100 Paintings Challenge: Dance Party-#21 Dora Sislian Themelis

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.

Friday, June 10, 2011

Dance Party-#21 Dora Sislian Themelis

#21-Dance Party (c)2011 Dora Sislian Themelis
8x12 Watercolor

Hello all, I'm still here. I was working on this watercolor painting and now it's finished. And thankfully so because if I kept working on it I would have wrecked the whole thing. To clarify, I've been doing this painting for a client as a possible book illustration job. Happy colors, dancing figures, ok, but now I have to use a photograph and take longer than my latest twenty minutes. I was told my work was melancholy. I would have loved to have your input as I went along, but I had to finish it to add it to the challenge. So here it is: have at it.

15 comments:

Lorrie Klosterman said...: It's so nice to have you posting again, Dora. This is so fun and lively ... I like the depictions of all those jeans in different positions, and the personalities of the men that emerge from their expressions and postures. Everyone has his own, easy-going, and happy place in the composition. The painting has great character without being overdone. Nice!; June 11, 2011 at 10:34 AM
Toyin O. said...: The painting is lovely:); June 11, 2011 at 2:44 PM
Agapi Sea Glass said...: Opa! love the water color dear and the wonderful Greek feeling of happy dancing to bazoukia music it gives.; June 12, 2011 at 8:41 AM
Dora Sislian Themelis said...: Lorrie-thank you. It's nice to be back posting. I am so happy to finish this painting and now to move on. I'm glad you have a nice feeling from it.; June 12, 2011 at 5:10 PM
Dora Sislian Themelis said...: Thank you Toyin O.; June 12, 2011 at 5:10 PM
Dora Sislian Themelis said...: Gina! Thanks for dropping in and leaving such a nice compliment on this painting. I was trying for a happy feeling too!; June 12, 2011 at 5:13 PM
Claire M said...: I like how you have captured differences for all of the people. Nice composition.; June 13, 2011 at 2:41 AM
Laure Ferlita said...: Dora, was the photo black and white? Did you have any freedom in the choice of colors? I don't find it melancholy at all. However, I think most folks think of bright pops of color (think confetti) when they think of a party/dance. I'm wondering if few touches of red or orange to help move the eye around the piece would have made a difference to the person who saw this as melancholy.

Very nicely done! Kudos to you!; June 13, 2011 at 9:54 AM
Mermaid's Palette said...: Dora- Very nice work here! People are so difficult to capture and especially with all the different poses and angles, a perspective nightmare! Again, great job and I love the lights across the background!; June 13, 2011 at 11:39 AM
Dora Sislian Themelis said...: Laure this was a color photo.I finally heard from the book guy who said he was looking for "whimsy", a freer style with broader strokes for the figures. He liked the background and wanted more of that. He saw most of my work as melancholy and dark! Maybe he was looking for the figures to be sketchier or more abstract. Well, maybe it was not to be.; June 13, 2011 at 4:50 PM
Dora Sislian Themelis said...: Thank you Sheryl. I don't think it's what the book guy wants though. I seem to do better painting from life rather than the photo.; June 13, 2011 at 4:52 PM
Laure Ferlita said...: Dora, don't discount the painting because of one person's opinion. It's a solid piece of work and stands on it's own REGARDLESS of whether book guy likes it or not.

It sounds to me that you've discovered something about yourself though—that YOU prefer working from life. That is a success in and of itself.; June 13, 2011 at 4:54 PM
Kelly said...: ...I don't find it melancholy either. It looks like a fun party...dancing and night time music!; June 13, 2011 at 5:00 PM
Dora Sislian Themelis said...: Laure, I knew when I painted this it wasn't what the guy wanted. I will post more thoughts and samples of my figure painting on my blog, if anyone is interested to see the differences.

Thank you so much for your help, your critique, and this opportunity of this challenge. It is really helping me be me.; June 14, 2011 at 8:29 AM
Dora Sislian Themelis said...: Kelly, I agree with you. I really don't think my work is depressing! LOL; June 14, 2011 at 8:30 AM

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.

___________

• 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.

___________

• 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.

Search This Blog

Participants

A L U M N I

100 PC - Badge