As usual, my initial process involved staring at a blank canvas/paper for several aeons. This time around, I’ve actually put brush to canvas! 😆
Most of the paintings I’ve done have been acrylics. That’s my default medium, I think. This one wanted to be in oils – a medium I’m not too practised in, but one that is quite nice to work with – smooth, and smells nice. (The solvent (turps) also has a distinctive scent, which I like in small doses, but needs good ventilation…)
I have other ideas. Some want to be acrylics, but some prefer ink, or pencil, or maybe some other process. But for now – oils!
It’s at that “yuck” stage, where nothing looks right. I knew I had to correct one of the colours, but I’ve overcorrected it now. I think I need to mute it drastically tomorrow. And it never looks the way I see it in my head. I’ll trundle on tomorrow with corrections and highlights. And, eventually, it will be some kind of good. 😊
And even better with an accompanying mug of coffee!
(not to drink at the same time!)
Still enjoying that buzz of creativity, although I seem to be working my way through my projects a bit randomly. Did my pile of mending today 🙂
It’s a bit of a paradox – taking the “must do, or else” out of the equation means I’m getting more done. Yes, there are deadlines, of a sort. But I’m feeling more confident that I’ll meet them. It makes my art room the place to be!
I’ve had a lovely, productive day 💖 Not quite as much done as I’d thought I would have. But I’m satisfied with my day.
I’ve heard that the creative mind is a messy mind, which spills out into its environment. I’m not sure that’s really true… I’ve peeked into artists’ studios, either in person, or in a book. Some are swirling tornadoes of paper, tools, and other bits’n’bobs. Others are pristine clean, everything in its place.
I’m probably somewhere between… Here’s my Art Room.
I was sorting through papers. Listening to music. Making preliminary sketches for a variety of ideas. Reading inspiring books. Taking snapshots of the things that stood out to me.
And, really – is it that untidy?
Well – yes, actually 😂 But at least I’m pretty sure I could find whatever I’m looking for in the teetering pile of stuff!
Each day has the possibility of producing beauty, and joy. Roll on morning – another chance to have a Really Good Day ❤ And who knows? Maybe I’ll even finish something 😀
I will finish this evening with a strangely soothing symphony…
So, I came to the end of the Rogue Hunt week, and managed to do more items than I thought I would! 😀 Part of the fun is interpreting the prompts – some I have a mental image pop up right away, some take time, and some I just don’t see at all…thankfully, I was in a team, so we all did good work on the things we picked ❤
I will post these in the order that I did them.
020 – Improve a famous book title by making it singular instead of plural (ie Tree Gump instead of Forrest Gump, but now you can’t use that one)
037 – In the style of Turkish artist Ertan Atay, combine a piece of Renaissance Art with a modern day photo, seamlessly blending the two into one image.
“Renaissance Florence” (not quite a seamless blend…)
100 – Scones with bones
(this was my favourite! 🙂 )
014 – Pushed Pork
Somewhere around here (midweek) I started on a team item, where we had to be gnomes in a garden. Here is Gnome Me.
😆
By this stage, I was cogitating on items I hadn’t initially chosen. This led to variable outcomes.
098 – A mason bee doing masonry work alongside a mason
I had no access to a mason bee. Or a mason. So I drew it. 🙂
009 – Using only straight lines draw or paint a picture of the troll who likes to get up to mischief in your garden. Leave it for them to find.
This one I had actually chosen early – just didn’t get around to doing it until later in the week.
These last ones were last minute, and hurried, interpretations…
052 – The calm in the (figurative) storm. Show us a tranquil art piece in the foreground while chaos reigns in the background.
I borrowed some of the boys’ display figurines…
097 – I’ve never seen an animal actually cross the road at their respective animal sign, but YOU are a responsible deer/moose/turtle/koala.etc and you cross where you’re expected.
(Sweet Bean as photographer ❤ )
And finally…
084 – Banana peels have a reputation for being slippery – Sounds like the perfect materials for a pair of high fashion slippers.
This was one where I had a clear idea of what I wanted to do. The execution went a bit…wrong. I eventually got this shot with a combination of speed, balancing, and the judicious application of tacks. They certainly look slipper-y!
It’s amazing what you can do when you just leap in to it.
I went to a Women’s Creative Day at church this afternoon. There were three tables to choose from – I chose painting. We had a canvas board, paints and brushes, and painted what we felt God was giving us to create…
I had something I was going to do – right up until I picked up my pencil to sketch. Then it changed, and I ended up with lots of bright colours.
Paint palettes can be serendipitously beautiful 🙂
Generally, I will sketch an idea. Think about it a bit. Sketch a bit more. More thinking…
Sometimes, I even start painting.
Today, it was a “slap some paint on the canvas” sort of day – not that I didn’t do some sort of planning. I tried to do the best I could with what I had (I forgot my “other” glasses, so it was a bit of a blur 😆 ) And I only dipped the paintbrush in my coffee once!
Gloriously messy, bright, and fun 😀
It’s helpful to let loose sometimes. I like to be more precise, but that can easily veer into perfectionism, which then translates to procrastination.
