Noticing to learn.

That is my work of the day after spending almost 10 hours working on my first ever acrylic painting following several hours yesterday on the under-painting layer. (Technically my second painting if you count the abstract practice mixing colors piece we began with.) I painted through my morning walk time, teeth brushing time, showering time and checking email time – you get the idea. I would have been a starving artist, literally, except that my dear husband made me breakfast & lunch.  (Isn’t he wonderful?!)

My first reaction upon finishing was being happy with what I was able to create with my own two hands. But then, a couple of hours later that little critic started to whisper things like, “you SHOULD have remixed that blue in the napkin.” “Shhhh!” I said. And then, I reminded myself that it is okay to notice the lessons of what I learned from this experience – that is kind of the point of taking a class – learning from each project. But I can at the same time give myself artistic license to remain happy with my painting. “Noticing to learn” feels so much better than listening to that darn perfectionist critic I have been working to tame!

art class homework – still life layer 2

This is my first experience with an on-line class of any type.  (There was no internet when I went to school!)  Largely I am very happy with the experience.  I already know the instructor since it is the same person that I just took drawing classes with.  The hard part is not being able to get real-time feedback on things like mixing colors or on the brushes I am using – does this brush really stink or is it just me?  However, I would still recommend it.  I do like being able to go back and watch the video or read the instructions a second time.  You can check out the class here.

the first layer – underpainting – the idea is to paint the opposite of the planned final color.  Notice the cherries look like olives!