big tree

For an hour and a half Wednesday morning (Sept. 16) I began to make good on filling the ready blank canvas (see next video). You can see I was flanked by two encouraging canvases. The ivy tree on the left and the vertical canvas I worked on the day before. It reminds me of the colors I enjoy looking at. It helps me believe "this is worth trying."

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The blank canvas, ready to be used. Two minutes. I CAN paint OUT DOORS with THAT SIZE.

There is nothing instant about painting. I put in my hours and my efforts accomplish much.

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Video. One of three. Painting faintly I build my image. It's how I work. As the design settles I work on the color, mixing the color from six tubes of heavy body Utrecht acrylic paint. Spritzing the palette with a mist of water helps keep it from drying out. A retractable razor is handy if I need to scrape the glass palette and squeeze out fresh paint from the tubes.

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Video. Two of three. I am asked about the shadows that move around on my canvas when I work outdoors. I ignore their pattern. I settle on the task at hand. Mixing paint on the palette, swishing my brush in the water to clean the bristles for the next color I will use, staying hydrated with my water bottle, keeping the palette moist, and so on. You do this long enough, you just tune out the sound of traffic, you focus, you tune into what you are doing.

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Video. Three of three.

 

This is what I have completed my first day on the Big Tree.

The next day Thursday, Sept. 17, I resume working on the big tree from 8:00 to 10:30 am. No videos today. The design is where I have placed it. So, today, I am working on embellishing areas. My goal is to make key areas clear. As always there are pieces of information I have not included. Yes. Now there are limbs that I have made faint. You can barely see them. They belong in the painting "faint" on purpose. Did you know that FROM EACH PIECE I am gaining knowledge. For instance, how the vine drapes, how to make the foreground move to the background. The sunlight can move around all it, my intent is clear. Do you want to know what I was trying to achieve? Just notice the details I KEPT IN the painting. This painting will encourage me when I trying something outside of my comfort zone. It will remind me that my tries PAY OFF. Each is a confidence builder. I am a learner. I CAN DO THIS.

This is what I completed my second day on Big Tree.