5-Day Painting Challenge: Day 4

Day 4, still painting - and LOVING it!

Yesterday I had about forty-five minutes at the table again before heading out. I tried to continue Frida's face from Day 3 but it just wasn't happening.

So I picked up a piece I started in early February but never finished (also seen here when I blogged about Art-making Mantra #2):

work in progress, 12x12 on cardboard

The piece has been sitting on my studio shelf for five weeks. I liked the movement and lines in it so I kept it out hoping I'd eventually see - perhaps in a sudden flash of inspiration - how I could transform them into something interesting.

A few weeks ago I borrowed a kid's art book from the library called Looking at Pictures. On the very last page I flipped to a photo of Cézanne's Bathers. Bing! My inspiration.

Bathers by Paul Cézanne

Fast-forward to Day 4. After a fruitless try at Frida's facial features with about a half hour left I finally pulled out my library book with Cézanne's picture, my pastels (water-soluble) and a photo of another painting, by Degas this time for good measure, called The Tub. And I played.

No perfection necessary, just fluid lines loosely transformed into a woman's shape:

still a work in progress - now inspired by Cézanne, 12x12 on cardboard

Lesson learned: Even a small half hour can make a big difference.

5-Day Painting Challenge: Day 3

I had less than an hour to play yesterday, so I shooed poor bro-in-law from my studio after work (sorry N.!) and got to it before leaving for the evening. Luckily I prepped two extra surfaces the night before so I could get started right away.

(Mental note: Prepping surfaces ahead of time makes it much easier to go to the table. It's one less obstacle between me and the paint.)

I spotted this magnet on my whiteboard in the morning and figured it was time to try my hand at a Frida Kahlo piece. I had a perfect piece of cardboard with a black background ready to go.

Frida magnet, 1x1

Here's where I got:

Frida, 7 1/2 x ~9 1/2 on cardboard

You can see ripples where I used a lot of water on my brush. Next time I use cardboard I may try sealing it with a layer of matte gel medium before painting to see if it makes a difference. But I don't mind the dappled look.

It's obviously not finished, but I like where it's going. Of course the face is the toughest part, but I'm determined to get 'er done. Maybe today's session - or not.

Up next, Day 4.