Adventures at Home and Abroad

I just think the colors of this cup are delicious. So many greens and blues, warm and cool.

 The cocktail series of lessons required a steady hand. The painter has to get the glassware right! If it’s wonky, the painting just looks stupid. I’m pretty happy with these.

 

I’ve started painting a few pet portraits and have decided that my biggest challenge so far is worrying that I’ll upset the owners! What if I get it totally wrong? EEEK. Oh well, I need to practice and practice some more. Norbert. Mittens (RIP). Jack (RIP).

I’ve got a long way to go, but I think I captured Peanut’s personality here.  

 

 I'm not unhappy with this one at all!

  I started taking online painting classes and it's been challenging! Learning to mix colors again, figuring out that I have to practice to actually produce something I like (duh). And, of course, remembering to view my work with a critical eye, to make it better! (Not beat on myself.)

 More practice ...

I started painting twenty years ago, in Wisconsin, for fun. I enjoyed it, but fell out of the practice. During my Dad's illness, and then COVID, I started working on complex paint-by-number canvases. They didn't require much thought, but I enjoyed the process of putting color on a surface. I nagged at myself to break out, and begin "real" painting (so judgy!).  Finally, in 2022, I started taking classes at a local art gallery. The artist who teaches them chooses a painting for us to "replicate"--no wine involved. I'm back, I think.

John Constable: Weymouth Bay I spent yesterday familiarizing myself with the set of acrylic paints I bought a few years ago. When I painted before, I used water-based oils. But I had challenges with them, mostly because of the drying time and my need to transport my canvases to and from class. I decided to try acrylics this time, because I liked the idea of being able to load layer-upon-layer of color, but not have to wait forever. (Yes, I have issues with immediate gratification.) My set has just a few colors, so I had to mix colors, and I love that part! I know I'll need to buy a few tubes, the ones that are so hard to get right (magenta and some of the purples). But I like the process of creating the colors. But my ability to render anything half-way decent is completely gone. Well, that's not quite fair. It just takes a lot of time and I have to change my mindset. I have to relearn which brushes to use, as well. But, that's part of the process. And after think...