The Best Process Change So Far

Currently, I have a sustainable project.  In February, I plan to paint one household object each day.   I started several days early.  Since my time is really limited, I’m doing a simple painting.  There’s no time limit for drawing, although I try to keep a pretty brisk pace for all of it.  When it comes to painting, I give myself 15 - 20 minutes.  I’m also not going for something I’d hang on the wall.  It’s almost like I’m journaling. 

All of this is good, but the single biggest change is that when I am done painting I clean up and walk away without looking at what I just did.  Occasionally, I’ll give take a quick glance.  

The next day is when I finally take a look and write a few comments about things to work on and, at least, one thing that I like or enjoyed about yesterday’s painting.  This is something which got drilled in by Roz. 

This is a game changer.  It gives me energy, rather than taking it away and I feel better about every painting, even the clunkers.  The time and space gives the editor a chance to emerge rather than the bully.  

This is really significant.  If I try and look right after I’m done, I have to get past a place of disappointment.  I’m finding that waiting to look the next day, I start from a place of potential.  When I look at a so-called clunker, the chatter in my head is more along the lines of “well, that went off the rails a bit, why was that, does that give you something to focus on today”.  It’s a much kinder and helpful conversation in my head.  

Here are two paintings of a light bulb.  This bulb did not work in the lamp it was in.  It had the slightest flicker which I could not stand.  I think it will be fine in a different lamp. 

I painted it two days in a row and I can see myself doing that for much of February. This is the second version.  I think two paintings of the same object is generally going to be enough.  In most cases if I try more, it unleashes the perfectionist, which is not good. 

Here is my first attempt.  I got quite off in the angle and direction between the drawing and the painting. 

I also wanted to share the third painting I did with the same pepper.  I did this one before the lightbulbs.  The goal was to try and capture the shape and lean of the pepper more accurately than in the second painting, so I did a similar set up.  In this case, I’m glad I used the same model for a third painting.

My Thumb Is Still Green

I have not started violas from seed for several years, so I was reminded of what happens every year when I do.  They always take longer to start than I recall, so after 5-7 days I start to doubt that anything will ever germinated and grow for me again.  My spouse is the one who first pointed out this pattern to me.

After having my usual doubt, I am thrilled to report that there is new life in the basement.  If you look closely, there are violas which have germinated in 3 different cells.  They are so tiny!   

In art-making news, here are two recent paintings.

It's been good to get paint on the brush every day.  I'm working on finding a groove and, honestly, I've also been feeling unfocused.  On Roz's Patreon site, she just posted about goals, expectations, evaluation, and the editing eye and it's got me thinking about setting some simple goals and expectations on a weekly basis.  I'm also thinking about starting a February project that involves painting objects in the house, which also means painting from life, not pictures, but it also stays in line with not adding a bunch of complications.