‘Elegant Swans’ pub painting

February 1, 2026February 1, 2026Leave a comment

Hi everyone! My first post in 2026! Progression photos of two ‘elegant swans’ amateur pub painting 🎨 Hope you enjoy! 🐦 🐦

We started off by painting watery white acrylic paint all over the canvas, so that the gorgeous pink, blue and consequently purple tones would flow and blend beautifully 😍 The outline of the two swans first resembled masquerade masks I thought. We tried to create a ‘love heart’ shaped silhouette as sort between them, with their curved necks, and the head / body in proportion to this. White reflections were incorporated in the waters below, as were cute green lily pads and pink lotus flowers 💐 💗 Thick brush strokes built up the white of the swans feathers, with metallic blue for definition. The beaks were gold metallic. The trickiest of all was using our small brush and black acrylic paint to mark out the delicate facial features… this is actually one of my favourite pub paintings ever! The pastel colours are lovely, and very reminiscent of our art teacher’s commissioned snowman ⛄️, which was part of the recent Doncaster’s Christmas Snowman trail.. and here is the finished piece:

For my next project, I am on with a diamond art 💎🎨 of me and my boyfriend Aaron. I also have a Highland Cow and colourful eye diamond art to complete, a chameleon cross stitch (the first I’ve ever done) and a collection of mandala/mindfulness themed designs I’m colouring with promarker pens. Travel wise, I am also soon visiting Hull with my partner… so watch this space 😜😜

Thank you as ever for viewing/reading, much love, Lauren xx

‘Sydney the Stag’ pub painting

December 1, 2025December 1, 2025Leave a comment

Hi followers! My latest UnicornPostbox blog post is progression photos of an amateur Christmas pub painting winter stag, hope you like! 🥰🥰

We began by outlining the shape of where the stag’s head would be, a sort of love heart, with leaf like ears and a delicate graceful neck. We proceeded to paint the background a gorgeous glittery gold. Flecks of white paint were dotted about to give the illusion of snowdrops. Strong curved brown antlers were constructed, with white paint highlights. Left then was to add detail to the stag’s face, a cute golden mushroom nose, black girlie eyelash flicks, golden inner ears, soft light brown strokes to distinguish the fur etc, the face was also puffed out to more of an oval shape, more accurate a portrayal … and here is the finished painting:

This was a relatively simple and very enjoyable pub painting 😊😊 I chose a unisex name, Sydney, as I realise stags are male but I think she looks very feminine so shall identify as female! 😄😄 I think she’s rather adorable 🥰

For my next UnicornPostbox blog post, I am on with a unicorn diamond art 💎 🎨 but I hope to do a few more before Christmas 🎄 and maybe other creative endeavours too, so watch this space 😜😜

Thank you as always for taking the time to read/view, it is very much appreciated 🥰 Lots of love, Lauren xx

Halloween celebrations 2025 🎃🎃

November 4, 2025November 4, 2025Leave a comment

Hi everyone! This UnicornPostbox blog post is a description of my Halloween happenings this year, with accompanying photography.. hope you enjoy! 😄😄🎃🎃

On Monday 27th October, me, my boyfriend Aaron and friends Matty, Robyn, Rosie, Emma, and Emma’s teenage son Lucas attended Yorkshire Wildlife Park for their Spooktacular half-term Halloween event. Dotted around the park were creepy characters and frightful props, stations etc, it was great! 😄 I loved smashing pumpkins, and taking photos of the impressive spooky scenery. Of course, we also had the opportunity to see all the incredible animals. I was particularly excited to see the sea lions, as the last time I visited YWP, they were having essential maintenance on their exhibit. We took some photos of all the amazing animals! 🥰🥰 I liked the giraffes 🦒 and tigers 🐅 most of all 💕

On Tuesday 28th October, I attended the Halloween themed pub painting, with my friend Denise at BRIX coffee house, Doncaster. We both dressed up as witches! 🧙‍♀️🧙‍♀️

