The Joy of Painting Bigger: Why I’m Loving Going Larger

For years, I primarily painted small. There were a lot of practical reasons for it—smaller pieces are more affordable for buyers, require fewer supplies, and are much easier (and cheaper) to ship on Etsy. When I showcased my work at the Portland Jetport, smaller paintings were perfect for travelers who wanted to take a piece of Maine home with them without worrying about space.

But lately, I’ve been embracing painting bigger—and I have to say, I LOVE it! There’s something incredibly freeing and fulfilling about working on a large scale. Some of my favorite paintings are my bigger pieces, and I’ve been wondering why that is.

Why Painting Bigger Feels So Good

1. More Room to Express – With a larger surface, I can explore more textures, movement, and detail. There’s no need to hold back—I can let the brush flow freely and make bolder strokes.

2. A Different Kind of Energy – Big paintings command attention. They have a presence that smaller pieces just don’t. When I step back and see a large piece coming together, it feels powerful.

3. Self-Fulfillment Over Practicality – While small paintings make sense for selling and shipping, there’s something deeply satisfying about creating without limitations. Painting big allows me to push my creativity further.

4. More Immersive Experience – When I paint on a larger scale, I feel more connected to the process. I’m moving more, stepping back often, and fully engaging with the canvas—it becomes a whole-body experience!

Finding the Balance

Of course, I’ll still continue to offer smaller works for those who love them (and I do still love them, too!). But having options and allowing myself to enjoy the process of painting larger has been a game-changer. It reminds me why I fell in love with painting in the first place—to create freely, without restrictions.

So, if you’ve been thinking about going bigger, I say go for it! You might just find that your favorite pieces are the ones where you gave yourself the most space to create. If you are unsure about painting larger, then come join me on Patreon, where we'll be painting a larger watercolor LIVE, March 16th and you can follow along! 

Do you prefer painting big or small? Let’s chat in the comments!

LIVE ZOOM PAINT PARTIES!

I have taught LIVE watercolor classes locally for corporate events, fundraisers, private home parties, Hobby lobby, Joanne Fabrics, and Adult Education.

Last night I did my very first ZOOM virtual paint night as a test and I have to say, I've missed the live interaction with all of my students. This was so much FUN!!

I'm now thinking that during the Winter I'll be doing some private paint parties. I'll be posting more information about the LIVE events on my Instagram page.

I'll have to try it a few times more I'm sure to really get the hang of it. Not sure why it's taking me so long to give this a go. These ladies really enjoyed it, and it gave us all the one on one connection even though we are miles and miles apart.

Also wanted to share that my new BEE CREATIVE ALCOHOL INK Course is up and running now on my website and I hope to add it here to Udemy next month. Here's a peek at it.

This will be one of my longest courses so far with over 20 lectures and 2 hours of video content. You know that my courses don't have a lot of FLUFF, because I edit out most of that "WAIT TIME" for you.

There is a FREE tutorial on my youtube channel from the class, so you can try out this little coneflower using some alcohol ink techniques like stippling and lifting.

Feel free to reach out to me with any questions!

Have a creative day,

OXOX

Kell

Sign Up - CraftMania's Saturday Watercolor Paint Day!

Options

Class No Frame $30.00 USD    Class with Frame $45.00 USD

Only 10 Seats Available

Join Local Artist Kellie Chasse for a fun afternoon of Watercolor Painting!

No Experience is required.

No Supplies to purchase - Kellie will bring everything you need to complete a

5x7 Watercolor painting of lupines!

Includes a FREE MAT

Frames will be available to purchase for an additional $15.00

Thirty Paintings in 30 Days - Day Twenty

Attempted to re-create my oil painting in watercolor as a new watercolor class scene and tried to make it simple enough for new painters....it's deceivingly difficult!

My process is to paint the scene first then break it down into painting steps to see if it's a paint-able scene. Then I tweak it so that it's stays under a 2 hour class timeline.
....LIKE? If you do then make sure to head over to my post on Facebook and click the "Like" button please!

Paint a Red Cardinal - CraftMania Watercolor Class

ONLY 3 SEATS so hurry!

This would make for a wonderful Holiday Card!
Come join us at CraftMania in Auburn, Maine for a Saturday
afternoon of watercolor painting! Class is on December 6th from
1-3pm. Price is only $30!

Please bring the following supplies - Watercolor Paints, Watercolor
Paper, 2 brushes (one oval Wash and one Fine Detail), a mixing tray
for paints, and some paper towels.

Thirty Paintings in 30 Days - Day 12

"Harvest Moon"
Alcohol Ink Painting
8x10 Mat - $65

Did any of you see the Harvest Moon the other night? I was teaching a watercolor Paint Night Class at the Sea Dog Brewery in Topsham Maine and the moon was shining directly into the window over looking the river. The reflection was incredible!

For this painting I used Snowcap then added the blue on top to give it that overcast effect.

I'm in the process of hanging my work at Gallery 11

Tonight I'm looking forward to the Art Walk in Brunswick, Maine.
If you are local, stop in at Gallery 11 at Pleasant to view my work and a number of incredible photographers and artists, including my friend Debby Stubbs.

Brunswick Inn on Park Row & PartyPainter "February's Workshop"

February's Workshop painted "The Boardwalk"

Come and join PartyPainter on the 2nd Thursday of the every Month at the Brunswick Inn on Park Row. We will be holding the Red Cardinal Scene on March 12, 2009 from 6:00 pm- 8:30 pm.

Enjoy painting a beautiful watercolor while sipping coffee, tea, or wine. We will have relaxing music with a warm and friendly atmosphere. Bring a friend or family member.

Please email us at info@partypainter.com or call us at 207-729-9927 to reserve your spot. Limited space available.

Cost: $40.00 per painting guest - Includes 2 hour class, mat, and a 8x10 Black frame/glass. PartyPainter will provide all the quality painting supplies.