100 Paintings Challenge: #23 Still life in blue

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.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

#23 Still life in blue

This was one of the pictures I painted at my weekly painting class. We do still life pictures a lot as our tutor feels it's a great way to develop our skills, especially our powers of observation. I must say I do enjoy them. I never seem to get the folds of fabric properly when I paint. I took a photograph of the still life and then used that to guide me to paint the cloth...which was a good idea, as I feel I have managed to paint the fabric better in this picture.

5 comments:

Laure Ferlita said...: So calming, Brinda! Love the blue and the reflected light on the tea pot. Fabric is one of those subjects that could be the study of a 100 painting challenge all in itself! Bravo for keeping at it!; August 3, 2010 at 8:04 PM
irinasztukowski said...: Your fabric reads "fabric" and this is important Brinda. Yes, still life gives you opportunity to show people different materials. I see a great metal mug, I see little wooden spatulas and I definitely see a very well done fabric on the back. You achieved the task of giving a viewer the sense of the materials. Thanks, Irina; August 4, 2010 at 8:38 AM
Elva Paulson said...: Your fabric reads nicely as fabric. I like your variety of textures and how well you handled different blues together. ... a very pretty piece.; August 4, 2010 at 10:23 AM
Teri said...: Oh my, this is fabulous Brinda!!!! Gorgeous and serene. My newest favorite from you.; August 4, 2010 at 5:14 PM
brincrish said...: Thanks for looking and appreciating...It really spurs me on!; August 5, 2010 at 9:26 AM

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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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