To start with, we painted a washy white on the canvas, incorporating then blues and yellows. The acrylic paint was glow in the dark, so it looked fantastic in the dark with fluorescent lights! More purple and pink hues were added to the background, and white stars created, with dots and paint flicks, as well as adding a crescent 🌙 moon. The grass was more of a deep blue than green, with white shades for definition. The hardest part was the witch 🧙‍♀️ herself, trying to get her proportions correct. Mine has a sort of an hourglass figure, whilst other people’s were more skinny or more curvaceous ladies. White paint was used once more for body definition, and to depict her wavy hair and crooked witch hat 🧙‍♀️

On Saturday 1st November 2025, me and my boyfriend Aaron and a big group of my friends attended a local pub, The Beverly, for a Halloween fancy dress disco and karaoke party 🥳 Me and Aaron went as Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf 🐺 Everyone complemented us on our outfits, but to be fair, there were some outstanding costumes! It was pretty scary too 😱 as some staff in costumes were chasing people, dressed as like Michael Myers or Art the clown 🤡 Arrghhh! Me and Aaron also went round town afterwards but it was literally dead 😱 Still such an enjoyable evening though!

Thank you as ever for taking the time to read/view 🥰🥰 For my next UnicornPostbox blog post, I am on with a gothic castle diamond art 💎🎨 and also my first ever punch needle project!

Much love, Lauren xx

‘Sunset and Sunflowers’ pub painting

August 24, 2025August 24, 2025Leave a comment

Hi followers ❤️ My latest UnicornPostbox blog post is progression photos of an amateur ‘Sunset and Sunflowers’ 🌻 pub painting…hope you enjoy! 💕💕

First of all (and definitely no way of getting this stage wrong!), we washed a watery white on the top of the canvas. We then incorporated light blues, pastal pinks, oranges and yellows, blended lightly with watery brushstrokes. This process was for the sky top part of the painting, and an emerald green then created for the meadow at the bottom. We dotted out brown circles where the big sunflowers 🌻 would be (their disc center) and started on the recognisable yellow petals, or ray florets. As the painting progressed, we added smaller sunflowers 🌻 in the distance, to an appropriate scale. To make the painting more 3D, we scooped on thick acrylic paint; yellow, orange and white petals. Also, abstract fluffy white clouds added an artistic touch to the piece. I was not satisfied with the small orange blobs to represent the disc florets, so I brushed more brown back in. The final step was light green and white lovely swaying stalks… and here is the finished piece:

This pub painting was an extra one, not located as usual in a Doncaster pub, but in a coffee shop Friday evening. Evidently, this explains why the progression photos are rather dark, yet the finished painting much lighter. I actually found this one much harder than the previous wonky donkey. I really struggled with forming realistic petals, mine are more round than defined. Nevertheless, even though not my favourite pub painting, it was still enjoyable and therapeutic 😄😄

Coming up, I’ve got two portraits ready to do, one of Keanu Reeves, one of YungBlud 💕 I would imagine maybe a diamond art 💎 🎨 or two also before the next Halloween 🎃 pub painting 💕

Thank you as ever for your support. Lots of love, Lauren xx

‘Dorothy the Donkey’ pub painting

August 22, 2025August 22, 2025Leave a comment

Hi everyone! My latest UnicornPostbox blog post is progression photos of a pub painting wonky donkey I painted on Tuesday… hope you like! 🥰🥰

This time Becca, the teaching artist, decided to outline the shape of our donkeys on the canvas, as apparently otherwise it could have gone drastically wrong, haha 🤣 For some strange reason the background looks more a crimson red but it is actually a bright bold pink. It must have been the lighting. The eyes were first two brown simple circles until we added white dots and girlie eyelashes. The mouth, with its grey shades and black features, inclined to look like ‘Jack Skellington’ from ‘A Nightmare Before Christmas’ (I can’t unsee it now!) 🤣 🎄 We incorporated thick brown brush strokes for the mane and fringe, and fluffy ears. Brown block colour first for the head and body. Then it was very free and expressive the strokes for the fur, with our medium brush, starting off with darker tones of brown to light brown, to white. More white definition around the eyes, and more block colour to the background, and hey presto, the painting was complete 🥰🥰

