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Poll

October Poll

  • Landscape ( what areas write in comments) 81
  • flowers( what kind) 18
  • Halloween? 81
  • urban sketching ( what cities, areas) 83
  • coastal ( what specific thing or place) 21
  • animals ( I do NOT do pets but write in what other kind) 15
  • techniques ( what are you struggling with ) 34
  • 2025-10-02
  • 333 votes
{'title': 'October Poll', 'choices': [{'text': 'Landscape ( what areas write in comments) ', 'votes': 81}, {'text': 'flowers( what kind)', 'votes': 18}, {'text': 'Halloween?', 'votes': 81}, {'text': 'urban sketching ( what cities, areas)', 'votes': 83}, {'text': 'coastal ( what specific thing or place)', 'votes': 21}, {'text': 'animals ( I do NOT do pets but write in what other kind) ', 'votes': 15}, {'text': 'techniques ( what are you struggling with ) ', 'votes': 34}], 'closes_at': None, 'created_at': datetime.datetime(2025, 10, 2, 15, 10, 47, tzinfo=datetime.timezone.utc), 'description': None, 'allow_multiple': False, 'total_votes': 333}

Content

Here is October poll to see what sort of tutorials you would like- please only write an option to the specific Poll item- thanks!! Just and FYI - I do NOT do portraits or pets!

Comments

Elena

Tropical flowers

Christine Yönet

It would be lovely to have a picture of Istanbul either the bazaar or a silhouette from the sea of the city with the big mosques

Karen G

I would love to see Halloween-ish or fall decorated window flower box with shutters. I think you once did a mini like that. It was a hit!

Jayne Nye

Halloween witches, ghosts, goblins or a scary house.

Marilyn Coull

Tropical flowers Bird of Paradise, Hibiscus . Plumerias or Orchids.

Diana

Techniques for sure! I struggle with rocks and water, making them look realistic. It annoys me because I live in a coastal state, and I want to be better at this. 🙂

Heather Marasse

Landscapes: prairie wheat fields, skies.

Jann Gumbiner

Landscapes: water, ponds, marshes, trees, desert, mountains, hills. Coastal - anything, shells, sand, marshes, beaches, boats, sunsets. About the palette..Halloween orange is getting tiresome. Maybe monochromatic. Ideas? I am from California and want to paint my area..

Derri Smith

Love moody landscapes using a palette knife, as well as the impressionistic types. Foods are fun and it isn’t too early to be thinking Christmas cards!

Jann Gumbiner

I am from California and want to paint my area: missions, sycamore trees, oaks but most of the artists post fall east coast and midwestern trees. Suggestions?

Darlene McGrady

Halloween landscape scene with evening moon....and bats!

Lois

Seasonal abstracts of nature

ellen

landscape and coast: skies, mountains, fields, rocks, water/waves, rocks

Patricia Trompeter

Ellen has done coastal rocks many times before. If you check her collection for those tutorials, try coastal rocks. Hope this helps you. Happy painting!

Eileen Massie

I love the seasonal choices.. fall, Christmas , flowers etc

Naomi Baker

I want to get better at urban sketching and translating what I see to paper. I actually started watercolor because I wanted to learn how to do those misty rainy street scenes. It doesn’t have to be a Paris cafe scene :)

Trudy Apple

Landscapes , all kinds. Including coastal

Anne Prosser

Rocks are always a challenge. Am trying to work on perspective. I know it’s not your favorite.

Michelle Feltz

Subjects ideal for greeting cards. Coastal, flowers, seasonal themes.

Ida Bochner

Halloween! A Witch over a spooky background.

Hilary Smith

African animals! I have plenty of photos to share!

Joe Coley

Florida with palm trees and beaches. I love your ink and wash.

Diana

Yes, I’m aware, thank you, just as she has done many technique tutorials of landscapes, flowers, and other aforementioned poll items. And I’ve done most of her rock tutorials as well. Love all her videos, and looking forward to more! 🙂

Diane

urban sketching (would apply to landscapes as well) hazy, foggy scenes.

diane hugyo

I enjoy landscapes and coastal- palm trees

Virginia Poggi

Would love to paint Halloween cards for my grandkids

Mia Gauthier

Animals: safari animal/Serengeti landscape.

Judy

Coastal mountain scenes

Judy

Coastal mountain scenes

Tori G

Fall landscape with a sunset 🌅

Anne Morris

Halloween would be wonderful!

