...from my 100 Paintings Project.
In July 2011 I decided to paint 100 pictures, with no deadline for completion. I just finished the 100th painting, so it took 2.5 years. Someone asked me once what I was learning from doing a project like this, so here are some things I learned.
Doing a value sketch beforehand is very helpful.
It's ok to do a 2nd or 3rd or 4th (or...) version of a subject. The old masters did this. And you can even change the medium. I did watercolor, oil, acrylic and gouache paintings.
If you go to a workshop or a paint-out, you'll get several pictures to count towards your goal.
It's nice to have others join you on their own big number projects. I had a few people join me along the way.
Sometimes you can have a mini project with the project: I set a goal of 20 paintings in 20 days at one point, just to make some headway.
It's ok if the paintings are not as successful as you envisioned them.
It's ok to play and experiment with media.
Goals are good.
You have to commit yourself to working, to showing up.
You get to 100 one painting at a time. One step at a time.
I think it was a very worthwhile thing to do, and I'm thinking of setting a goal for the next year--maybe 50 pictures in a year? Not sure. I also might consider a broader definition of what kind of a piece I am creating. My painting project competed with other creative endeavors--I make my own birthday cards, I did some experimental drawings, I was involved in 2 art camps and taught several painting classes, I took a mixed media class. Maybe it will be 2D paintings/pictures.
One of the reasons I did this project was to just force myself to paint, to produce work and learn from each painting and have fun doing it. I would encourage anyone to consider setting a goal and then going for it.
Sunday, December 08, 2013
Saturday, December 07, 2013
100 Castlewood Vista
8x10 acrylic on canvas. I HAD to finish the 100 paintings, so I found a sketch in a sketchbook and painted it. I think the tree foliage could be better as well as the distant beach, but maybe I'll tweak it another day.
99 Valley colors
8x10 acrylic on canvas. I'm almost done with my 100 Paintings Project. I tried out a homemade pochade at home under predictable conditions. I wanted to make sure it "works" before I take it outside. It works well enough.
97 Sunday Morning in the Valley
1/2 sheet watercolor. I sketched it while sitting in the car, made note of colors, and painted it later that day back in the art room.
96 Final version
Had to tinker with some color. Not sure how many times I have painted this barn, but it's gone now, victim to a fire.
Monday, September 02, 2013
The Sketchbook Project mobile library came to St. Louis this summer, and I was able to go and spend almost 2 hours reading and looking at sketchbook after sketchbook. You have NO IDEA how addicting that can be for someone who loves to draw. I tried to think of some online art friends who have participated and could only think of Alissa Duke, who lives in Australia, I think, but she had a sketchbook in the mobile library and I read it. It was marvelous! Having looked at the digital gallery at the website www.sketchbookproject.com now I realize there are several other EverydayMatters artists who have work in the project. Anyway, here's the mobile library, parked near the City Museum, and me holding Alissa's sketchbook.
If you get a chance to visit the mobile library, do it. It is a delight! And take friends!
If you get a chance to visit the mobile library, do it. It is a delight! And take friends!
96 Swamp Road Barn again
More trying to use the workshop lessons. Value patterns, temperature changes. Omitting what is not essential to the picture. This is a 1/4 sheet watercolor. The barn burned down several years ago, I was told. I have fond memories of painting it on the side of the road with my mom and sister.
95 Breadseller
I used a photo my nephew took in Europe for this. The photo intrigued me and as is my way, I think I put in too many details. But I had fun. 1/2 sheet watercolor.
94 Recital
I did this 1/4 sheet watercolor from a small sketch made during a piano recital. I'm trying to put the lessons I learned from the Carl Purcell workshop into practice--changing the temperature of the washes, leaving whites, connecting shapes, keeping a value pattern in mind.
Sunday, August 04, 2013
93 Hawaii colors
I'm not posting all my paintings from the 100 Paintings Project on this blog, but they are all on my flickr account, which I believe you can access by clicking on the painting. I started this project 2 years ago and now I can see the finish line! Can I finish this month? Time will tell.
91 Aspens
Day 4. Color variation, value patterns, line patterns. This was so much fun to paint! 1/4 sheet
89 Barns horizontal version
Day 3. Our instructor added the fence to his, plus other details, and I decided mine needed a fence, too. 1/4 sheet.
87 Stitching trees
Day two. We learned and practiced line patterns. Here the tree trunks and fence "stitch" the foliage and ground together. 1/4 sheet.
86 Barn and snow
I took a watercolor workshop last week with Carl Purcell in St. Louis. It was lots of fun. Now if I can just put what I learned into practice. This was from day one. 1/4 sheet. Learning to paint values, not things.
81 Coming Storm, final version
Late in the afternoon of the Prairie Foundation's paint out in June, a strong storm moved in. I captured the colors in a very wet-in-wet application and took cover indoors. Later I went back and tightened things up a little. This is the final look.
Savannah 1
Went on a little sketchcrawl while in Savannah at the SCAD graduation. The textures of water and Spanish moss were a challenge here.
Charlotte airport
This is one of the nicest airports. I never mind layovers here. I sat in one of the many rocking chairs and sketched.
Saturday, July 27, 2013
69 Another Italian Street, take 2
Some famous artist, perhaps Degas, said it was good to paint something more than once. I think this is the 3rd time on this one.
71 Orchard road
From one of Joel's photos. I would have loved to have been there live to paint this.
72 Old car challenge
From a painting challenge I saw online months ago. Cars have lots of reflections in them. It was a challenge to be content painting the shapes, but it did work. My colors need to be stronger, methinks.
78 Bethany Springs #2
At the plein air paintout at Bethany Springs, second day, I realized doing 1/8 sheets would be more fun. I managed 4 that day before the rain stopped us. I should probably add more color to the people in the prairie.
79 Summer cloud
Just trying to capture some big shapes and colors. It rained on me as I painted this, but it felt good to get wet--so hot and humid!!
83 Fruit trio
Continuing my 100 paintings project...I painted this with a friend who is learning watercolor.
Sunday, May 19, 2013
5.19 greenpines
Kind of a worm's eye view. I am using my tablet to post. I think the pic is a bit blurry.
5.19irises
Irises are one of my favorite flowers. Must get to the botanical garden soon to see theirs.
In my neighborhood
I just got my copy of The Art of Urban Sketching and am loving it. But I have to admit that I'm wishing I lived in a more urban setting so that I could be an urban sketcher. However, today I went Suburban Sketching. Perhaps not as glamorous but it was fun to sit in the shade and draw.
Saturday, February 09, 2013
66 Italian Alley
I love cityscapes that are loose and painterly. This was an attempt at that, but I think it is still too tight.
64 Single Track Road
I wonder how long that sign has been on that tree. I'm sure it's been years and years. From a photo in VT.
63 Eagle Mtn Cedars
I'm still working on completing 100 paintings. This is from a photo from the woods in VT.
62 Yellow Tree
This was the last painting in the 20 in 20 project. Finally posting it. I have to say I don't really like it, but it counted. lol
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