Although in some ways a more challenging pub painting, it was great fun 😄 We have an extra ‘Sunflower’ pub painting this month, it’s tonight actually, so watch this space 😜

I am also to start a ‘Keanu Reeves’ and ‘YungBlud’ pencil portrait, and there will probably be another diamond art 💎 🎨 or two before the next pub painting in October for Halloween 🎃

Thanks as ever for reading/viewing. Lots of love, Lauren xx

‘Sunset Meadow’ pub painting

June 18, 2025June 18, 2025Leave a comment

Hi everyone! 😊 My latest UnicornPostbox blog post is progression photos of an amateur ‘Sunset Meadow’ themed pub painting 🎨 Hope you enjoy! 🥰🥰

Firstly, we loosely painted the top of the canvas pure white, so that the yellow and pink sunset tones would prettily blend. We distinguished with a bold green 💚 curve where the meadow would begin below. To give a 3D effect, the what would be flower rows were likewise curved. This was the most difficult part of the entire painting, getting the proportions right from distant to front. Different sized brown blobs reminded me of ‘Digglet’ from the Pokemon franchise, until they were defined into windmills, with white shade points. I decided on an array of colours for the sunset tulips; red, light pink, dark pink, dark blue, light blue, yellow, white and orange. This part was very expressive, freely dabbing the bottom and dotting the top. A very enjoyable evening 🥰🥰 And here is the finished piece:

Thank you as always for taking the time to read / view 💕

The next pub painting is a ‘Wonky Donkey’ in August, that should be fun 😁 but I am also on with a night sky crescent moon diamond art 🎨💎 and I would also like to do a portrait (I haven’t done one in so long!) of Keane Reeves, I think he’s such an inspirational person ❤️❤️.. so watch this space 😜

Much love, thank you, Lauren xx

‘Henrietta the Highland Cow’ progression photos

January 19, 2025January 19, 2025Leave a comment

My latest UnicornPostbox blog post is progression photos of an amateur Highland Cow pub painting… hope you enjoy! 😄😄

We started off outlining a circle for the cow’s head on the canvas, and another oval shape within to outline its snout. The horns and neck were next, with then a dark line to distinguish the cow’s body from the background. The entire background was painted dark, with initially only navy stripes. Afterwards, white brushstrokes lightened it. As the acrylic paint was still wet underneath, the white strokes blended to make nice shades of soft blues and some almost greens. The cow was then painted entirely brown. Lighter shades of brown and bright orange started to create swaying strokes for the cow’s furry hair. The snout was then painted completely a dark pink, the snout itself then formed with various black lines. Shades of pink and gold shimmer continued to build up the cow’s beautiful hair, with a sort of emo fringe, lol 😆 For the one visible eye, it was made more feminine with gorgeous lashes, and outlined with white paint to, as many of my paintings, make it ‘pop’. More shading was added and I gave her a little sort of goatie chin 😄😄 Here is the finished result:

The very first pub painting I did was a Highland Cow. Henrietta looks different however, she has more brown tones, and the other does not have a background. I think she is rather cute to be honest 🥰

I never claim to be a professional artist, I am only amateur. However I very much enjoy going to pub painting with my friend Denise 💕 I am very much looking forward to the next one as it is ‘paint your pal’, nothing we have ever done before, painting each other. We have decided to go all abstract, haha! 😄

Last weekend I went to London with my boyfriend Aaron, so please keep a look out for a future travel/theatre blog I am planning on writing soon. I am also on with another diamond art 💎 🎨

Thank you as ever for reading/viewing. Many thanks, Lauren xx

‘Starry night pumpkins’ amateur pub painting

October 30, 2024October 30, 2024Leave a comment

Hi everyone ☺️ My latest UnicornPostbox blog post is progression photos of an amateur ‘Starry Night’ Van Gogh inspired Halloween 🎃 pub painting… hope you like!

