paint party friday mandalas and portraits

 Welcome to paint party Friday, let's enjoy color!!!

I started the week with this idea... a bookmark. What if I painted blobs of lightest yellow in a circle. Then slightly darker blobs outside that between the first ones. Then darker, darker darker. What would it make? 

It made the wonderful energetic flower above!

that became, what if I changed the colors...

and what if I paint cards for some friends who've withstood loss this month? 

each one alike, each one different

how would it look to add leaves?

Oooooo I like this one a lot... as always, my signature

 

next on the learning curve was watching the BBC show The portrait artist of the year. I saw it on youtube and there are several seasons, but I've only seen a couple episodes. Fascinating exploration of style.... the artists are painting a famous live subject, at the same time, and it shows their approaches.

  In this episode (youtube) one British artist uses watercolor, live subject, and a wall sized paint brush to do paint Ian Mckellen

the link
 so I got the grand idea to draw my own take on him... here is the start to it

yes, after studying in I got the nose wrong... it's more of a swoop in real life,... and noses really define a face (which is why I don't like stars getting nose jobs... their faces lose unique character to me)

I meant to add defining color and shadows but quite like it as is. He's watched over my art area all week and I smile each time I see him. I'd like to have at least added in the gray hair around his ear but there's always tomorrow...

there was a time not long ago when I would tell people I can't draw. Since then I have studied with instructors online, and just drawn what I see and you know... it's all good. I am enjoying it! Self expression and developing a style is the reason behind the actions.

One of those instructors had a pop up lesson this week, exploring creativity goals, and roadblocks

workshop leader elizabeth foley

we were to write a goal, for example one of mine is to finish a novel I started and get published. Another is to have a one woman show of my quilts. 

Then we were asked why we were reluctant/afraid to do it, writing this over the first sentences in a different pen/color. Representing what's in the way of our goals. Next we were to write in a different pen/color what is the worst that could happen if what we fear actually happened. 

That was the real learning for me. The "so what?" if the worst happened? If no one bought my quilts I'd be very happy to keep them (maybe happier truth be told) and on and on. 

next color over the words... now that goes against my grain so I added in watercolor between lines and over some in a transparent way. Next she suggested we grab a material we've not been brave enough to try out yet or haven't used much. 

I took some metallic paint, and she said to paint what felt like bold lines across the whole piece. 

Oh! Paint over my work? I did and painted the word brave because I am not brave. 

It was an amazing learning experience, I didn't anticipate it because she decided to do the zoom meeting for everyone on her mailing list, at the last minute. Because I once took a workshop this was offered to me. 

Life is kind of like that isn't it? One thing leading to another, experiences are there like plums for the plucking off a tree. Serendipity. Learning. Growth. New ways of thinking or working come up if we are watching for them... 

happy painting!

Linking to:  https://paintpartyfriday.blogspot.com/

friday bliss