My painting is not finished. But it’s certainly started! It’s taking shape. Exuberant. Needs some more light, I think. I will be happy for today, and work on it tomorrow. A bit like life, really. ❤
So we’re out of the in-between week, and into the new year. I feel like I should have already taken off running. It’s been a bit strange, factoring in the weekend. I’ll start…stuff…on Monday 😆
I’ve started the new diary. And the other new diary. Here are the old ones (and the book I was reading).
I like to colour co-ordinate.
That top diary was started in 2022. My handwriting tends to be tiny – I generally fit three lines into one ordinary-sized ruled line. It can take a while to fill a book!
Here are my new diaries. And the book I’m reading.
The book underneath is one I’ve had for years. It’s beautiful ❤ Which means I haven’t wanted to mar its beauty with my writing. The cat diary has spaces for a drawing a day, and a written musing. The book is about writing.
Yes, every word matters, in the sense that it’s good to think about what we say, or write. So, this year I will write. And draw. I’m hoping to expand a bit from these books! I don’t “correct” whatever I do each day – once the day is finished, I don’t touch it again. I also draw from memory, which means I end up with some strange images 😀
And so, I will cope with imperfection, and push past to good. Maybe even great! I don’t know what’s up ahead. All I can do is mosey on in to the spaces I’m supposed to be in, and see what I can do there.
Well, my self-portraits have… I can’t say I’ve done an amazing job of framing, but they’re done. I’m working through the written assessment tonight and tomorrow, and then I’m pretty much done! As often happens, the things I think will be easy…aren’t. But the things I think will be hard sometimes aren’t, either! 🙂 I had frames and bits and pieces strewn around the lounge room yesterday. Biggest Boy was a bit nonplussed to walk in the door, only to be confronted by me(s) frowning at him from the big lounge chair.
😀
On a foray into town today to look for some framing bits (unsuccessfully), I came across a new footstool.
A comfy unicorn, but it needs a bit of spot cleaning. I seem to have gathered myself a bit of a menagerie 🙂
I’m nearly there. Starting to feel the satisfaction of accomplishment… I’ve got some work framed and up on the shelves. I’ll have time for reading (yay!) over the break. …and, of course – Don’t forget my unicorn!
Seems like I forgot to post this week. I’ve finally reached the last bits of my course, and have been working to get the last assessment finished. I have just over a week to go. Cool. Nearly time to move on to the next stage of my life. Exciting. But also – I HAVE JUST OVER A WEEK TO GO!!!
I’m sure it will be fine.
My last task is to put on an “exhibition”. This won’t be an actual exhibition – I just have to show that I can decide a theme, curate works to fit the theme, frame those works in a professional way, and label them as they would be were they to, actually, be exhibited.
I am allowed to use pieces other people have done, but as I was having a look through my old catalogue, I realised I had a good number of self-portraits.
So – my theme is… “Retro-Perspective”!
Yes, I know that’s not really a word. It’s to do with looking back on how I portrayed myself then, and how I see myself now. I appear to be more wrinkly, and probably crankier, now. Anyway, here are the choices…
Untitled, and not sure of the date – maybe 1986/87? Me, looking into the big TV we had then.
I’ve always liked this one. 1987, charcoal and white conté on mulberry paper.
“Removed”, pen and ink on paper, 1988 And I think I still have that marble somewhere…
Untitled, drypoint and (fairly unsuccessful) mezzotint on rag paper, 1988 This one was just me drawing my reflection in the etching plate with an etching needle.
“Ya Reckon?”, linoprint on rice paper, 2025
“I like this spoon”, graphite and watercolour on paper, 2025
And yes, I do like that spoon.
I have frames. Still have to get all the other bits and pieces for framing.
I think I’ve finished the paintings for the assessment that’s due tomorrow. Not sure enough to submit them yet. But fairly confident… I’ll check them again in the morning.
I have been enjoying the colours of the palette when I finish for the day. I don’t think I’m too wasteful of the pigments, but I’m still juggling amounts when I mix colours. I’m also (finally) using brighter colours. Yay! 🙂
Yesterday’s.
…and today’s.
There are still questions to answer. But, one way or another, by tomorrow night I’ll have finished another module.
I’ve had a bit of a break tonight, and a bit of a laugh.
Just another reminder that people can be so delightfully weird! ❤
I realise, of course, that everything would be easier if I just jumped in and did it… My assessment is due tomorrow, and my brain doesn’t want to formulate the sentences needed to complete it. Despite this, I still need to think up those sentences, put them in the document, and send them off. Time is ticking away…
The prac work is done, although I can still look and see problems. The reality never really matches what I see in my head, and I have to stop myself overdoing it and making it all into a muddy mess. The images are already uploaded to the assessment. Therefore – they are done. 😆
Behold – a (final) pear.
I still like the pear. And still couldn’t mix a bright enough purple for the background.
Here are bottles, mixed with light.
I’ll probably answer a few more questions. Or watch a couple more YouTube videos.
a bit of creativity, a bit of eco consciousness, a bit of inspiration.... hopefully not a lot of pompousness and blathering :D
i'm not entirely sure what's going on here... let's travel along and see...
1000 Fields of Roses 