I’m still trying to make time for a bit of painting, and hope I have the inclination when I do. I want to paint nature, I’m just not very good. So thought if I set myself some goals and tasks, I could improve. Without copying an idea, I just tried to paint something. Perspective is one of my issues so I am working on that. Not great, but getting a bit better.
I am still not used to the consistency of the paint, how to work it, which brush to use and many other things. And by only putting a bit of time aside on weekends, it is slow progress. I am hoping to be able to do some more this weekend.
My painting isn’t coming along as quickly as I would like. Finding the time and the inclination together at the moment is fleeting. Life can be distracting at the best of times, but currently – and rightly so, my brain is occupied by more pressing matters. However, in an attempt to try something from Bob Ross’s series, thought I would try clouds, mountains and trees.
I was not happy with the clouds at all, but since it has dried, I don’t mind them so much, subtle, yet still cloudy. But that is not what I was going for. The mountains went wrong too in my opinion and I just about rescued them.
Then came the foreground. The trees were easy enough, if you seen any of my other paintings, you’ll know I have spent time doing trees already in both watercolour and acrylic, so they were passable in my view.
But then I totally faltered. The middle of the painting went wrong, twice. My want to put in misty hazy trees and some water just didn’t work. I didn’t know what else to do, so put a random cherry tree right in the middle.
So far, learning to paint has been a mixture of relaxing, exciting and mild panic. I am a bit of a perfectionist – having usually worked with intricate detail in black and white (gallery here) painting is quite out of my comfort zone. I’m trying to get over that though and take time and not be too disappointed when it doesn’t work as I would like it to.
So, after watercolour and acrylics going well and a bit of a break while work got a busy for payroll and tax year end, I decided it was tome to face my nemesis. Oil paints. I dramatise it though, really I tried them once when I was 15 with no guidance or knowledge and it was a mess. But after watching a fair few Bob Ross episodes, I thought – be brave. They won’t be mistakes, they’ll be… yep, happy little accidents.
This is how it started – fully prepped and with my new little easel and palette. And, my grandmothers paint brushes. She passed away about 5 years ago now but my grandpa sent me the rest of her art supplies recently so it’s inspired me to try more.
In progress – trying to be all meticulous without a real clue of what I am doing. Bob makes it look so easy. But I’m working out how much paint is enough, brush technique for lots of different brushes, mixing colours and all the other things that come with painting. I can’t believe I ever though it was as simple as just pick up a brush and paint! And for some people it may well be just that, but not for me.
Honestly, I was quite pleased with where it went and ended up. My first oil painting.
Followed very quickly by a second, not as pleased with it, but had to start somewhere with more than just blending so a pale background and some trees seemed appropriate. Next weekend is for gardening hopefully, but if it’s raining, maybe some more painting 🙂
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