Wednesday 28 January 2009

This Week's Classes

Once again I have nothing to show you from my clay class this week, but that's because I didn't manage to get there. My depression got the better of me on Monday, but I'd rather not dwell on that because the subject is so dull and... well... depressing!

So tonight it was back to my drawing and painting class, taking along the essential head wear so that I could listen to happy dance floor fillers while I was painting! And I couldn't resist a little boogie in my chair every now and again!

I had been shopping during the day and bought myself a larger sketch pad (A3), a brown pen, and some water colour paints (oh yes). I had a plan of what I wanted to do in class, but when it came to it I decided to follow Anita's lesson plan of learning to mix colours, which I sorely needed. I am so rubbish at mixing colours (I didn't even know that green and red makes brown!)so it was an extremely useful lesson for me this week. After painting our colour wheels we had to paint the silhouette of a tree against a colourful sky, mixing our own colours using only red, blue and yellow (and Anita also allowed us to use green, which I was pleased about because I used green a lot to make brown and it would have taken me all night if I had to mix the green first as well!).


I know this isn't the best painting in the world (and it certainly wasn't the best painting in the class) but I'm quite pleased with my first experience with water colours and mixing my own colours too. I'm sure I would have had better results if I had brought along a photo of a tree like I was supposed to! (When will I ever learn to listen to my tutor?!) But then I was expecting to work on something completely different, which I had brought photo's for! I'm not sure when I will get to work on this other project that I have in mind. Maybe next week.

Water Colour on heavy weight A3 paper.

Edit: Ooh, I forgot to mention - as I didn't make it to clay class this week I emailed my tutor to ask if Swanee survived the kiln. He replied saying that it's gorgeous! I can't wait to see it!

10 comments:

Kathy L said...

Gee I think this looks very folk art. Watercolor is one of the most difficult media to work in. I think you did a pretty good job!

Oh and thanks for the award. Lovely Heart hey? I so appreciate it!

k

Undaunted said...

Thank you Kathy :) I looked up folk art on Wikipedia. It said it's also described as naive art - is that polite way of saying it looks like it was painted by a child? :)

The funny thing is, I've always said I didn't like water colour paintings, but I have seen some beautiful ones on several blogs - I was obviously looking at the wrong paintings before!

Oh you're welcome Kathy! Yes, you definitely have a lovely heart!

Kathy L said...

Heavens no! Folk art to me anyway, is a very direct form of art. In a straightforward way you can see through to the artists heart. A child could never capture those nuances :) I love that style of art!

k

Undaunted said...

I was just kidding, but thank you Kathy, that's very kind :) I'm glad you liked it!

Anonymous said...

I took a water color class several years ago and found it very challenging! It's not like other painting or drawing mediums.

I think you did a great job!

Sorry to hear about the depression - I've been going through a tiny bout of it too lately which is partly why I haven't been quite as social.

Undaunted said...

Thank you Cynthia :) Wouldn't it be typical if I ended up taking to the one medium I always said I didn't like? :D

I'm sorry that you also have been struggling with depression. Really, I think I know more people with it than without it. I completely understand it affecting your ability to be sociable. I hope you feel much better soon.

Unknown said...

Good going! So happy to see someone undaunted in pursuing their inner need for creative self expression! I've always believed that determination, persistence and fulfillment are what makes an artist "successful". Keep up the good work!

Undaunted said...

Thank you Susan, and thanks for dropping by! Your watercolours are gorgeous!

jafabrit said...

Just dropping by to say hi and hoping you are doing okay, and the snow isn't too bad where you are.

Undaunted said...

Thank you Jafabrit :)

No, the snow isn't too bad here (what's bad about snow anyway?) but my classes were cancelled this week :(