I painted 30 paintings in the last 30 days.
How many did you paint?
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
MOULIN ROUGE!
Moulin Rouge in French means Red Mill. The Moulin Rouge is the birthplace of the can-can dance, which was in turn introduced to cabarets across Europe. Now, it's a tourist attraction but the club's decor still contains much of the romance of the fin de Siècle France. (Which means end of the 19th century characteristics.)
Unlike all the other paintings I did in this series, I decided to "cheat" a little and work on this painting a little at a time. I'm so glad I did that, because red, as I know can be a very tricky color, also, painting so small with so much detail in the photo can also prove to be counter productive. So, here's the first stage.
Then I added some reds and yellows. I also started the marque below the windmill.
Some time yesterday, I got to this point. I didn't know if this painting was going to make it, I was intimidated a bit by all the detail that had to yet go in. Normally I don't mind detail, I crave it, but when crunched with a time factor, pressure adds up.
But I took my time, and got it finished. Not only that, I completed the 30 Paintings in 30 Days challenge. I'm not one to normally get too stressed out when painting. I figure, it's just a canvas, either throw it out to start fresh, or work it out, let the paint dry and keep working.
The part I liked most about this painting was the marque under the windmill, I FUDGED it. Haha! I learned from a famous PBS watercolorist Bob Fagan how to create small people...trick is to not give them a neck. (YIKES!) But it works. And the legs are just triangles, do not do feet. (How do they walk?) But it works. Mind you, I'm not into watercolor, yet still, I learned something from him. By the way, if you remember Bob Fagan, he was the one who did the lighthouses up in Michigan and he did a series on Sanibel painting beach scenes. When I had my art supply store in Cape Coral, Florida, he used to teach there part time, and the women loved him, he was a lot of fun. His classes were unique and I listened in on them from time to time, and we had a nice business relationship.
Here is the original photo from which I worked. We didn't go see a show, we just had a taxi driver take us there, but to get a taxi out of that place was a hassle. Still yet, so glad I went and saw it!
Yes, I'd like to do this one larger...but no time soon, I have far too much work to do in the next few months, but perhaps one day!
So what did I gain from participating in this challenge?
1. I learned how certain paintings just are better large, and not every painting can be square shaped...landscapes are for a reason called landscapes...haha!
2. I learned you don't need so many brushes. When I did keep track of which brushes I used, I see I have the same ones nearly all the time. And I do like synthetic brushes best.
3. Somehow Cerulean Blue makes it way into every painting I do...this one not the exception! I think the only painting I didn't use Cerulean Blue was yesterday's "Honeymoon Rock", which was all in the yellow family.
4. I had fun picking out which photos to work from, and I'm glad I went with this theme of "Around the world in 30 Days" because it brought back the fun I had doing all that traveling. I feel I did it at the right time in my life.
5. I found that if I play French music when I'm painting the Eiffel Tower or other French scenes it helps. Same goes with listening to Cuenca, Ecuador radio stations if I'm painting Ecuador! When painting surf/coastal scenes, yes, I do play the sounds of waves...it just puts me in the mood...
6. I have a slew of paintings for shows, and/or, I have a slew of paintings to decide if I ever want to make them larger.
7. I learned how to photograph my work when on a small easel and how to showcase it in a collage to show all sides and they look so pretty. The paintings looked okay when you look at them from the front, but showing them on angles really enhanced them. See below:
8. I've enjoyed and learned to make my housework less of a priority. Sure I still cleaned, but did far less of it than I normally do. I recently moved and although there are boxes out in the garage calling my name, I've been ignoring them, and I learned, they don't call out to my husband either, so why on Earth did I place such a priority on them? They can wait!
9. I sharpened my self-discipline! Well, to paint every day...just wish I could wake up in the morning and get my day going a lot earlier and not be such a late bird. I did good at the beginning of the challenge, but as time went on, I slipped back into sleeping daytime, up nearly all night. GRR.
10. I enjoyed posting every day, blogging and sharing this challenge with my new online group, which I also started during this month, which has doubled in membership while I was painting away! Below is a link to my art group on Facebook.
Will I do this challenge again? Well, if I do, I think I'll do it in pastels, as they store easier. Try storing 30 paintings in a new home. (I did it, but it's not easy.)
Oh, and I sold TWO paintings, hoping to sell more down the road. Sometimes people have to think about it!
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