Florence Osterhout

-Ink and wash of residential houses. -Moving water, tall waterfalls. -Greeting cards

Sue Alan

Urban sketching storefronts, cafes

Carol Harris

would love more urban sketching techniques on adding people on the streets, etc.

Mary Kay

Cozy glowy cottages

Mary Kay

London double decker bus and iconic red telephone booth or postal receptacle

Maureen N

Squirrels, robins, hedgehogs

Nan

San Francisco urban sketching

Erin Barnes

I would love to paint some fall landscapes with rich, vibrant fall colors. 🎨

jessica rolfe

I’m working in a landscape with a river and small (1-2 ft) waterfalls on it. The river is full of river rock and the water is crystal clear - I’d love a tutorial on how to paint the river rocks and put a bit of reflection in the water surface. Thanks for all you do Ellen!!

Cher

Mountains, hills lakes in sunset Lovely 🥰

jody

Rivers,dahlias,elephants

Leigh

Loose Urban Sketching with Ink and Wash. Cafes, Storefronts or any old European city ♥️.

Leeann Moore

Mountains, fields, rocks along the shoreline

Jane Sibley

I had been painting in gouache and I am new to watercolor. I struggle with getting the right proportions of pigment to water on the brush. My guess is this just takes practice and time to master a new technique and medium. I try to do something everyday.

Marianne Keller

Landscapes - fall scenes, including coastal scenes. Sketching - country area - barns, etc.

Sabrina

I'd love to learn some cityscapes, urban sketching. I have already learned so much from your floral tutorials and landscapes!

Paula Richey

Rocks please. I have such a hard time with this subject.

Lise Finley

Loose urban sketching with cars on the street; cyclists; reflections

Stephanie

Urban Sketching. San Fransisco, older cities with history. Or European Landscapes. The Scottish landscape was so fun.

Anonymous

Peonies Fuchsia hanging basket

Susan

Fall and winter landscapes. I have trouble with trees! Especially the Christmas snowy landscape trees.

Karla with a K💕

Bridges, city landscape. San Francisco from different perspectives. Also how to do a detailed large flower with shading .

Laurie Munn

Fall, winter landscapes. I live in the desert--gimme ALL the leaves! 😊

Anonymous

Princeton Neptune. Always too much water.

Kathie

Winter landscapes with aurora borealis skies

Sue Kautz

I'm struggling with blending such as sunsets and skies in general without blooms. Love the Halloween tutorials and fall scenes also!

JaBloom

Rugged costal scenes. Love your tutorials. They are inspiring!

Vikki Gherzi

I struggle with urban sketching and would like to see something that is a combo of architectural and water such as Golden Gate Bridge view from the Presidio or Bridge of Sighs in Venice. Doesn't have to be that iconic or cliché, just like the idea of structural softened by water

Cathy Knapp

Landscapes with receding rolling hills or mountains.

Monica Holmes

Haunted house done easily for beginners.

Tracey Farmer

All or any flowers. Love loose and or abstract watercolor.

Toni Wilkes

New England or upper Midwest fall landscapes.

JoyMurphy

Halloween cards!

Gale

Pacific Northwest trees and mountains

Jennifer M Sandrock

Sea related creatures iw starfish, cranes, shells of most interest, and waves

Gale

Misty mountains with trees

Andrea Paulis

Downs with Heather and wildflowers, Rowan trees, any interesting trees

Grace Horton

Technique of the cobalt sky outlining the clouds. Mine look like islands in the sky

Princess

Florida birds like flamingos, alligators and other Florida wildlife including mermaids for fun! Sea creatures..octopus

Evelyn

All species of birds and seasonal flowers

Stephanie Logan

I'd like to see how to make a stream come from nothing to larger at the front of the landscape with a way to show running water. Also, more card-size ideas, please.

Rhonda

Halloween themed card tutorials would be fun. I would love to see how to do an Edward Scissor Hands character. 🖤 Thanks for all you do for all of us! Happy Fall🧡🤎💛

Sharon

Moro

Sharon

Morraco

Kathy M

I love song.

Kathy M

Sorry! Songbirds

Rose Keesing

France, Italy, Britain rural, whimsical/impressionist line and wash

Kathy M

I’m ready to start holiday cards.

Denise

Old villages in UK or Italy

Melissa Cardenas

garden scenes with weeping cherry or willow trees

Anna омаха

Techniques : More videos on wet on wet,mixing colors, soft color additions without glazing, how to correct mistakes without stressing paper or overworking a painting . Thank you!

