Still Life #6

Still Life #6

Well, it took me a while to post this, because I got kinda "scolded" for not following the lesson plan, (not having my still life as the center of focus) and then used as the example of what you're not suppose to do! oh gosh was I embarrassed and felt shot down in flames. Fortunately I was not the only one who did this! there were other students who showed up with paintings that their still life was either implied or not the center of focus as well. So I felt better that I was not the only one confused about what the teacher wanted. Too bad I had to be the first one up to show my paintings! because I got the brunt of it, oh well, what doesn't kill me (or humilates me) will make me stronger.

Dragonfly WBO #5

Hi There! Here's number five of my still life,..... huh?! where's the still life, I know, and it's "implied" there, really it is! see the blue angled line on the left, that's the small green vase and the burnt sienna line next to it, represents the red vase.

This piece was interesting while painting, it didn't turn out the way it was drawn out, I had alot more lines that was on the painting that didn't get painted once I got started. Good thing too, because it would have been to busy and cluttered.

I've been struggle with if I can get away with the implied part of it for the class and I think I can because I believe the purpose of the class is to unearth the artist you truly are and to help understand what type of art work you gravitate to creating. Also to unbound yourself and create your own designs and of course teach you design principals.
Well I hope it's ok, I'll let you know if I get dinged for it at class. :-) (I doubt it, since Mike is a really, really, nice teacher)

Mike Bailey's Watercolor Beyond the Obvious

WBO #4
22x30
watercolor

WBO #3
22x30
watercolor

WBO #2
22x30
watercolor

WBO #1 - Stressed out!
22x30
watercolor

Original still life

Hello There!
I've been busy with a new class I started a couple of weeks ago called "Watercolor beyond the Obvious" taught by Mike Bailey.

Wow, this is a super class and beyond what I anticipated in learning. What I mean by that, not only am I learning design principal's, I am learning about ME, and my thought process, and self imposed boundries, and on and on... Whoa, I didnt think I was going on a adventure trip through "Sheila's Overactive Brain" land or the "Worry Wart" ferry ride but it's been a enlightening experience and I'm loving it.

The class is structured that you will setup a still life at home and each week you will learn a new design principal and then go paint that for the following week. Overall you will paint "a" still life twenty times, the same still life that you can't move, or change the perspective. The purpose of the one still life is that you'll be challenged to do it differently every week and you will start to develop your design knowledge. Sounds fun right!? it is, and Mike is a really, really great teacher.

The first week, I was so stressed out trying to figure out what still life I would want to paint 20 times, so I didnt get to paint it till Sunday, the day before class! I had so much energy built up that my first painting was YUCK! but I had to keep going because I needed to have two paintings for the class the next day. My second painting I did much better and it was more realistic, which I'm use to painting, so I was happy with it.

Last week I had to come up with something and the lecture was on "Line". I was trying to figure out what I would do and going through my sketch book. Mike is big on sketching and carrying your sketch book with you everywhere to capture those great ideas you have in random places. So I was sketching and thinking, sleeping and dreaming, eating and thinking, ugh! non-stop.
I finally settled on doing these two, one is based on a Mandala and the other one has a southwestern feel to it.

Anyway, I will be posting onward my next 16 paintings!