Tag: #arttutorial

How My Art Got Over Ten Thousand Views On A YouTube Short

*UPDATE AT THE END OF THIS ARTICLE*

After years of hard work, some doubt about the algorithm, and posting consistently (posting up to a few videos a week), one of my YouTube shorts finally got over ten thousand views. It didn’t happen overnight. It took a few days, but it reached twentyfour thousand views altogether. It’s my most viewed video to date. It’s not exactly a viral video, but it is to me!

You can watch the video here and please feel free to subscribe. It helps with my dream to be able to support my family with my art. Thank you.

“Inner Strength” is a abstract mixed media art piece created by award winning artist, Misty Lemons of Designs By Misty Blue Art. It’s made from watercolor paper and paint and polymer clay.

The video is ten seconds long and starts with me putting watercolor paint onto the rim of a disposable cup and finishes with a photo of me holding the completed art piece. I used a popular sound that would be familiar to many. I used text overlay on the video and made sure to have a detailed description and hashtags.

The beginning of the video was just a small snippet I took from my previous YouTube livestream that I sped up for time. The quick movements capture the eye and holds attention.

In my description I detailed the name of the piece (“Inner Strength”), the art materials used, and some of the process it took to create it. I also connected the livestream video where I worked on the piece as a related video.

All of this combined with consistency and a little bit of luck are what I believe helped the video get the views it has. I also recently reached over 1,000 subscribers and have heard this helps open up the algorithm more as well.

The algorithm on social media platforms can be incredibly daunting to overcome for so many, myself included. It seems fickle at best. Some people get lucky and strike gold immediately. Others can work for years with little or no returns. I always said if I can figure it out, I wouldn’t gatekeep, so I’m sharing what I learn and hope it helps others. I by no means of any stretch of the imagination have it figured out and can offer absolutely no guarantees, but this is what I’ve learned and believe it has helped me.

Above everything, stay consistent, but remember to add a description and several tags. I hope your hard work pays off for you. I’m wishing you the best and I’m rooting for you!

*UPDATE: A few days after having two shorts hit over 20,000 views in the same week, my views tanked. This happened immediately after YouTube wanted me to promote my channel. I’m thinking this is no coincidence. They seemingly opened my views to only shut it off to entice me to promote my channel. I believe this is what happened. The timing of it makes sense, unfortunately and I’ve heard of other social media platforms doing the same sort of thing to people. But I will do what I always do. Carry on. It’s a let down, but not surprising. My advice, remains the same, though. Stay consistent, but not for an algorithm. Do it for yourself. Do it for the love of your art and content. Do it because you wanna make a positive difference. Do it because it matters and means something to you, whether you have a large audience or not.*

To Learn More About Me, Shop My Art & Commissions, Please Visit My Link Tree. Thank You.

*For Educational Purposes Only

Copyrights & Reproduction Rights Belong Solely To Misty R. Lemons/Designs By Misty Blue Do Not Copy Or Reproduce

#howigotovertenthousandviewsonyoutube #art #artist #mixedmediaart #abstractart #mistylemons #designsbymistyblue

Healing and Safety: Managing a Medical Procedure While Confronting a Stalker

Hey, everyone! I’m still here. It’s been a tough time, but I’m pushing through. Between dealing with health challenges and trying to raise enough money for a procedure I’ll be having next month, I’ve also been dealing with harassment from my abuser—my father (more on that in a minute).

To keep myself going, I’ve started up the “Sharing My Art Every Day Til I Can Afford Healthcare” series again (on YouTube). I’ve got loads of artwork available, art commissions, tutorials, and a medical fundraiser up and running. If you’re interested in supporting, my family and I would be so grateful. Every bit helps!

I won’t lie—creating new work hasn’t been easy lately. I’ve been in a mental and physical “rest mode,” preparing for my upcoming procedure and, honestly, just enjoying some much-needed time with my immediate family.

Now, you might be wondering why I’m talking about my father. For years, I’ve been healing my childhood trauma and sharing that process with all of you. Staying silent only continues to protect the abuser, and I refuse to do that any longer. My story deserves to be told. It’s incredibly important to me that my story is heard—especially if something were to happen to me, I want there to be a record.

