100 Paintings Challenge: # 51 & 52 Using a pen

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.

Saturday, December 11, 2010

# 51 & 52 Using a pen

We are staying with friends in their amazing home in Manila. The garden is lush and green, with a variety of tropical plants. The plants seem so green here, and the flowers shine like jewels in the sun. Its possibly because the atmosphere is much cleaner here and not as polluted as Kolkata. These orange flowers are a kind of 'flame of the forest' but in bush form! I have been wanting to try using a pen to complement my painting so have tried it in these two pictures. I used the pen to primarily add a little more definition and shadows to my painting.
Can anyone tell me if there are rules one has to follow while using a pen with water colours? Are there special pens?

3 comments:

Elva Paulson said...: Hi Brinda ... you pen work looks wonderful on these two pieces. As you well know, I often combine watercolor and pen. Over on www.Flickr.com there is a qroup devoted to 'pen and watercolor wash'.

AS far as I'm concerned there are no rules, but it is important to know the properties of the pen you are working with. Some pens we buy just to write a letter have ink that fades. I put samples on my windowsill where they would get a lot of sun and two faded completely! Also you want to know if your pen lines will bleed when wet and or stay put. Sometimes I choose one and sometimes the other.

I've been very happy with Pigma's Micron pens.. waterproof and archival and they come in different sizes. When I want the lines to bleed I usually use a fountain pen with Pelikan Fount India ink. There are other good inks, just be sure never to put real India ink in a fountain pen. It will clog.

Experiment!; December 11, 2010 at 9:03 PM
Mermaid's Palette said...: Brinda-
I like the ink in your painting, and I don't think there are any rules either. I just bought some more rapidographs so I can try ink again, also.
Sheryl; December 11, 2010 at 9:45 PM
brincrish said...: Thanks Elva and Sheryl, for sharing thoughts....I will continue to experiment! I do like the look it achieves!; December 12, 2010 at 2:09 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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