slightly askew, wings ruffled — virtue with a side of mischief.
31. Teleporting through the Timeline of Art
Mash-up your favorite moments from the month into one glorious time-traveling ARTventure
June 18, 2025
These Pencils Paint: The Watercolour Pencil Combo That Changed My Art
Let me tell you a little art story…
I was at one of my weekend mermaid retreats—surrounded by color, creativity, and joy—when it happened.
I picked up a WaterWand pencil and started sketching on a fresh sheet of Flip watercolor paper… and when I brushed water over the lines, something shifted.
✨ The sketch didn’t disappear.
✨ The lines didn’t blur into nothing.
✨ They softened—glowed—melted into the painting.
It was like the pencil had turned into paint, and the paper… had invited it in.
️ What Are WaterWands?WaterWands are my signature watercolor pencils—rich in pigment, soft on the page, and designed for layering, shading, and dreamy blending.
You can:
Sketch with them like a regular pencil
Activate them with water (or clear gesso, matte medium, or even acrylic paint!)
Use them under LayerCakes or other paints for luminous underdrawings
Blend areas and still keep beautiful definition
They’re a dream tool for art journalers, illustrators, and mixed-media mermaids.
And Flip Watercolor Paper?Flip is a watercolor paper pad with a smooth, velvety surface that holds pigment just right. It allows watercolor pencils to grab on—without the grainy scratch of traditional papers—and gives you soft gradients, glowy edges, and that painterly magic I adore.
The combo is pure joy.
✨ Watch the Magic in Action:I just made a new video showing you exactly how I use them!
Click here to watch: “These Watercolor Pencils Feel Like Painting with Magic”
It’s a real-time demonstration, full of helpful tips, satisfying swatches, and unusual techniques I use to blend, layer, and bring my characters to life.
️ My Favorite Supplies from the Video:✔️ WaterWands – soft, juicy, vibrant
✔️ Flip Watercolor Pad – paper that lets your pencils shine
✔️ Brush With Fame – my go-to brush for smooth activation
✔️ White Paint Pen – for final flourishes and tiny twinkles
Want it all? I made a special bundle for you!
It includes WaterWands, a matching pencil sharpener, and my wrap-up pencil roll (which fits them all snug as mermaids in a cove).
Grab the Magical Bundle here →
Final Thoughts
Sometimes the most magical art happens when you combine tools that just click.
That’s what this combo is for me—WaterWands + Flip Paper = painterly magic in your hands.
I hope you’ll try them and experience it too.
And if you do—tag me, share it, or drop me a note. I’d love to see your art bloom!
With sparkles, sketchy joy, and pencils that paint,
Jane
May 29, 2025
Pop Up SHop!
We are off to Melbourne again!
The Melbourne Pen & Stationery Show is Australia’s premier event for lovers of fine writing instruments, stationery, and craftsmanship. Whether you’re a collector, enthusiast, or simply appreciate the art of handwriting, the Melbourne Pen & Stationery Show brings together vendors, artisans, and experts from across the world. Explore an incredible selection of pens, inks, notebooks, and other stationery items. Meet talented makers showcasing handcrafted pens, experience live nib grinding and customisation, and connect with fellow pen lovers. Join us for one day of discovery, inspiration, and all things pen-related.
Come and see us and all the wonderful exhibitors. Get your tickets here:
https://melbpenshow.com.au/exhibitors/jane-davenport/
Colour Confidence Quiz
️ What’s your Confidence Colour?
Think of it like a personal palette prescription that taps into your mood, creative style, and colour energy.Want to know which colour matches your creative confidence right now?
Take this short, fun quiz and discover the hue that’s whispering:
“You’ve got this.”
QUIZ FORMAT
Choose the answer that feels most “you” today:
1. When you sit down to create, your biggest challenge is…
A. Getting started at all
B. Choosing a colour
C. Letting go of expectations
D. Feeling like your art is “good enough”
2. Your art feels best when it’s…
A. Joyful and free
B. Thoughtful and calm
C. Bold and brave
D. Gentle and emotional
3. If confidence were a brushstroke, it would be…
A. A swirly, sparkly curl
B. A smooth, steady line
C. A spontaneous splatter
D. A quiet wash that grows stronger
4. Pick a mantra:
A. “Messy is magic.”
B. “I can begin again.”
C. “My colours are valid.”
D. “I am an artist already.”
RESULTS: Your Confidence Colour Is…
Mostly A’s: PINK
You shine through joy. Pink reminds you to play, explore, and not take yourself too seriously. Your art comes alive when you let yourself enjoy the process.
Mostly B’s: BLUE
You radiate calm confidence. Blue invites you to trust yourself and embrace the quiet moments. You don’t need to rush—your creativity flows in your own rhythm.
Mostly C’s: YELLOW
You thrive on boldness and big ideas. Yellow fuels your courage, joy, and willingness to try new things. When you follow your creative instincts, you glow.
Mostly D’s: PURPLE
You have a gentle strength. Purple reminds you that vulnerability and depth are beautiful. Your art has soul—and every mark you make matters.
Why These Colours? A smART Choice
This Colour Confidence Test isn’t just whimsical—it’s rooted in colour psychology and principles often used in art therapy and emotional design. Each colour reflects specific emotional and psychological traits that support creative confidence.
These connections aren’t random—research shows that colour can influence mood, behaviour, and even our nervous system. So when you pick your confidence colour, you’re also tapping into a deeper understanding of how you create best.
This is how we blend heart with art—we’re not just playful, we’re smARTful.
xoxo
Jane
April 30, 2025
Mermayzing Creative Zine!
April 21, 2025
SuperStar watercolour!
Find the HUErovision watercolours here:
April 6, 2025
Mastering Mixed Media- FREE workshops!
Hello, creative friend!
I’ve been bursting at the seams to share this news with you: I’ll be teaching a brand-new online workshop, as my contribution to the Mastering Mixed Media Expo 2025—hostd by Tam Laporte aka Willowing! It’s absolutely FREE to attend!
Think of this session as a chance to stitch together your watercolour supplies into a tapestry of vibrant color. During my hour-long video:
We’ll explore my go-to layering and blending techniques to create wild, juicy abstracts.You’ll discover how to incorporate lots of colors while keeping everything delightfully harmonious.We’ll even weave in some mermaid magic—using a free collage sheet I’ve prepared for you, taking your new backgrounds on a splashy adventure under the sea!
Dates: May 1st–14th, 2025
What You’ll Get:
35+ free art sessions from a colourful patchwork of mixed media artistsAccess to a private Facebook Group of like-minded creatives.Opportunities to enter giveaways—including a chance to win a VIP Pass for lifetime access.Freebies from every teacher (including my special collage sheet!)
If you’d like to keep all these sessions forever, plus snag a virtual gift bag of amazing bonus classes, PDFs, collage sheets, and more, consider upgrading to VIP access at £59(normally £99) before the event ends.
VIP Link: Upgrade Here!
April 4, 2025
Living a Creative Life Podcast
Living a creative Life Podcast
