Ahhh Summer!

"I will not lose, for even in defeat, there's a valuable lesson learned so that evens it up for me." -Jay Z, musician and businessman

Ok, after looking at the painting from Tuesday, I decided, I liked it more than I did when I first finished it. Again, time away helps.  However, I decided that I had a few ideas that might make it better so I decided to try it again.  WOW, what a difference!  I see much improvement.  So much more depth.  Anyways, moral of the story try, try again! The more often I paint, the more likely  things will soon become second nature.  I will feel more confident, knowledgable, and comfortable.

Daily Painting - Day 17

Summer in Northern Michigan
5x7 Quick Study

The painting below was painted before the painting above.  Big difference!  I guess I learned what to do and what not to do.  Yea, daily painting.

Day 15 painting
5x7 Quick Study 

Knowing when to stop

"I can't do it never yet accomplished anything; I will try has performed wonders." - George P. Burnham, -writer and editor

Daily Painting: Day 16

5x7 Quick Study

Ugh!  Day 16 and I feel like progress with landscapes is slow. Sometimes I even feel like I'm digressing.  I've painted only a small handful of landscapes my entire life and never felt satisfied with the results but I will not succomb to my frustrations and overly high expectations after all it has only been a few months using this new medium and only a few years painting since my 20 year+ away from painting.  Each time I learn something new or something I do or don't like.  

I also need to learn when to stop.  The timer for 20 minutes went off and I took the above picture.  After looking at the photo on my phone, I noticed a few things I didn't like so I went back in.  I like how I fixed the water line but I continued to add more and fix and add and change and while some things were good, I think I would have been better to stop sooner.

So, today's take away - stop sooner than you think.  Step back or even away from it for a while.  If/when you come back start very slow with only a few strokes at a time.  Take a photo.  I have found looking at your art from a photo shows things you just didn't see at first.

with a few too many heavy handed strokes

If at first you don't succeed

"If at first you don't succeed, try, try again."

I joined a painting challenge.  It was to paint a painting in 20 minutes for 5 days.  First of all, I am finding this scene difficult to begin with.  I've not painted too many scenes with lots of green grass so I am struggling to find the right greens.  Then I'm trying to give the illusion of the path traveling down a hill.  I've been trying to incorporate some of the tips from John Carlson's book Landscape painting, such as warm colors in the foreground and cooler colors in the distance.  I may try this one again and again until I get something I sort of like.  I do see some improvements from the first one.

Daily Painting:  Day 15:

Same scene as yesterday
5x7 Quick Study

Same scene as above - first time painting it
5x7 Quick Study

Seize the Sunday!

For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day shall be your holy day, a day of sabbath rest to the LORD.  Exodus 35:2

I LOVE to read or perhaps even more than the love of reading is the love of learning.  So, since I had very little to do this glorious Sunday and the weather was dreary, I thought it the perfect chance to read (without falling asleep - seems I always fall asleep when I read at night).  As you will see, I have any number of books to choose from around the house.  I rarely read fiction because I would rather learn than explore the imaginary worlds of non-fiction.  I try to do that when I am creating my art.

My nightstand

My prayer space

family room

As you see, I have books scattered throughout the house and will pick them up for a few minutes here and there, sometimes longer.  I am almost finished reading Matthew Kelly's book called Perfectly Yourself.  I highly recommend, especially if you are seeking to improve your self, simplify your life and find God's will for you and become the best version of your self.

I am also in the middle of John Carlson's book on Landscape Painting.  Another wonderful book.  I had to pull out my highlighter because there is so much useful information, as I am sure I will refer to it often.  At least until these things become second nature to me - which he assures me they will, as long as I keep painting!

I started Van Gogh's Letters after I saw the movie Loving Vincent.  What an amazing movie.  The entire movie is animated oil paintings in the style of Van Gogh.  Incredible and the story is wonderful as well.  I believe it is available to rent now on Demand.  The book is a wonderful insight to the mind of this struggling artist.  I am enjoying it very much.

I'll share more with you as I get to them.  Never stop learning!