My father has stalked, harassed, and manipulated me for far too long (my whole life). I’ve told him multiple times that I don’t want him in my life—especially after he made cruel accusations to his neighbor, claiming I neglected and abused him. (It’s textbook narcissistic abuse to flip the script on their victim and accuse them of being abusive. The narc is charming to outsiders and they oftentimes will side with the narc.) Keep in mind, I was the one raising money and organizing supplies for him when his house burned down at that time. I even set up Meals on Wheels for him and got him in touch with Red Cross. It’s hard to understand how someone can be so twisted and diabolical, especially to recruit people to exact his cruel bidding even more.

He also told my brother I’m not his child, that he never treated me like I was. (He finally said the quiet part out loud! Now that’s closure!) But I did an Ancestry DNA test, and surprise—turns out, I am his child, just like my mom always said. It’s not shocking to me at this point. What I’ve learned over the years is that he’s cruel, manipulative, exploitative, and abusive. I’ve had enough of that. *YouTube Video Discussing This And Recent Events More In Depth*

I deserve peace. I deserve love. And I deserve happiness.

So, I’m focusing on keeping my spirits up and staying busy when I can, but I’m also giving myself permission to take things slowly and to talk about what’s happened and happening to me now.

I want to thank you all so much for your support and kindness. It truly means the world to me. I’ll try to keep you updated on everything, as it’s important to document things for safety, and I’m so grateful to have you in my corner. Take care of yourselves and I’ll see you soon!

Award Winning Artist, Misty Lemons of Designs By Misty Blue Art holding a watercolor painting she created live on YouTube, showing a technique she uses to calm her anxiety

To learn more about me and my art or if you’d like to offer support, please visit my Link Tree! Thank you so much!

Copyrights Reproduction Rights Belong Solely To Misty Lemons/Designs By Misty Blue Do Not Copy Or Reproduce

*For Educational Purposes Only

*For Legal Purposes, Statements Made Here & Other Platforms Are Opinion & Are Alleged

Call To Action: Art Kits For Kids

When I was kid, I had to use my school supplies as my art supplies. This is problematic because I had to be careful not to over use them, especially my markers. I needed them for school, so I didn’t get to create as much as I wanted and that hindered my ability to grow my art skills. As an adult, I’ve wondered what I could do to help children who may be in the situation I was in.

The first parrot was drawn in marker by 10 year old artist, Misty (Lemons) & the second parrot was done in watercolor later in her life (in her early 40s).

I was recently inspired by those little free libraries people put in their yards. I wondered how could I do something like that, but with art supplies. After some thought, I questioned whether that would be a good idea because all it takes is one hooligan painting up the neighborhood and I’d be on the hook for the shenanigans.

Intent to not be deterred, I reached out to a couple of arty people I know who have connections within the community that I don’t have as of yet and I suggested an art supply drop off. People can drop off gently used or new art supplies and those in need or want of said supplies are free to come get them. I just needed a location. This would potentially benefit adults and children.

My contact with the Mansfield Commission For The Arts (Texas) is helping me with a location they have available that would work for this. My other contact suggested I could make art kits for kids and distribute them to local food banks.

I love this idea, but lack funding. So, I’ve put together an Amazon Wishlist with supplies I’ll need to put together quality art kits for children. The kits will include an affirmations for kids coloring book, a watercolor how to book, a how to draw almost everything book, watercolor paint, brushes, markers, pencils, paper, and more.

I don’t want to skimp on quality. I remember when I was a kiddo around the holidays, well meaning relatives would occasionally gift me art supplies that were, most likely from a dollar store, and were mostly unusable. These kits should last the children a long time.

Artist Misty Lemons of Designs By Misty Blue Art Holding Up A Watercolor Painting She Created In Her Little Art Studio

If you are an artist or someone who wants to support young artists, maybe this is an idea you could implement in your community. I’d love to see this become a trend. Art is therapeutic. It expands the mind and soothes the soul. I think our communities would greatly benefit from a movement like this.

I’m starting off with 100 kits. If it’s successful, I may do more. I’m not sure where I will store everything (possibly my garage), but first things first. I have to acquire the supplies. If you would like to help, please spread the word and donate something on the wishlist. Thank you so much for your support!

