Week 5

Well it's taken me a few days to post back on here again, the reason being that I've only just today started working on the latest 'assignment' from art class. 

This week we had to do a 'still life'. One of the ladies in class set up a bunch of different objects on a stand which we were meant to then do a painting of. 

Here is my view of our objects...

I would have started earlier but I couldn't work out how I wanted to do this painting. Rene, my art teacher, showed me an example of a painting in a book at class and I thought I would try to copy (as much as I am able) his style. but I wasn't happy with how everything looked 'as is' so I thought I'd add a bit of extra stuff! lol I'm also not going to fully stick to his style either....In other words I'm gonna make it up as I go along! :oP

As you can see I've taken away the stand and just made it look like a floating platform (don't know why???) and I've added in lots of leaves. Gawd knows how this is going to turn out but what the heck...I'll give it a go! Just mainly done the background and the platform so far...just started working on the leaves now. Fruit/vegies will come last.

Wish me luck.

ps...Yes..I do know the pumpkin looks like two oranges (as my hubby keeps pointing out!..thanks David :oP)...it won't stay that way okay! lol

Week 4...last day

Well I tried but I didn't get it finished in time for tonights class. I've been working so I haven't had time to do much on it until today. 

Oh well..it'll just have to be something for me to do later...maybe when the course is finished? 

Of course it might be what we're still working on tonight..I have no idea. 

I'll find out soon enough. 

Anyway, here's the updated version....still got a lot to do.

Had a whole lot of trouble with that bloomin cart!!! grrr 

But it's looking a whole lot better than it was earlier today!

 :OP

Still Week 4.....

Well I haven't got much done since Friday :oP

...mainly because I've been at work and by the time I get home the light is no good. 

I have an Ott light, which is usually very helpful, but it's just a small one and I find it doesn't give me enough light to paint by, especially when I'm painting  snow and using such light colours.

I'm working tomorrow too so that means I've only got Wednesday to try and get it as close to finished as possible. Aaargh! :oP Don't fancy my chances but I'll give it a good go.

Here's the painting so far....

...feeling a bit frustrated with the big tree...can't get it right. I'll keep working on it...

Week 4...continued...again....

Well I didn't have much time to paint today because I was working...but..I did manage to do a little when I got home. 

After this evenings effort I think I've worked out something about myself....I think I need to get to a certain point in my painting where I'm starting to feel like it might actually look 'not too bad', before the 'sick & stressed feelings', that I was feeling yesterday, can go away! 

I'm very happy to say that I got to that point today after putting in some more tree detail. 

I feel like I might actually even get a painting out of this!.... my 'beginners version of a painting' ...but still 'a painting'... and that makes me feel very good.   :o)

Here's the painting so far...

Week 4 ....continued

Aaaaaaaargh!!!!   :oS

That pretty much sums up my afternoon of painting!

Is it normal to feel sick and completely on edge & frustrated when you're painting??? 

That's how I feel! Is that normal? 

...or is it just me?   :oP

When I told my hubby how I was feeling he reminded me that I'm trying to copy part of a Monet...& I can't expect to get it 'perfect'! 

lol

He's so right...that's what my problem is..I'm stressing too much about 'getting it right'! I need to remind myself that I'm only just a beginner! ..and the painting I'm trying to copy is a Monet for goodness sake! How silly am I!

Anyway, here is the updated version of the painting....still a mess I know...but veryyyy slowly starting to come together. I quite like the sky..although it is a little darker than I planned..but I'm not going to change it as I don't mind it that way. I've only ever done 1 1/2 paintings before I started art class (never got around to finishing the 2nd one lol) and none of them were anything like this so it's all very new..and quite scary...to me. But it is all 'learning' in the end isn't it. 

I just hope that one day I will be able to stop feeling sick every time I paint!

Week 4

Impressionists! That's who we had to try and mimic this week. Eeeeek!!! We were given books of famous artists....mine was Monet. (I just happen to love his work so that suited me fine).

I chose one of his paintings from the book 'Monet & Japan'. It's called 'A cart on the snowy road at Honfleur' painted in 1865.

Here is the original....

 

I felt a bit freaked out by this class...mainly because I find it so hard to get my head around painting in this style....it's something I really would love to be able to do though.

We used our view finders and picked out a part we'd like to have a go at painting....

this is the beginning of my painting....(acrylics)

so far I've only really put in the shapes...

..as you can see I have a long way to go before its finished!!!

Hopefully I'll have it done in time for next weeks class.....

...as if...!

Week 3

Still freaking out every wednesday but I have to say I think I might just be able to get used to going to art class...I'm starting to enjoy myself...which is helping me to relax a little. Hopefully things keep improving!

This week we were given fishing lures...wish I had a photo of mine but I forgot to take a pic.

Oh well..here's the sketch coloured with pastels....

& here's the painting....(acrylics)

we were meant to make it look like it was underwater..hence the bubbles...

Week 2....continued

Practice during the week......same thing...vase sketch ...

then painting... (gouache)

Week 2

Felt a lot calmer this week....could have had something to do with the glass of wine I had before class??? ;oP

Today we drew bottles/jugs/jars....mine was a bottle...

......We had to sketch it.............

 

......then we had to paint it........kinda pop art style

Week 1

The first class.....was so terrified I could hardly hold my pencil...but..I got through it so at least that's something!

Rene Inei, our teacher, put on some short pieces of music and told us to 'just doodle'. 

From our doodles we chose a section with our view finder ...this was to be our first painting.

Doodles...

Painting...

Music: Now we are free by Zimmer, Gerrard & Baddelt

Birthday Surprise!

Birthday surprise from my beloved....Painting Classes!

Class 1 ... 6pm on the evening of my birthday!

Panicked all day! Panicked all through the class! Still panicking! But have calmed down quite a bit compared to day 1. Thank goodness!!! 

I have a 'dread'...a very large 'fear'....of creating/painting in front of others. 

I feel so silly and I don't know why I react this way ...I guess it's a fear of being judged???... of looking like a fool??? ...of getting it wrong??? I don't know. Whatever it is...I really hope it goes away!