Oh and I did paint today too!

Daily Painting:  Day 14:

Today's quick study 5x7

Baby Steps

"Progress: You might not be where you want to be but you're not where you used to be."

Daily Painting: Day 13

St. Anne and blessed mother Mary
Mixed media on UART 500 sanded pastel paper
Work in Progress

Continued progress - slow but steady.  Every mark is a lesson.  I'm using the pastel pencils a lot more than I ever have.  They seem to be easier to use over the acrylic texture that I created on the background.  Which, by the way, I won't likely do again.  I am finding it very frustrating and disruptive to this painting.

I'm thinking I would love to try some gold leaf for a halo around Mary's head. I have no experience with gold foil, however.  I would definitely try it on a smaller similar background to see how and if it adheres.  I'll be sure to share my process here so you can learn right along with me.  Another option, I was thinking, is a gold spray paint.  I'm thinking I would cover everything up except the specific area I want to spray.  Again, will test first and share process and results.

Making Progress

"The only time you should ever look back is to see how far you've come."

Making progress on this experiment with mixed media on pastel paper.  Still a ways to go.

Daily Painting: Day12

Making progress

When I walked into the studio today, looking at what I had done yesterday, I was extremely tempted to throw it in the trash and start new but then I kept thinking about all those quotes I've been reading and posting, the ones about not giving up and what have you got to lose and why not just go for it.  So I did.  Here's yesterday's attempt- SCARY!

WIP Day 11

So, here's what I did today.  First, there were too many layers of pastel already so I decided to try to get rid of some of it.  I found a stiff brush and started brushing layers off.  I then took my gum eraser and gently started erasing some of what was left.  This helped some of the background to show again, which I quite like.  Going into this, I had no idea how it would work or IF it would work but it did.  There is still plenty of tooth left on this wonderful paper (UART 500).  

WIP - results after brushing and erasing unwanted layers of pastel

stiff brush that I used to gently brush away unwanted pastel layers
make sure to wipe off brush of all the pastel dust now and again

my supplies - I began to use some pencils to get back the details and am finding I like them

So, after I removed pastel, I then went back and sketched in some details and slowly started adding color and detail.  I grabbed one of my pastel pencils to sketch and decided I quite liked it so I started using some of the other colors that I had, layering and using for details.  I don't have many so it might limit my palette until I get more.  

One big issue that I see with this mixed media is that the pastel is not adhering very well to the acrylic paint (specifically the dabbing of white that I did), possibly because it was too thick and textured.  I think I would stay away from using acrylics next time.  Although, it can have some interesting effects.  In small amounts, it might not be too bad.   

Check back tomorrow to see more progress.  I haven't decided to give in yet.

It's a Love/Hate thing

" I had a mother who taught me there is no such thing as failure.  It is just a temporary postponement of success." -Buddy Ebsen, actor

Daily Painting: Day 11

If you saw yesterday's post, you saw the experimentation I was doing with some mixed media on sanded pastel paper - UART 500.  I learned a lot and I had fun, as I always do when I do these kind of playful backgrounds.

So, the experimentation (i.e. learning) continues today.  See the progression below.  This is definitely in the HATE phase right now.  I have found I go through cycles of LOVE (sometimes just LIKE) and then HATE (or really not thrilled).  It's tempting to give up at this stage but I figure I have nothing to lose (except maybe some time) and always something to gain (i.e. a successful painting or at the very least lessons on what went wrong).

I'm really just kind of winging it when I do these portraits in pastel.  I've not had any instruction and pastels are much different than acrylics.  I'm definitely NOT in my comfort zone.  So, come along and get uncomfortable (and learn) with me.

sketch with soft charcoal (easy to erase)

 blocking in darkest values
LIKE it stage

WIP  unfinished portrait - in the HATE stage
9x12 pastel on mixed media UART 500 paper

Seems a shame that I covered up all of that lovely background, doesn't it? In fact, I think I almost like the second version better.  I was trying to allow some of the background to show through but at some point lost it.  Well, maybe next time.  Let's see what tomorrow brings with this one, shall we?