*For Educational Purposes Only

Copyrights Reproduction Rights Belong Solely To Misty Lemons/Designs By Misty Blue Do Not Copy Or Reproduce

Creative Living With Chronic Illnesses

Sometimes, I wonder how my life would be different had I not had chronic illnesses. Unfortunately, I’ve been ill in one way or another the majority of my life, so I can’t really say how it could’ve been. Anything I imagine would only be a dream.

Here I am contemplating my next art piece, or wondering how I can afford to go to the doctor, or both

Health is wealth that is easy to take for granted if you have it. And society just isn’t set up to be accommodating to those with illnesses or disabilities. I mean, think about it. It starts early in life. Schools reward and praise the kids that never miss a day, whether they’re sick or not. It’s like they’re saying they don’t care if you’re sick and taking care of yourself is shamed when you don’t get the accolades of perfect attendance. But health is a privilege and so is healthcare, when they should be human rights.

America is one of the richest countries in the world and it’s where I happened to be born. But capitalism, greed, rugged individualism, bigotry, and eugenics are heavily integrated into the systems that run our country and many a people have been fighting it, demanding change and equity/equality for a long time.

My mother was disabled. I had a front row seat to see just how difficult life is for someone with chronic illnesses and disabilities. She worked hard to make sure we had healthcare, a clean house and clothes, and food to eat, but government assistance only goes so far. By the end of every month free school lunches were our primary source for food.

Now, as an adult in need of access to healthcare, I’m well aware that to even be considered for government assistance in my state, you have to be at or below poverty level. Working class folks who are scraping by can’t afford health insurance or healthcare in general. Subsidies help on income tax, but what about now, in this moment? And deductibles are in the thousands, so you’re just throwing money away and not many physicians even take Obamacare, so the task of finding a decent doctor is even more slim than they are without Obamacare.

My health started to really decline in my teens. I had proof from my doctor that I was suffering and needed an accommodation to take an elevator instead of stairs to get to my second story classes. I was denied that accommodation because I looked fine. I wasn’t in a wheelchair or on crutches. I was in an incredible amount of pain, but looked perfectly healthy. The whole “suck it up” mentality and way of forcing others to do things they shouldn’t doesn’t work. At least, for the ones being forced. I quit school. I didn’t see any other option. I couldn’t carry what felt like fifty pounds of books up and down stairs on my back day in and day out. (My classes were nowhere near the locker I was provided, so I was forced to carry all my books) I physically couldn’t do it.

My mom pushed to get me into a one story alternative school and that’s where I was until I almost died from an ectopic pregnancy and then a few months after that my dad tried to kill my mother in a crowbar attack. I left school for good after that. I took on the responsibility of caring for my mom and brother until she moved away to be closer to my dad while he was in prison. But those are stories for a different time. Let’s get back to living with chronic illnesses.

Here’s a *glamor shot* of my mom. We went to the mall, when I was 13, to get our pictures done. We had so much fun being made up and dressed up, but wound up only being able to get this picture and one of me. It was way too expensive.

Finding gainful employment as a person with chronic illnesses and/or disabilities is incredibly difficult, if not impossible. So many jobs aren’t understanding when you need to take time off to receive healthcare, when you need to rest and recuperate, don’t provide health insurance, or they don’t want to provide even the most basic of accommodations to help you perform at your job, such as working from home. Most work without accommodations, are under paid, work til their bodies simply can’t anymore, don’t have a job, are homeless, or are self-employed.

I’ve been working as a self-employed artist for the past twenty plus years. I’ve been fortunate that my husband has been the main provider of our family and he encourages me to follow my dream. But anyone can become disabled at any time of their life and he now has some health issues as well. His employer doesn’t offer health benefits and his pay was recently cut, as well as the position he held. So, I’m now creating art tutorials in the hopes to supplement our income. I’ve also joined a local art group, so that I can exhibit and potentially sell my artwork.

My whole family needs to see a doctor for all different reasons, but we just can’t afford it. I’m now suffering from gastrointestinal issues and need testing and to see a specialist, but it’s not going to happen unless I can move some of my art and tutorials or accept donations through fundraising.

Here I am with one of my art tutorial pieces. It’s a watercolor fairy garden mushroom.

