Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Hour number two...



Ugh, I am a little disappointed in myself over how little I achieved in one hour today. I am stuck in painting limbo. It feels so laborious, yet it doesn't look like it's ever going to come together. But it will. I'll tell you what, I COMPLETELY understand the importance of color studies now. I am spending a lot of time trying to mix the right colors, only to have them turn out too this or that. Also, I am all about the pretty details, therefore I am DYING to paint the swirlies on the bench and all the fine lines and accents. It is taking all I have to work from the back to the front this time.

Tomorrow I want to start laying in some of the tree shadows on the building and the fence details. I tried to start them with the archway, but the color in waaaaay too dark. And brown.

Well, that's all for now. I am off to watch "True Grit"!

Goodnight!

P.J.

Monday, January 30, 2012

The First Hour

The first project that I am tackling during Arts and Crafts hour is one that I actually started two weeks ago and haven't touched since. It is an acrylic painting of my mom's former boutique. It's meant to hang in her new building. I am working from these photographs:



So, as you can see, they are not the best reference photos. I needed them both in order to put in as much of the side of the building as possible, since the front and the right side contain most of the character of the store. Then I still have to include the sign in the yard.

This is all I had completed before craft hour. I probably spent an hour on it.



I had really only laid some parts in. The greens were all wrong. Being the heavy-handed individual I am (grace in NOT a word that comes to mind when I think of my attributes), I am really dreading the whole right side, where there is a picket fence, as well as the swirly details on the bench. A really important feature of the painting is the street lamp, which I did not properly mark in. The whole sidewalk needed adjusted. I really lost interest in this piece quickly.

But thanks to this new blog, I am forced to face all of the sad little partially completed projects I have begun. It's like the island of misfit creations up in here.

So, accompanied by my weapons of choice...


I set a timer and went to work. For a whole HOUR. This is the result:


I just laughed a little because it doesn't look like I did much. I spent the most amount of time adjusting the color and moving the sidewalk over. The colors still aren't perfect, but they are getting there. I like the improvements to the sky. 

I feel good knowing I spent a little time creating instead of vegging out and Facebook lurking (don't judge, you do it too). 

I am actually looking forward to what will happen tomorrow night. 

See you tomorrow!

P.J.



Sunday, January 29, 2012

Welcome!

Well, here it is! My last-ditch effort to get some daily creatin' on. I am glad you could join me on this journey of artsy-fartsiness. I have always had an innate desire to create, but as of late I have found myself glued to the computer more and more. I figure if I am going to be on the computer, I could at least be producing something, right? Monday through Friday I will document what I accomplished during art/craft hour. I have a feeling many projects will be completed over the course of multiple entries. At least I am getting somewhere, right? Right. So grab a coffee, and get ready to be arts and/or craft-fied!