This Cotton paper is a dream to paint with. The sheet came with a few tubes of paint I ordered on Amazon. What an awesome gesture. For some reason the paint on the flower petals became lighter as it dried. Blending is easier. With the Canson Paper the color can get lost in the paper. I had a small piece of this wonderful paper to test and I had to make good use of it. I need practice with digitizing.
A project can help you discover, learn and grow. The next time I am so quick to doubt and ask, have I wasted my time instead ask what have I learned.
Nothing to see here. Seriously today wasn’t a good day. It’s ok. It happens.
I started with a good sketch:
I couldn’t mix up the right green. (I was going by the photo)
I painted leaves over the flower
size 1 was too large for fine details
size o kept splitting
leaves looked washed out so I painted over them with a darker green
looking at the image I could see that stem wasn’t green but yellow brown (why didn’t I use yellow ochre)
Ok forget about the picture and just paint. Usually this works, not today!
Take a break. How about painting over the flower petasls that scanned in an ugly brown instead of a beautiful peach. Didn’t work either
Ok get out a stamp, mix a little paint and see what happens. Looking good, maybe
Time to go for a walk
There is light and hope in every day
Here I am writing this post. Wasn’t sure what to write. Then I find last Thursday’s Sunburst. That was a good day! Today is a good day too. I am grateful for the warmth of the sun. That I could walk, for my lunch, for the tea I’ll make and for the jug I’m about to paint. Thank you CatCoq. Your classes are amazing!
Ever watch Butterflies, how they flutter from flower to flower? Sometimes I watch them with the sun. I too should flutter more often. Flutter from idea to idea. Flutter from one negative thought to a peaceful one. Flutter from place to place. My mind often does.
This butterfly still needs antenna and a few spots on the body of the Butterfly. The right side was painted first. The tracing and tutorial called for black ink but I didn’t want the exact pattern and blue seemed like the way to go. My confidence was good. Then it got lost. The left side looks a lot thicker and a few of the lines are a bit of a mess.
What’s the real difference between the right and the left wing? In the right wing I was fluttering in the process. Good place to be.
FLUTTER IN THE pROCESS
Enough about the Butterfly. I will paint another layer and see how I can make this work. It already has because I did write this post. This week I have a few more flowers to paint. I want to do a culture inspired project.
I’ve made a decision. I will contiune to work on 100 ways to flower with power? There’s no right way to paint a flower? Yes, I like this title much better.
Maybe every Friday or a couple of days a week I’ll paint culture ideas. I’m just not sure where I want to go with the culture project. My plan is to build a collection of textures, homes, ceramics…the Lantern Festival is coming up! In March I could display all of my work and let the story emerge. Sounds good.
That means I have 2-3 months to write, edit and paint more flowers! I could work on the flower book for 3 days a week. The other two days will be for painting small projects and work for the shop.
I keep thinking about the other day when I opened my folder of over 100 flowers and the lessons I’ve learned. This observation made me want more. This year rather than set goals that become elusive I am contiuning to learn new skills, exploring and most importatnly sharpening my mind.
The strongest strength is that of the mind.
Ok this week I’m working on more flowers, an apothecary bottle, a butterfly, a freedon idea and …. so excited! I painted a brown Peruvian rug and writing for the book. There’s a lot of digitizing to be done but that will come at another time.
Let’s make a creative week! I would love to see your paintings and see what you create.
an art journal of an expressionistic spirit 