Category Archives: Daily Painting

Day One of The September 2020 30-Day Creative Gathering. Let’s Kick It!

Day 1, 9-2020. Acrylic on canvas, 36 x 36. © 2020 Sheila Delgado.

Heeeyyyy everyone! Welcome to the 30-Day Creative Gathering. 🙂 Hope you’re ready to get in the groove, and have some fun. I have to admit, I wasn’t sure I had enough mojo to participate. But I chatted with some of you, and we sort of talked each other into it. Ha-ha. That’s what friends are for ‘ey?!

It may have hit me late, but a few days ago, I started to get really excited. And here I am.
One more time.

This will be my 13th 30-day challenge. Ten of them were with Leslie Saeta in her 30 Paintings In 30 Days events. Leslie changed her focus a couple of years ago, and a few of us wanted to continue the challenge. Yay! Christiane Drieling and I co-founded the 30-Day Creative Gathering on Facebook. Follow the links to see samples from the events.

Let’s kick it ya’ll!

My piece for day one is a do-over. And I most likely will be trying this again. It is a huge canvas that has been hanging on my wall unfinished, ever since we moved to Arizona. Four years!! Truth be told, it was unfinished for even longer than that. I had once painted a scene on it. Then I moved, and I prepped it for the new space. Haha, that is as far as I got. Honestly, I just never could decide what I wanted to see on the wall. And what I had the courage to attempt. LOL. 🙂

But it’s only paint, and I can start all over if I want to. This canvas may make an appearance again later this month.

I don’t have room to paint on a canvas this size. I painted it on my bed. Haha. I painted the sky first, stopped for dinner, and then worked on the rest. Here is my first try. I apologize for the terrible photo. The dark area is my shadow.

Day 1, First Draft, 9-2020. Acrylic on canvas, 36 x 36. © 2020 Sheila Delgado.

I am going to critique this, but know that I am happy with it to an extent. I am sharing my thoughts on the process to help clarify what I learned.
Happy as always for the learning!

I did not have the right colors on hand, and I do not have the right tools for a large piece. I used a 2-inch brush for the sky and land. Dotted (poured) the colors on, and then blended. Adding spritzes of water as needed.

For the ocean area, I used the same technique to get a base layer of color. Next, I used palette knives, a gift card, a one-inch brush, and my fingers. I used both craft paints and artist paints. Also matte gel for extra body.

When I finished the first time, I noticed a GLARING mistake. I had three bands of color. Three straight lines. Haha. B-o-r-i-n-g.

So I went back in and softened where the land and sky meet. I think I could have done better, but I am OK with this. Here is the final version again…

The dark band at the top of the sky actually looks perfect in daylight. It is softer and blends well. I still have “lines’ of color, but it’s no longer like nails on a chalkboard. Haha. 🙂

You can click on any image below if you want a closer look.

I was trying to mimic the feel of a painting by Hiroshi Matsumoto. I love his work. I had narrowed down my favorites to: May 2019, and June 2019. I love the feel of these two.

I decided on his June piece. The light, the shades of blue, the misty horizon. The abstract, chunky colors. The southern California-ness.

It bombed. Haha, haha. I just don’t have the right tools. I think I needed larger knives. Heavier body paint. I changed course midstream.

After looking at my piece on the wall, I have decided I want something calm in that space. Color, with hints of detail. Haha. Make up your mind Sheila!

Lastly, I think the main problem with this piece, is that it feels like separate paintings, chopped and put together. It isn’t integrated. Unified.

I promise I won’t write a novel for each piece this month. Thanks for visiting, suggestions are welcome! Happy creating everyone! 🙂

February 30-Day Creative Gathering

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Artwork Sampling

This is a small collection of the work that was created during the gathering. The group has grown to 132 members. In the past month, there were over 19 thousand posts, comments, and reactions shared within the group. That’s a lotta sharin’, talkin’, and cheerin’!

700 pieces were posted in the daily albums. 119 images were posted elsewhere. The day 1 album had the most posts, 31. The remaining daily album posts ranged between 17 and 30. This count is incomplete, however, due to misclassified posts.

The group was started as a continuation of the 30-Day challenge tradition. Many of the artists involved have been doing a bi-annual painting challenge for over 7 years. I am thrilled that so many choose to keep the challenge alive!

I am so honored to be among this group of creative talents. Your work is amazing! I applaud your learning and experimenting. Your desire for growth. Your generosity and graciousness with fellow group members. Congratulations everyone on our second fabulous event!

Thank you all for granting permission to share your work here and on the group Pinterest board. There are just over 100 images on the board. It is a fabulous gallery!

The art is shown in no particular order. You can click on the galleries (side by side images) to view the work without the title along the bottom. It will not, however, increase the size of the image. There is more art on the board from artists who write blogs. (They are directly pinable.)

Enjoy!

The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious.
It is the source of all true art and science.
Albert Einstein

Creativity gives hope that there can be a worthwhile idea.
Edward de Bono

Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes.
Art is knowing which ones to keep.
Scott Adams

Don’t be dismayed at good-byes.
A farewell is necessary before you can meet again.
And meeting again, after moments or lifetimes,
is certain for those who are friends.
Richard Bach

February 2020 30-Day Creative Gathering Collage

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What a difference a month makes! February flew by. I didn’t feel a loss of momentum until the final week. Being in pain will do that. In preparation for the challenge, I put together a file full of images to paint. I still have enough for another 30 paintings. Haha. Ideas abound. I intended to paint more abstracts. Planned on using Yupo more. Never enough time.

Each time I do the 30-day challenge, I wonder if I “grew” or developed new skills. I can never see it until some time has passed. I did try new subjects. Some that I never attempted before. The Cholla image, day 28, I took in 2012. WOW! I meant to paint it, and it has taken me this long. A little bit, out of sight out of mind. But also fear of painting so many spines. My first Cholla is not great, but it is better than I expected.

February 2020 30-Day Creative Gathering Favorites Collage, Sheila Delgado

Thanks so much for following along this month. I hope I did not bore you with my fascination with pointy things and desert natives. I appreciate your support and enjoy your comments and suggestions. 🙂 Thank you! It means a lot!

Congratulations and high five to the group artists. Whether you did 3 or 30, high five for making the bold attempt. For getting your art out into the world, and for encouraging others on their artistic journey! Thank you for taking part, and for making the group so lively and diverse! You ROCK! Hope to see you in September! HaPpY creating to you!