100 Paintings Challenge: Kelly

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, February 15, 2011

Kelly - Painting 14

This is the same Black-bellid Plover that appears in painting 11. Wondering where his "black belly" is? He's in his non-breeding plumage here, so he's pretty much gray, light brown and white. I saw him last March on Longboat Key, Florida. He will slowly darken up as his breeding plumage comes in and he heads north for his breeding grounds.

I enjoyed painting the shadows on this bird...his round little belly and feathers were fun! Lately I've been completing a separate pencil sketch for my watercolors. I'm glad I did a graphite pencil study first. The studies are really helping me get to know the bird better and help me solve problems before I put paint to paper.

7 comments:

Mermaid's Palette said...: Love him, Kelly- He looks so soft! Nice shading and his shadow is nice also!; February 15, 2011 at 8:34 PM
Lorrie Klosterman said...: This is really gorgeous! It could be right out of a birding field guide, and has charm as well. Kelly, what size paper do you find is good for working in this degree of detail?
Cheers!; February 16, 2011 at 3:26 PM
Kelly said...: Sheryl...thank you!

Lorrie...I forgot to include the size. I usually do. Lately I've been working on 12 x 16, but this guy doesn't entirely fill the page. I just measured the bird to check his size, and from toes to head he is 11 inches tall. He looks like he's really detailed, but if you look closely, he's just a bunch of layers and shadows. It was so relaxing blending all the colors in layers.; February 16, 2011 at 6:05 PM
Claire M said...: I love all the detail that you've captured in his feathers, overall shape, shadowing, and even texture on the ground. The coloring in his eye and beak seem just right too - very believable.; February 17, 2011 at 12:46 AM
Kelly said...: ...thanks, Claire! I definitely worked a little harder on this one. I loved his face and sweet little eye and wanted to capture that.; February 17, 2011 at 2:18 PM
Elva Paulson said...: Nice plover, Kelly. You caught how delicate they look .. and perky.; February 22, 2011 at 8:55 PM
Linda McGeary said...: Hi Kelly,
Beautiful work as usal. It's been awhile since I've been to visit. When my sister died and then my sister in law just a few months later, I found myself up to my eyebrows in estates business for my sister and I just got knocked off course.
I'm working on a novel now, that is keeping me busy, but I just wanted to check out what creative things you've been doing and I love this bird. Also the other painting I've seen of yours.
Linda; February 25, 2011 at 4:27 PM

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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