7 Days In so far, and learning to embrace the bumps
A recap of the first 7 Days of the new 100-Day project and sharing the good and the ugly artworks
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From past experience with a 100-day project, embracing the suck should occur somewhere past the halfway point of a 100-day project, not in the first 7-days, but here I am already! And I'm so sure that I'll find myself back in this place many more times, so why not talk about it?
In case you missed last week's post, I shared my journey with the 100-day project over the years. And you can catch up on it by reading it here.
I have discovered that semi-abstract and expression art comes naturally after years of practicing and trying to paint. And that I prefer to trust my intuition when it comes to selecting a color palette. The theme for this new project remained elusive until I realised my strong desire for the realm of ocean art using a vibrant and colorful palette.
But day 1 was off to a bumpy start, literally. I thought I would be clever and try a new paper brand, however, the paper I bought doesn’t handle gouache paint as expected. That sucked because the paper kept buckling.
Well, that goes to show not to always trust advice from the ‘art expert’ from the art shop.
As someone who cherishes the freedom of painting, I must admit to feeling a touch of pressure when it comes to exploring illustration art. Yet, I'm determined to step out of my comfort zone explore the world of illustration art, and see what I discover along the way! But I can’t promise I will stick to it for the full project!
So I am approaching this 100-day art project a bit differently than other times.
This project isn't about completing a painting every single day; it's about dedicating an hour to honing my drawing skills, immersing myself in the vibrant world of illustration art, and experimenting with playful combinations of gouache and mixed media.
Even though I'm aiming for an hour each day, a minimum commitment of 10 minutes is fine on those days when I can't fully commit or when things just suck.
If I can't finish within that hour or need to do less, that's perfectly fine – I can pick up where I left off the next day.
Also, if I happen to paint a plant instead of what I originally planned, that's perfectly fine as well - my project, my rules.
What I know I need to do more of:
Get better acquainted with my gouache paints.
Create a colour wheel to avoid the time-consuming search for colour references, and so I can plan my colour palette.
Begin painting earlier than I currently do
Do some warm-up drawings
When it sucks, just remember, you can take a breather and return to it the next day.
Week 1 of 100 Days of Art Project
I did have some reservations about sharing the good and ugly art pieces from the first week, then again, it's always so interesting to witness the evolution of art over time!
DAY 1, It was all about letting loose and getting started. I thought it was a total mess, but the next day, I managed to embrace the happy mistakes.
DAYS 2, 3, and 4 were a bit frustrating, as nothing seemed to work with my plans or expectations. For some reason, I was drawn to painting seaweed plants. A few days I revisited the artwork and added extra details to liven it up.
DAYS 5 & 6, I needed a breather and decided to embrace simplicity by limiting my palette. Although I spent more time on Day 5 than on Day 6, yet, it turned out to be therapeutic and gratifying.
DAY 7, let's just say things got a bit wild, and it took numerous layers to reach a point where I could feel totally content.
Out of the 7 pieces, is there one that stands out for you?
Dear creative, artist, thank you for reading. I'd love to know if you enjoy following my art process and would like weekly project updates. Please share your thoughts in the comments below.
It sounds like you decided to share the "good and the ugly" but I can't find the "ugly" art out of your 7 pieces, so that just shows how much more critical we are toward our own work. I've been trying to remember this quote I once heard about the amount of work a professional artist actually likes of what they make. I know it wasn't a huge percentage. It was freeing to think- "I don't have to like everything I make!"
I don't know which one of yours is my favorite, but I do love the vibrancy of gouache and the forgiveness of art with layers (we get more than one chance to get to a place that makes us happy). Great job showing up seven days in a row and sticking through the bumpy parts. I enjoy the glimpse into your process.
Thank you for sharing these. I love watching your process!