Reader…

Hi creative friend!

It’s DAY 2 of the Creative Reset Series. If there’s one practice that has shaped every part of my creative journey—from paint making to pattern design to mixed media—it’s this one:

Swatching.

I know… it sounds simple.

But it's so much more than that.

It's meditation. It's play. It's process.

And here's the truth:

Swatching is how you learn who you are as an artist.

It's where you discover the colors that call to you. The techniques you want to explore. The marks that feel like home.

Because when you swatch, you aren't just testing color—

You're documenting your creative language. Your visual voice. The emotional arc of your work.

Think about it:

• You reach for certain colors without thinking.
• You mix instinctively.
• You repeat motifs and marks across pages and canvas without noticing.
• Your palettes shift with the seasons, your energy, your life.

And when you don't document these explorations? You miss the beauty of watching your creative process unfold.

Swatching is your creative compass.

It helps you see:

• Your natural palette (the one you return to over and over)
• Your seasonal mood shifts in color + techniques
• The pigments and materials that bring out your best work
• How your future collections want to evolve
• The stories you’re telling through color

Every paint collection I’ve ever created—every pigment bar, every ink, every palette—started with pages of swatches, experiments, and tiny tests in my sketchbook.

That’s where the real ideas begin.

And I want you to experience that same flow, clarity, and direction.

Next week, I’m introducing something I’ve been quietly building:

A brand new Paint & Swatch Journal kit + LIVE workshop

It’s designed to help you create a living record of your color language, document your experiments, track your palettes, and build a strong foundation for your 2026 creative direction.

There will be two versions:

✦ P&SJ Digital-Only ~ Perfect for those who want to dive in and PLAY using digital resources like printable swatch cards, Procreate brushes, idea cards, and creative prompts.

✦ Paint & Swatch Journal kit + #tracibautistaCOLOR Grab Bag ~ Printed paint swatch cards + collage papers + Digital + PLUS it Includes a mini set of handcrafted colors to swatch during our Creative New Year Reset in January.

I’ll reveal everything next week…

but for now, here’s a small way to begin.

✨ 5-Minute Studio Spark

Choose any material—paint, ink, colored pencil, crayon.

Make 5 small swatches. PLAY with marks. Layer media. Experiment.

Then write:

What do these colors say about where my work is headed next?

Let your intuition answer.

You’ll be surprised.

If you want early access to next week's drops (and first dibs on the limited offers), I’ll only have 30 of the Paint + Swatch Journal kits!

Hop onto the Early Access List below. It's where all the details land first.

✨Join the BFCM Early Access List

(Priority access + special reminders + early links)

PLUS watch bonus video I’m uploading daily…

Just click the link or button and you’re all set!

BFCM Early Access List

P.S. The Paint + Swatch Journal is the foundation for our upcoming 7 Days of Swatching in January—think of it as your creative new-year reset. More on that soon…BFCM early birds get the first access before I email the whole list.

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With creativity and color and so much gratitude 🙏

Artfully, xo Traci Bautista 💞 Founder, #tracibautistaCOLOR

If you have any questions reach out to customer care using the chat box at tracibautistacolor.com