First of all, we outlined with watery brown acrylic paint the soon to become pumpkins 🎃 and painted the entire background a deep blue. We then created and built up the white flowing central star swirl, and circular star swirls, in inspiration of Van Gogh’s original dreamlike etheral night sky, stars and moon🌙 We then used neon pain to paint the pumpkins bright neon orange, and neon yellow in the sky / creating detail on the pumpkins 🎃 It was brilliant when we turned the lights off to see the fluorescent colours! We incorporated the black cypress tree, symbolic some say Van Gogh’s mental state (he painted Starry Night in an asylum after he mutilated his left ear) and a little more definition to the pumpkins, white, brown and back subtle strokes, and here is the finished piece:

I really enjoyed this one, I love the effect of the swirling sky in contrast to the bright bold neon pumpkins 🎃

The next pub painting is our Christmas 🎄 ‘Winter fox’ in December. I am also on with a new turtle 🐢 diamond art, and I am going to a few pantomimes in the next couple of months… also, I’m going to see the ‘Nutcracker’ ballet with my auntie 💓 I’m so excited because I have always wanted to see a ballet.. so yes, please keep a look out for future posts…

Many thanks as always for reading/viewing, love Lauren xx

https://www.vangoghgallery.com/painting/starry-night.html [Accessed 30th October 2024]

‘Mystical mushrooms’ amateur pub painting

October 12, 2024October 12, 2024Leave a comment

Hi everyone! My latest UnicornPostbox blog post is progression photos of a mystical glow in the dark mushroom painting 💕💕 hope you enjoy! 🍄🍄

We started off colouring the entire background a dark blue, then lightly painting the mushroom outlines in white, building up the stem with more white to create depth. Green and neon yellow for the grassy area, then painting the caps a deep red. The next step was to add a little sparkle to the sky, and a crescent moon🌙 It was amazing the neon colours when we turned the lights off! Glowing fluorescently, especially the white/neon yellow spots. I added more neon, but also outlined the entire subjects with black, and highlighted more with white…and this is the finished product:

I really enjoyed this one! I realise I am not the best painter in the world but I thoroughly enjoy it so that’s all that matters 💕💕 Usually my friend Denise comes with me to pub painting, but this was an extra session at potteric Carr nature reserve Denise couldn’t make. I have never actually been before but it’s beautiful 😍 I bought a little mushroom snow globe from their gift shop to support them. We also got a free hot drink and cake! So it was really nice..

We have booked up for the Halloween 🎃 and Christmas 🎄 pub paintings. I also have a turtle 🐢 diamond art to start, and I am thinking of doing another celebrity pencil portrait, maybe Keane Reeves. I have a lot of respect for him he is a wonderful person 🥰🥰…

Thank you as always for taking the time to read/view. Lots of love, Lauren xx

‘Busy bees’ amateur pub painting

September 21, 2024September 21, 2024Leave a comment

Hi everyone! My latest UnicornPostbox blog post is progression photos of two bumble bees in a meadow…hope you like! 😀

The first element we focused on was the lightly brushed orange to green faded background, washed with white. Next, the green flower stalks/leaves with white shading. We then circled with brown where the stamen of the flower would be, with dots of white, and a yellow blob above it which would become the first bee. Painting the petals was my favourite part; gorgeous purple, white and blue shimmer. After this, we concentrated on the bee. Defined orange and black stripes, white wings with a dash of blue shimmer, and tiny black features. I then decided my bee looked a little bit lonely and so I painted him a friend 😄😄🐝🐝

And here is the finished piece! I think this one was one of the easiest pub paintings, still enjoyable though. The next Halloween theme one I’m super excited about, I can’t wait! 🎃 It’s inspired by Van Gogh’s starry night, but with pumpkins 🎃 I am also on with a very time consuming peacock diamond art lol, so watch this space 😜😜

Thank you as ever for taking the time to read/view. Very much appreciated, Lauren xx

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Tag: pub painting