100 Paintings Challenge: #16 Rooster and Roses Cookie Jar- Sheryl Hawkins

Quantity over Quality

Sounds odd doesn't it?! Quantity over quality………

The purpose for quantity over quality is because most of us strive to paint a quality painting each time we touch brush to paper. We sometimes get too caught up in the quality of our paintings and don't finish them for a myriad of reasons including "it's not good enough," "it doesn't look right," and "it looks nothing like I thought it would."

By focusing on quantity, we set aside the search for perfection and begin to paint for the practice of it, to learn what works, what doesn't and to keep going - no matter how good or how poorly a painting is turning out.

Giving/Receiving Encouragement

One of the things that can help us to grow quickly is encouraging comments - it keeps us motivated to continue painting. We are often “too close” to our own work and someone else, with more distance, can easily see areas to be improved.

Giving Encouragment:

• Be positive and upbeat!

• Use constructive criticism if you offer a critique.

• Be specific about what works well and why OR what does not work well and why.

• Re-read your comments BEFORE posting to make sure they say what you want them say!

• Be kind and courteous.

• Consider that you may not know what the artist’s “vision” is for a particular piece of artwork.

Receiving Encouragement:

• Try it on for size - if it fits, great. If not, disregard the comment(s).

• Take the comment in the spirit it was given - to be helpful.

• Do not fire off a comment in anger or hurt.

• Do not retaliate by being hurtful in your comments back to someone who has hurt you.

If you feel someone is being unfair on a repeated basis, contact me directly so that we can discuss it off-line.

PLEASE NOTE: As moderator of this blog, I reserved the right to delete any and all comments and/or posts offensive or harmful to other participants. This includes excessive negativity. I reserve the right to remove a participant from the blog if offensive behaviors persist after a written warning is issued. All decisions will be final and not open for discussion.

Monday, January 10, 2011

#16 Rooster and Roses Cookie Jar- Sheryl Hawkins

This watercolor is one that I have been wanting to paint for a long time and just kept forgetting, and painting other things. This cookie jar was a wedding gift of my mom's and was on our counter in the kitchen while we were growing up. I don't know what it is about the cookie jar that I like so much- maybe the colorful design, or the childhood memories. It was part of a set of dishes produced in the mid 1950's called Rooster and Roses. I had a great time painting it, and when I finished the cookie jar itself- I was stuck on what to do next with the white background. I ended up using a dark background like I often do in my still life paintings- they really help set off the main subject, especially when it is light in color.

watercolor on arches cold pressed paper

3 comments:

Kelly said...: ...wow! You really captured the shine of porcelain or ceramic. I love the design--it's so happy and so 50s! I bet it's the memories that make you love it so...; January 11, 2011 at 12:05 AM
Elva Paulson said...: You did an excellent job of capturing the character of the painting style on the cookie jar. It's a challenge to get inside the head of another artist. Well done.; January 11, 2011 at 11:23 AM
Teri said...: This is gorgeous!!! The colors are so bright and clear. When I first looked at this I had to look again because I have a rooster tea pot that is so similar. I got it from someone who was going to throw it out and I liked it so it lives at my house. Now I know it must be from that same era.; January 11, 2011 at 9:04 PM

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Artistic Development

• This blog is dedicated to artistic improvement. It is a venue for the committed artist to receive ENCOURAGEMENT while taking on the 100 Painting Challenge.

• It is a place to discuss struggles with the challenge.

• It is a place to celebrate milestones, accomplishments and breakthroughs.

• It is a place to offer encouragement to others.

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• It is NOT a place to share negativity or any off-topic subject. This is an art blog.

• It is NOT a place to lurk. The expectation is that each artist will be posting at least 4 paintings a month, one per post.

• A painting may only be posted once.

• The painting should be posted on this blog and not direct participants to another link.

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• Up to two paintings may be posted by each artists for critiques and feedback each month.

About the Challenge

The 100 Paintings In a Year Challenge is intended for artists that are dedicated to the growth and development of their style as well as their artistic voice. The challenge also provides a means for overcoming areas in need of improvement.

The paintings should be a mix of small, medium and large pieces, some sketches, plein aire, and studio work; work from life as well as from photos. The variety is meant to push the artist out of any rut, to provide ample opportunity to create no matter what other time obligations are going on, and to challenge the artist if they do not create in one of these categories. The work can be done in any medium, but it is strongly advised that the artist consider choosing one medium in which to do the Challenge as this will help facilitate faster growth than trying to master multiple mediums.

DO NOT JUDGE the artwork! When a piece is complete, set it aside and move to the next piece of work. Learning to suspend judgement of our work is a major step forward in the development our skills.

Once committed, the expectation is that the artist will fully participate in the blog by posting on a regular basis as well as leaving encouraging comments of others' artwork through comments.

The challenge may be started at any time.

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