Back To Still Life . . .

I am still enjoying cardboard as a substrate. This piece I ripped off one of my watercolor paper pads and collaged lots of paper onto it. Then I gessoed it and began sketching. I used a marks all pencil and some graphite and attempted a vase with flowers as you can see. What I struggled with though was getting the flowers to not look like boobs! lol After much frustration I think I succeeded. It is still amazing to me that once you draw that line behind your object it immediately gives it a surface to rest on and establishes depth.

I used some watercolor crayons along with the marks all pencil on this piece. I love to draw and am discovering how much I like to combine it with painting. Of course for me this piece was just not complete without the dripping. And I think I may have gone a bit overboard with drips but I like it.

I am sharing this over at Sunday Sketches. Hope you are all enjoying the weekend!

And thanks so much to all of you who commented on my last post!! I was overwhelmed with all of your lovely words!

xo

Candle Still Life Finished!

"Candles in the Window"

acrylic on 8x10 canvas board

Hope you all had a lovely weekend and for those that celebrate Easter a great holiday! For our Easter Sunday it was just me, Lou, some ravioli, and homemade pizelle cookies that he made! And I ate way too many of them! I also had some studio time this weekend so that I could finish my candle still life. I continued with my monochrome palette and let me just say that painting in monochrome is teaching me a ton about color theory especially about lights and darks. My hubby was the one who suggested the window in the background. At first I was unsure how I could do it but I sketched it out and just started adding color.

The more I paint without the intention of perfection I notice that I paint better and get in the zone more. And I am trying to listen to what I vibe to as far as colors. I saw this color in my head and for a second hesitated because I thought it wasn't bold enough but just went with it.

This above image is the stage when Lou suggested the window. My original plan was just to add some flowers coming out of the smaller candle which was going to be a tiny flower pot! In the end I really like the depth the window frame gives the painting.

The more I do this type of painting with acrylics I am learning to love the forgiveness of this medium! As I paint I constantly think "Hey, if I don't like it I can just paint right over it and start again!" And that in itself is helping me to loosen up in my painting and enjoy the process much more.

I am thinking of starting a landscape next. In my mind I see it with a limited palette of yellow and purple!

WIP . . . Inspired By Wordless Wednesday

Today I dragged out my standing easel. I was disturbed at the fact that it took me so long to figure out how to open it up and get it standing! It was dusty! I had been using my table top easel but it is hurting my back because I like to stand. After many minutes of putting together the easel I was able to get some paint on my latest canvas.

I was inspired with the photo I shared yesterday of the candle so this is where I am at for now. I am painting a candle with 2 votives which may end up containing some mini flowers! Not sure yet. I am going monochrome with this one and chose the color I used in my last still life from the vase.

Below is one layer prior. . .

It feels good to try and enjoy the process and just get some paint moving again! I really want to make the effort to paint more. I am realizing that I just need to practice and forget about the product! And the more I paint I am seeing the benefit of layers! It even feels better under my brushes to paint over a few layers of color. And of course I am a bit frustrated with my inability to get good photos of it.

Hope to finish it soon and not obsess too much! lol Yeah right! :)

Still Life Is Finished!!

Thank you all so much for your supportive comments on my last post. Again I feel so grateful to have a wonderful community to share those feelings with who really "get it"!

I am excited to share my still life once again now that its complete. I lost count of how many times I painted over the flowers! That was quite frustrating but then I tried to realize that it is all a part of the learning process. Too bad my left brain is always working overtime! If you look at my last post you will notice that I changed the table so it didn't look as if the vase and candle were hanging onto the edge. I wanted more depth and with practice was able to achieve a look I was happy with. I did however need to step away from the canvas before I reworked it too much and potentially ruined all I had accomplished.

Hope you are all enjoying this day. I am off to get some dinner soon with hubby and then we are going to take the pug for a walk. The bad storms we had last night have left nice breezy weather behind!

Getting Back In The Zone With Still Life . . .

acrylic on 9x12 canvas board

Lately I have been feeling scared when it comes to my art. I feel like I am jumping all over the place in the art world which I think is ok sometimes but it has become distracting. I will always do photography (its my first love) but I really want to develop my painting skills. My fear is in doubting my skills, doubting I will ever find where I fit in, doubting that I can even call myself an artist. I hate feeling this way. I hate that I cannot enjoy the process of creating. I hate that I focus too much on the product and what will fit in my etsy store. I haven't been able to focus on painting because I am afraid to paint ugly. But I don't realize that in the "ugly" can be something amazing waiting to happen.

So today I decided that I would get back to a canvas that had been staring me down for months. It was a still life I started last year and repainted it twice. I hated the colors, the way I couldn't stay in the lines, and how I had trouble blending. I wish I had taken a photo of it before I painted over it today because you would not believe how much better it is! And what is more important is that I can see that myself. I can see the progress I have made as an artist (dare I call myself that). I painted today just to paint. Just to feel the paintbrush moving on the canvas, to get in the zone so to speak without worrying what it was looking like. I know that technically this is not right but it looks good to me. And I didn't even fuss over the colors. You all know how notorious I am for that! I like the muted colors, the white candle, the peachy vase against the gray backdrop.

I will be adding some yellow flowers to the vase and highlighting more but I wanted to share my progress so far! I will be sure to post it when I am finished. And I hope I don't leave it in the corner waiting like my urban landscape!

Still Life . . . Just Not My Thing

When I realized I wanted to try painting I felt lost about where to begin. I had fun trying some different things out on my own but thought a class would help. So I took a workshop at my local arts council. It was 6 sessions focused on still life and landscape painting in acrylic. I was so nervous as I had never painted before.

I walked into the class and cringed when I saw a still life set up. I had in my mind I would hate it. I know, not a good attitude! I think that came from my fear of not being able to do it.

This painting was completed in that class. It is acrylic on 12x16 stretched canvas. The plant is supposed to be parsley although I went a little crazy with spraying out the stems and leaves. My instructor was not happy with that but I liked it. It was difficult to paint the lighting and cast shadows. In the end I was pleased with the results but I very much struggled with the process. I realized that in regards to traditional painting I am more comfortable with landscape where I feel like I can make more mistakes and it will be ok.

But for now I am really enjoying mixed media. I do believe it is becoming my thing!

Is there an art medium you have tried that you just don't vibe to?