Bill

more fall landscapes!

Wendy O'Donovan

I still have difficulty getting the right amount of water on the paper and then the paint consistency.

Karina

old villages in Itay, Ireland, Scotland

Julie Hines-Lyman

I’d love to see Chicago wit lakefront and buildings.

Rose Bosch

Techniques - color mixing

Kim Bensel

I would love to see you paint peacocks 🦚😊 I’m sure whatever you do will be amazing 🤩

Lauren H Hudson

I for got to put in urban sketching. Stairs, cars and streets

Debra Ch.

Landscapes including coastal

Dianne Boyse

cute Christmas mice and more penguins--bears--reindeer

Kimberly Gilley

Forest edge bordering meadow; Any backgrounds, I've been enjoying your recent ones; Great Smokey Mountains with cold spring water creek winding down a mountain.

Maria Hay

Abstract painting to make into gift cards

Linda Cude

Urban sketching. Basically any area. Like a how to on going out and sketching and painting your surroundings; supplies to carry with you etc

Jen

How the heck can I paint Osaka Purple Ornamental Cabbage!?!? Help!

marian williams

Boston downtown, Chicago downtown and maybe Kansas City or St. Louis. They all have unique features( KC Kaufmann Center for performing arts, St Louis Arch, and just old town Boston near the wharf would be spectacular!

Debra

Urban Sketching, ornate churches - Cleveland would be great!

Lisa Bradfield

Cityscape using mixed techniques (palette knife and water bottle, etc)

Anna buccerelli

Perspective in urban sketches. Small towns in the PNW.

Angela

Washington Park Cincinnati OH, there is a Gazebo in the middle of the park that is stunning

Lynn

European countries

Deb

New Zealand landscapes

Nancy Swartout

When sketching/painting urban scenes, I need more lessons that cover perspective with regard to buildings, windows, sidewalks, etc.

Laura Armour

Farm animals, horses, cows, pigs, goats, roosters or penguins, and peacocks

Angie

I would like to know the technique of creating mist around mountains and trees.

Patricia McHale

More loose semi-abstract landscapes please.

Becky

I'd like to learn reflections

Pamela

Would like landscapes of lakes with cottages, boats (row boats, pontoon boats, catamarans, 1- 2person sailboats, canoes, etc...) lakes with deciduous trees and /or evergreen trees. Also? Four seasons of same paintings. 😉

Pamela

Please more techniques and also, what ones to not use. Thank you!

Theresa Mahaffey

Winter, spring, summer and fall of Yosemite, glacier national part or some lake in Vermont.

Kathy

Coastal landscapes … trees rocks. Fall foliage

Andrea Havers

Loose and relaxing abstract landscapes, especially in fall and winter.

Jane Sibley

Simple rural landscapes please

Marianne A

How to make objects pop/really stand out. Ie. Still life fruit.

Marianne A

Oh my, yes!!! I always overwork paintings :( 😞

Gina LaBlanc

Urban sketching: Italy, France, Europe anywhere

Debra

I love the idea of painting Florence, Italy.

Laura

I'd enjoy woodland animals in an autumn setting.

E Stuck

I’d like sailboat from a different perspective, maybe from a sailor’s point of view or a race of sailboats seen from the front.

D. Malin

Perspective, getting it right or close enough. Moving between paper sizes..tiny sketchbook to larger blocks or vice versa.

Judy

More abstract flowers and jars that they are in

Marcia E Baker

Rocks in any landscape, rivers and reflections, shadows etc.

Jennifer Anderson

Urban areas - old city charm, medieval villages in Spain and Italy, or Paris or NYC.

Kim Bensel

Wow. So many great ideas. I can’t wait to see what is chosen and how Ellen executes this challenge. Of course we know it will be amazing 🤩

karen papasodora-cochrane

would like some night scenes-mountains, lakes and milky way kind of scenes or perhaps desert scenes

Alice Moore

Urban sketching in Boston

Patricia Whaley

A funky, abstract fish. Just a fish, no seaweed, no shells, no sand. Just a fun, funky fish

Tanja Brownlee

Would like to see snow capped mountain landscapes with either lakes, rivers/streams, meadows, glaciers, sunset/sunrise, winter storms and/or wildlife ... in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Eg. Banff, Jasper, Yoho or Glacier National Park.