I did it! 30 paintings in 30 days. I posted daily to facebook and instagram in order to hold myself accountable. I didn't work from photos or references, I tried to just imagine a scene or start with absolutely no plan. It was such great practice to paint every day and push through the tough times!
These are my favorites and many of them will be available on my website soon. If there's one you want, send me an email and I will hold it for you!
One thing that shifted during this challenge was my tools. I started using a palette knife to paint 3 years ago. I used it as a tool to keep me loose as I would often make accidental marks that I loved! Probably a year ago (before the world shut down) a very wise art teacher told me that it's possible to be loose with a brush too! As usual, she was right and this challenge really pushed me to get back to brush work. I did continue to use a palette knife but more and more I used a lot water and scratchy brushes to keep myself loose and keep those happy accidents coming!
I am so happy with what I learned this month. I feel so much more confident as a painter and I'm much more quickly able to figure out what I like (or dislike) about my paintings. By the end I really followed my own advice "everything is an underpainting" which is a way for me to remember to keep my paintings as loose and fun as my underpaintings!
Thanks for following along! February promises to be a catch-up month. Both in my real life and also in my commissions for family! (Thanks for your patience, Dad - he's been waiting since July for his birthday painting!)
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