Day 10 #2 WIP. 8 x 8 Acrylic on Arches 140 lb. Cold Pressed paper. © 2018 Sheila Delgado
One of the 30 in 30 artists introduced me to the art of Andrew Faulkner. Completely slipped my mind who, but I thank you! I had in mind for today doing an 8 x 8 abstract, with the colors you see above. Pure abstract. Non-representational. Then I saw his work, and next I saw Mingus in these colors. So there you go. There I went.
Painted mostly with a palette knife. I might rework the sky. That turquoise is far too green. And the foreground is definitely out. Had no idea there. Just trying colors. I’m not going to put in grass or anything like that. Thinking, just a slight variation in the front hill color. Suggestions are more than welcome and highly regarded 🙂
Painted until two in the morning. All I came up with was crud. Finally I just let it go, and went to bed. Below is my first attempt. Yuck.
Day 10 #1 mixed media on Arches 140 lb. Cold Pressed paper. © 2018 Sheila Delgado
The orange in the sky is a mistake. I laid down that color first intending to go in a different direction. Thought it might resemble fading light so I left it. But it just looks dirty to me. The dark hills are slightly darker in person. There is no dotted outline in the middle of the left ridge. Layered like a Oreo cookie. To neatly stacked. See. Yuck.
So then I thought cropping it might do the trick. Nope.
Day 10 #1 cropped. Mixed media on Arches 140 lb. Cold Pressed paper. © 2018 Sheila Delgado
Next I grabbed a scrap, and played with oil pastels. Yup. More proof I should just call it a night.
Oil Pastels, 4 x 5, on Arches 140 lb. Cold Pressed paper. © 2018 Sheila Delgado
Lots of painting going on yesterday. On to Day Eleven! #177 on the challenge page today.
Take a look at Leslie’s 30 In 30 Blog for today’s amazing art!
Crud is a very harsh word, Today at workshop we were reminded that we are our worst critic! So don’t be hard on yourself, some will be better than others. It’s the learning process that counts!
We are Carol, and that is true 😉 Lo’ts of learning there. Cant wait to see what you learned in class 🙂
I don’t think the point of a Daily project is perfection each time. How could it be? I think it’s forcing you to put down some paint on paper/canvas. Some things are gonna be “Wow! Awesome!’ Others are gonna be “well… I don’t hate it” and others are going to be “Can I burn this?” I think you’re learning a lot about what you like. And what processes work for you and which don’t.
I’ve seen some stuff about writers. They have to write every day to perfect their craft too. I forget who said it, but it was something like “i have to writer out the bad stuff, so I can get to the good stuff”. If they only wrote on their “best” days then theyd’ never get past the bad stuff to get to the good stuff.
All that being said. I like them both. If you hadn’t pointed out the dots that don’t work, I might not have noticed them online. So… maybe fix that, maybe don’t. I like the “dirty” orange. I’ve seen skies like that before. If the turquoise is too turquoisey, then maybe you fix it or maybe it’s a lesson and just move forward?
I think it’s awesome you’re doing the work. Keep going!
I’ve been doing a 365 project with my film camera. I’m learning a bunch. Even after all these years of shooting…
You’re right Dave. The point is to paint. And I am. 🙂 I decided a long time ago, to share the bad with the good. In hopes of I dunno, just sharing that… you can recover from a bad painting. LOL 🙂
And there is a thing with painters, like the writers lesson. I always forget the number, but it says you have to put in 10,000 hours of work, before you are really.. experienced, and therefore, really good. So every bit counts, every painting good or bad, counts.
The learning is what we are after right? Growth, learning. Self improvement.
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and encouragement 🙂
Keep it up Dave. Your work is inspiring!!
When I checked email this morning and saw this image – my first reaction was – WOW! I really like this. So I came here and started reading your blog. Day 10 #2 reminds me of a silk screen print. I do like the sky and foreground – I like the whole painting! If you really want to do something mix up a slightly darker value of the front hill colour and randomly add some and see what you think. Why don’t you let it sit a few days and then come back and look. The other painting is interesting as well – I wonder if you are experiencing a design problem – which you have already identified for yourself – the ‘oreo’ effect – which I have been guilty of as well!! Everything is pretty close in size and shape. Maybe varying the shape of the middle range will change things up a bit. You could paint some paper in the colours of the back & middle range – even the front and then cut some shapes out and play around before you add new paint to the original. You could even colIage them on if you want. That is the main difference I see between one and two. Great variation of shape and size in the top one. I could be totally off base but that is what I see. I think your ‘play’ with the pastels is great as well. We need to allow ourselves the time to do that. I did check out Andrew Faulkner (thank you for the link) – his work is interesting. I don’t see digital in my future – very challenged in that department and I am having enough challenges with ‘old school’ creating! If I was standing beside you right now I would ask you to not be so hard on yourself and go paint another!! Take care Sheila ox
Janet, thank you so much for that in depth response! It probably sounds “harder” than I mean it. Just disappointment. LOL. With Andrews work, I wasn’t really thinking about the digital. Just the large blocks of color. His use of color.
I am so thankful for your input and ideas! Thank you so much Janet! I will think about these things on the next landscape. I think you are right on, variation.
Grateful for your encouragement Janet! I will definitely paint another 😉 Have fun today, and keep warm 😉
Well it sounds like you had a night! About the first painting – I like the front hill just the way it is although, yes, the turquoise in the sky is not quite right. I am sure all your work is a great teaching tool – even if only what not to do!
A lot of teaching going on this month Val. LOL. 🙂
Sheila, this is my kinda post—a day in the studio, and we got to be there, too! Thank you!
LOL, Glad you enjoyed it Dotty 🙂 Hope your time in the studio is delightful 🙂
Well, although you sound a bit frustrated, you kept trying different ideas in this process, and all that you did helps the next one of your creations. The small pastel piqued my interest the most and I can imagine all sorts of possibilities for a larger work.
I looked up Andrew Faulkner, who I had not heard of before, lots of beautifully colorful paintings that he does digitally or starts digitally. Maybe one of these days I will find the time to sit down and really attempt to learn how to use the apps online that many artists are using today. What I really need to do is learn how to use my camera. Today is a new day, Sheila. Happy creating!
It is Laurelle! Happy painting to you 😉 I know right. There are so many cool apps, but who has the time to learn them all? I am learning something new each day just trying to keep up, LOL. Much less add new stuff. :)) I like the thought of mixing digital and old school, hands on. I have done it in my surface design. But I still like painting by hand, the feel of the brush, the sound of the water. Maybe I would feel different if I was more proficient in digital art. Enjoy your day my friend 🙂
Sheila, your re always much too hard on yourself… I often have a idea of what my piece “should” look like in my head or how I would like for it to be… but oftentimes, art just spills out in a much different direction and mix of colors. I like to step back and see the “the true me” that was created… it’s always a soul exploration. I think it and YOU are fantastic ?❤️. Thank you for inspiring us?
Thank you Trang. You said it. I had a different idea. LOL. 🙂 Love your idea of “soul Exploration”. Thanks for the encouragement my friend, and for following my journey 🙂