Day 29

Day 29

Well, I let down the side over the weekend in the 30-day challenge. Too many things going on. There was the opening at of the Robert Singleton show at the new Grasshopper Gallery right here in town, then a meeting of the state watercolor society on the opposite side of the state (left at 6:30 a.m. and returned after 8 p.m.) and then a trip to Harrisburg, Pa., to deliver Ivy League for inclusion in the Pennsylvania Watercolor Society's Juried Exhibition, and then another stop to pick up a painting from the West Virginia Watercolor Society Signature Show. What a mouthful, and what a long weekend.

At any rate, I pronounce this painting to be finished. I put together a little animation to show some of the stages you've been watching over the last couple of weeks:

Day 25

Day 25

Sorry, missed another day (my third) in the 30-day challenge. My job is kicking my butt at the moment.

Got a little bit done this evening, mostly trying to feel my way around some of tree issues. I suspect you are tired of seeing this image. I'm getting there myself!

Day 23

Day 23

Now we've reached the stage where it seems that nothing is happening...but believe me, I've been at this for more than 30 minutes this evening (remember, my goal is at least 15 minutes for the 30-day challenge)...Now it's a matter of trying to enhance all the little things as I carefully nudge values in tiny, tiny little areas. Time to visit the eye doctor....or get bifocals.

Day 22

Day 22

So I messed around with the foreground and added more contrast. In doing so, I also lost some of the impetuous shapes and blooms that I liked in that area. Sigh. I wish I could manage to get color temperature and values right in the first application, but I always end up painting areas in multiple glazes to get things set, and I overwork a lot of delicious elements in the process.

Day 21

Day 21

Had to take a break from the 30-day challenge yesterday...family picnics and such. So back to the landscape today....now I think I need more blue to balance out the heavy yellows.

Day 19

Day 19

This is more of a paper experiment than anything else....This is a scrap of Fabriano Artistico cold press paper and I thought I would try it. I have friends who swear by it, while I've always used Arches.

So this is a small section of one of my recent Wardensville paintings used as a little test (as you can see, little is correct!). I'm not sure that I like it, but I know that's mostly because it's different than what I'm used to. I have some other little scraps...I'll just keep playing with them.

Day 18

Day 18

Attended a nice 75th anniversary celebration at our county library this evening, so I did not do anything on the landscape....so a quick little illustration instead for the 30-day challenge.

Day 17

Day 17

Didn't manage to make much progress today, and I'm a bit late in posting this for the 30-day challenge!

Day 16

Day 16

Still don't know where I'm going, but at least I put one foot in front of the other as part of the 30-day challenge.

Day 15?

Day 15

Really, it should be Day 14, not 15. I ended up taking a break from the 30-day challenge on Sunday. I still don't have a set direction on the landscape I've tried to start, and I didn't know what to do. A day later, and I'm still fumbling for guidance.

But let me talk about this little floral sketch because I really like it! Unlike the others that I've done so far, this one was completely free-form with just the brush. Before this, I had been doing a quick pencil sketch.

So, since I had nothing to go by on the paper, I really simplified the flowers, etc. into larger color masses. Simple really is better!

Day 13

Day 13

Hmmm....is this my unlucky number? Hope not. Like the Energizer Bunny®, I'm still going in the 30-Day Challenge!

Day 12

Day 12

I have to ponder where I'm going with the new landscape, so I'm back to the little florals for the 30-day challenge until I get a solid action plan formulated (i.e. do a value study)...Sorry, I ran off the edge of the page on this floral. Oops!

Day 11

Day 11

So now it's on to something completely different...I'm starting a new landscape project and will post progress shots as part of the 30-day challenge. Remember, my little goal is simply to get my brush on paper for 15 minutes a day. And sometimes that has been a real challenge. But I'm still chugging along.

Day 10

Day 10

One-third of the way through the 30-day challenge! I've got to get another painting started....

Day 9

Day 9

As I suggested last evening...a floral sketch! With some ink for structure. Painted from life. The flowers are beginning to droop, but I might be able to get a few more little sketches from this bouquet.

Day 8

Day 8

I've managed the bare minimum of time painting today for the 30-day challenge so I'm sure progress seems minor.

I may have to set this aside for a while to ponder it more deliberately. I see a floral sketch in my future....

Day 7

Day 7

Better....but now I think the tree has taken over the composition, which was not the intent of the design So I have to think about this new development and ponder how to balance it.

I suppose this is the appeal of this exercise for those who are watching.  I go through a lot of back and forth discussions as each of my paintings progress. With this 30-day challenge, you get to "see" my internal debate as it plays out.

Day 6

Day 6

Hmmmm...I think the jury is still out on whether this is going to work, If it weren't for the 30-day challenge, I would not be showing this to anyone. But a promise is a promise....I'm supposed to paint and post.

That said, my challenge is small compared to the many artists who are actually completing a painting a day as part of the challenge (instead of my paltry minimum 15-minute per day commitment). So hats off to them! And I'll keep working on this tomorrow.....

Day 5

Day 5

Day 5 of the 30-day challenge......Ummmmm........I'm not sure if I'm still on the right track or if I've ruined it. Until I punch the dark areas into the window and door, I won't know. But the suspense is going to have to wait until tomorrow.

Day 4

Day 4

Day 4 in the 30-day challenge!

So I'm back to the 8"x8" painting today. Heeding Bill Vrscak's sage advice, I am still applying washes with large flats, and trying to vary the colors in the areas so they don't come off as boring and flat. And a little wet-in-wet around the base of the tree helps to connect the tree to the ground. Gotta work on that chunk of wood in front....

Day 3

Day 3

Well - Already it's a struggle to manage this 30-day challenge. I've got to do a better job of time management (and not spending 11 hours at work would be a big help, too).

I decided I was not in the right frame of mind to tackle anything on the WIP painting, so I instead did another one of the little bouquet sketches. Loose, with wet-in-wet sections, and fun!

Day 2

Day 2

So I'm now working on one of my Extraordinary/Everyday series pieces (see my website to view the series), and I'll post where I'm at each day on this 8"x8" painting as part of Leslie Saeta's 30-day challenge.

I have to say, I really don't like posting images at this point....paintings always look so rough and unplanned at this stage. I hope this one will improve speedily!

30-day painting challenge - Day 1

I've signed up for the 30-day painting challenge hosted by California-based artist Leslie Saeta. The stated goal is to complete 30 paintings in 30 days.

Well......

I won't be managing that. But, Leslie says there are no "rules" with the challenge, other than having fun, and the idea is to establish some habits that will carry on beyond the 30 days that will help us be more productive as artists.

So, my personal challenge is simply to get my brush on paper for at least 15 minutes per day during the month-long challenge. That means that most of the time, the images that I will post each day will simply record my progress on some larger paintings that I am starting this month. And, if I don't happen to work on the larger paintings, I will do little tiny sketches, like today's entry for the challenge.

Day 1