Back in 2011, I had thyroid cancer and now my doctor is concerned I could potentially have a gi type cancer. If that turns out to be the case, I don’t think I’ll be able to fight it with the financial situation we’re in now and that terrifies me. I’m trying to stay positive and have been doing PayPal fundraisers. But I can’t do this alone. My family and I appreciate your support. Whether you donate, purchase my art and art tutorials, or share my posts on social media. Thank you.

You can find all my Links HERE

Copyrights & Reproduction Rights Belong Solely To: Misty R. Lemons/Designs By Misty Blue Do Not Copy

*For Educational Purposes Only

“Lone Wolf” Watercolor Painting – A Story Of Grief & Healing

“Lone Wolf”, tells a deeply heartfelt story of grief and loss. When my mother (who was Native American) had passed, in my grief, I decided to go on a healing journey through watercolor painting. I painted multiple times a day for six months. This painting is just one of many reminders of love, heartbreak, and my healing journey.

“Lone Wolf ” Watercolor By Award Winning Artist, Misty Lemons Of Designs By Misty Blue Art

This beautiful original piece is 9×12 inches and matted in a 11×14 frame that is ready to hang. The mat was specifically cut to show most of the artwork. Plexiglass is used in place of glass.

AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE HERE.

Misty Lemons Holding Her Watercolor Painting, “Lone Wolf” – In Honor Of Her Mother

Copyrights & Reproduction Rights Belong Solely To The Artist, Misty R. Lemons/Designs By Misty Blue Do Not Copy

#watercolor #painting #wolf #dreamcatcher #nativeamerican #grief #loss #mother #daughter #awardwinningartist #traumasurvivor #chronicillnesswarrior #wallart #homedecor #officedecor #mistylemons #designsbymistyblue

*For Educational Purposes Only*

Dive Into The World Of Watercolor With An Award-Winning Artist’s Exclusive Tutorials!

When I started livestreaming on TikTok, I offered a glimpse into my artistic process. Whether I was painting in watercolor in the park or sculpting polymer clay in my studio, I urged viewers to seek progress and not perfection when practicing art. I spoke on how therapeutic creating art can be, after suffering childhood trauma and using art as a tool for healing.

This Watercolor Fairy Garden Tutorial Is Available In My Shop Now!

After twenty plus years of being a professional creative, it only made sense to start teaching what I’ve learned. I’m starting with watercolor painting and may move on to acrylic painting and polymer clay later.

I chose to start with watercolor tutorials because I remember when I started to learn watercolor how intimidating it felt. But I kept at it and I want to share my insights into the medium with others who may be feeling the same way I did.

To Honor Him, I Named This Tutorial After My Dog, Bones. He Loved Eating Watermelon With Me. He Was My Bestest Buddy And I Miss Him Every Day.

Here I Am With My Sweet Boy After Demolishing A Watermelon Together On The Fourth Of July

When the pandemic hit, people were picking up new skills while in quarantine. I decided to pick up watercolor. But after my mom passed in 2022, I decided I needed something to help me through my grief. So I started painting several times a day for six months. Only when I started practicing daily did I see real improvement. And I still consider art a practice. Every time I create I learn something new and see progress in the skills I’m learning.

After Losing My Mom, Going To The Park To Paint Was The Best Thing I Did For Myself. It Helped Me Process My Grief.

It’s my hope that I inspire others to create and use art for their mental and emotional well-being. I’m not a therapist or doctor, but studies show art is beneficial and beyond that, I believe it because I live it. Art helps me. Maybe, it can help you too.

To Learn More About Me & My Artwork & To Shop My Art & Tutorials, Please Visit My LinkTree

Art & Blog Copyrights & Reproduction Rights Belong Solely To: Misty R. Lemons/Designs By Misty Blue Do Not Copy

*For Educational Purposes Only*

Discover The World Of Art With Me As Your Guide!

I’m pleased to announced that my first ever art tutorial is here!!! Discover the necessary supplies for watercolor painting and practice two techniques today!

Feel comfortable and capable as I guide you through what you’ll need to get started in watercolor painting!

Learn More About The Tutorial Here

I’m so excited to have you join me in this newest chapter of my life! Thank you for your support!

Copyrights & Reproduction Rights Belong Solely To Misty Lemons/Designs By Misty Blue Art Do Not Copy

*For Educational Purposes Only

#arttutorialsforbeginners #arttutorial #watercolorpainting #art #artist #mistylemons #designsbymistyblue