FLORAL #4

This is my least favorite of the 4 knife florals I've done so far.  But, it is what it is.

1.  I don't like the color of the background.
2.  I don't like the color of the surface.
3.  Or maybe I just don't like the two of them together.
4.  I don't like the leaves...any of them!

Leaves and stems are the hardest parts of these paintings for me.  I have never been able to paint believable leaves with a brush, either.  Maybe after 6 more tries, I can get them closer to right. If anybody reading this has any suggestions, I'd love to hear them!

Now....on to #5 which has a distinct flavor of Mejico!  Ole!

I am grateful for all my gorgeous, luscious tubes of paint!

THICK PAINT

I'm working on my floral #4 this morning, but I have the paint so thick that even my acrylics are taking some time to dry.  So, I put my new try at a landscape back on my easel to attempt to correct some of what was very wrong with it.

It still isn't good.  But I don't know what else to do to fix it, so I'm going to show it to you, anyway.

This is another good example of how NOT to do a painting!  I should have...should have...SHOULD HAVE done a more complete sketch before I began applying all this paint!  I have wound up with 'book-ends.'  See those two trees...one on the left and one on the right.

Same shape.
Same size.
Same colors.
Same values.

BAD!  BAD!!  BAD!!!

Do NOT do this anymore, Sharon!

I do hope I listen to that admonition.

Here it is, such as it is.

I like my water, though.  :)

I am grateful for your interest in my painting adventures.  Thank you.

THIRD TRY

I'm still lovin' this whole knife painting thing!  The only downside is that you go through an enormous amount of paint in the process. 

But, as I have, with great intelligience and foresight, signed up for a Michael's reward card, I get fabuloso coupons by e-mail.  If you don't have one yet, get thee to your nearest Michael's store and do something about that!  ;)

Or, you can probably sign up on line.  Here's their website.

http://www.michaels.com/

I had gone through a big tube of white paint in a week (ohmygawd!) and so I had to get some more if I wanted to paint anything else.  Guess what?  I had a 40% off coupon for ALL paint!!!  So, I pigged out!  Why wouldn't I?  This time, I got two tubes of white and lots of other luscious colors!

I have begun another landscape but I'm not ready to show that to you just yet.  And when I felt I needed to set that one aside for a bit, of course, I started another painting...another floral.  This one has a whole different look than those first two and I did it on a larger canvas.

One of my good artist friends has taught me that if I want to get a grasp on something new, I will have to repeat the process at least 10 times.  That means after 7 more floral paintings, done with a knife, I will only just begin to 'get' it.  In the meantime, I will do the best I can on each piece and unless it's truly horrendously awful and embarrassing, I'll share it with you.

I am delighted that I found the 'noive' to attempt these and if you are a painter and  have any inclination at all, I want to encourage you to try it, too.  It's another tool for your painter's toolbox...and we all need all the good tools we can get, don't we? 

I have often thought my paintings woud be much improved by the addition of more texture, but I didn't quite know how to achieve that.  After this experiment, I won't have that issue any more.  So, I'm believing that my 'regular' paintings, done with a brush, will be better because of this. 

I hope so, anyway.

I'm calling this 16 x 20 painting SUNFLOWERS AND DAISIES.

I am grateful to be able to share my excitement with you all and I hope that I encourage you to find something creatively exciting to do in your own life!

MANY THINGS WRONG

Having so many things wrong in this painting has given me a great opportunity to learn.  After all, if by some magic, I could suddenly do anything I wanted with no struggle, there would be no growth, would there?  So, I am grateful for the many things wrong with this painting because each of them is helping me learn and grow and expand as an artist.

Painting with a knife..how can I describe it?  For me, it's a lot like trying to dig a hole with a stick instead of a spade.  It can be highly frustrating!  And it's hard to actually get the dirt out of the hole.  Just so, it seems that the application of one knife-full of paint just manages to completely cover up a previous effort.  Two steps forward and one step back.

So why am I doing this?  Because I love the expressive look of so many knife paintings I have seen.  I love the thick, impasto texture of it.  I love the way the paint seems to dance on the surface of the canvas...instead of just lounging on it.  LOL

I have done knife paintings in the past.  Like this one.

....and this one

But I have never before tried to do anything as detailed as the florals I posted yesterday or this landscape that I'm working on now.

My guess is that my fascination with this type of painting is going to continue for a long while.

So, now, I think I'll call myself 'Playing With Knives" instead of "Dances With a Brush."

I think Louise would say I can have both names...and she'd be a'smilin!

I know that not everyone will understand that last sentence, but many of my friends surely will.  And they'll be a'smilin', too.

I nearly forgot to show you my 'many things wrong' painting.

Here ya go!

I am grateful for all my mistakes.  Each one is a life lesson.

WHAT'S NEW?

Well, lots!

I can't believe how long it's been since I've posted a new blog entry.

Why is that?

I've been busy....busy painting, mostly.

Also, I've had cataract surgery which kept me from painting for about 18 and 1/2 hours, but that's all.

Spring arrived in Tucson, so I've done some yard work.

Between hubby and me, there's been an unusual number of doctor's appointments...don't like those.  :(

Taxes had to get done.

Stuff.  I don't remember everything...just 'stuff.'

But, mostly, I've been 'cloistered' in my studio...just me and my paints.

A couple of days ago, I got inspired by an incredible artist to have another go at painting with a knife.  So, yesterday and today, that's all I've done.

I will share the link to her site and I really hope you all go have a look at her incredible work!

http://dreamatolleperry.com/

In my dreams, I could paint like she does.  But, I probably should just stick to painting like I do...even if I am trying out something new. 

So, here's what I came up with.

The first one, I am calling Roses and Daisies.  It's on a 9 x 11 canvas....done almost ecxlusively with a knife.  Sometimes, I just had to dance with my brush.  That's a partner I'm used to.

I enjoyed doing that one so much, I had to give  it another try.  This one is also an 11" x 14" canvas and, as yet, has no name.

I might need to do a tad more work on this one, but, it's pretty close to finished, I think.

As always, I am so grateful for the gift of painting.  It has enriched my life beyond belief!