Day 13 - 100 Day Project

Day 13 - 100 Day ProjectFollow me on Instagram @KathrynJNeale, #100Days20minptgs, #100DayProject Click here for official webpage.

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Little late with my posts today! Technical difficulties when internet went down last night. Still have to catch up to Day 15 but I will finish those posts tonight.

Day 12 - 100 Day Project

Day 12 - 100 Day ProjectFollow me on Instagram @KathrynJNeale, #100Days20minptgs, #100DayProject Click here for official webpage.

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I must admit I had to work a little over my 20 minutes with this one because of so many layering and lot of drying (for paint to dry!). I feel like this one is a little "odd" - I started with the dark patterned background and knew that I needed to paint over a lot of it to keep it from getting overly busy. The pattern itself is real pretty but because of the darkness and bright colors, it's very "eye-catching."

So I started working through some painting elements and colors. I knew I wanted to try the circle idea and blocking out sections of the background. Towards the end though, it started looking like 4-5 big blobs like a "figure" and just didn't like that. So breaking up the circle shapes was crucial as well as experimenting with the tape. I had to move things around quite a bit because it was still looking like "arms." Then . . . I flip it around (I will write a post coming soon about importance of rotating your canvas or whatever!!). And voila! Definitely preferred the landscape version.

Again tape is adding some weird element to me. It's a forced element something I don't have that much control over. It's a fantastic exercise to "make it work" with the geometric fixed shape, deeling with what's below when you peel it up to reveal that rectangle and then where you put the tape because it has all these other elements confined in that space. It's really fun. So had to take a little bit more time to figure out what was working for me.

The weird thing about this idea is that you need to keep the viewer's "interest," but also feel like it's "ok" for you. If you absolutely hate it then by all means, paint over or whatever. But there's this space between feeling uncomfortable and "ok" with what's happening visually that adds interest without being too "off." there are no rules of course in this way. But sometimes you want symmetry, my work is always asymmetrical. But there is a sense of "balance" but not too much. There's space for the eye and more complicated areas. As you get better at painting and balancing these elements you start to understand what is working for you. It's the "gray" area that's hard to explain.

For example, anyone can make chocolate chip cookies right? But one of my best friends when she makes them, they are just . . . .SOOOOOO GOOOD! Delicious! beyond The little nuances that she has developed in her process when making them start to be intuitive and they are hard to explain or write down step-by-step. It's just her style of cooking and the process when making her cookies - she may feel the oven should be at 365 rather than 350. That she cook for 11 minutes instead of 10. That she only beats in the wet ingredients to the dry 44 strokes with her wooden spoon, or that she uses extra vanilla, the dark brown sugar instead of just brown, and the real high quality chips like Ghirardelli's or something etc. But it's the way in which she combines all those little things into her process that makes her cookies special verses mine. Mine are ALWAYS flat as pancakes. I don't get it! But I probably should experiment and test more like my friend to discover the little things that make it work for me.

Painting is all about this process. And so many people (especially newbies getting started) fret and stress out over the END result of what the painting should look like. It's just like life or like anything, you miss what's on the way!

Day 11 - 100 Day Project

Day 11 - 100 Day ProjectFollow me on Instagram @KathrynJNeale, #100Days20minptgs, #100DayProject Click here for official webpage.

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This one felt very "spring" from the start! Taking out that blue from a pre-made sample is very "Easter/egg-like." I was kind of thinking I would go in the direction of yesterday with some neutrals but that's just not what came out nor was it the colors I picked out this morning. Another prime example of just rolling with it! Whatever!

Another one with tape today - might do it for a few more days. I like the "surprise" when you pull it up and place it other places and the fact that it's totally geometric in nature it's jarring in one sense to my organic painterly style. And for some reason another painting with a bright red/orange final! It worked I think for this one.

Day 10 - 100 Day Project

Day 10 - 100 Day Project Follow me on Instagram @KathrynJNeale, #100Days20minptgs, #100DayProject

Click here for official webpage.

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This one I like a little bit different. Tried to keep it kind of neutral (for me!). And I love experimenting with tape - it's fun to block out areas and then like you see, rip them up and place the tape elsewhere. It creates an interesting effect. You can still see hints of the pattern I used underneath but I like that - this one is more subtle with the pattern.

Thinking of my day today. Yesterday was his birthday (65), but he's been in the hospital for almost a week. Friday is my mom's birthday (yes they are Aries twins!), what a way to spend beginning of 65. He's always had issues with his heart his whole life. Yet my mom, sister and I all agree it's one of the great ironies of this life that even though his physical heart is so incredibly weak (it's a miracle he's lived this long!), he is the gentlest, kindest, sweetest man. Again I don't know why he has had to go through these touch challenges all his life, but of course being Aries and having a weak heart has beaten a lot of the Aries down in him which in some ways is sad. We all send him so much love and support.

Times like these are so crucial to take the opportunity to not only show but also just tell the ones we love how much we love them. We forget in our busy lives what it really means to cherish each other. And it starts with us, with our family, with our friends. Then we can turn ourselves outward to bless the world at large because starting with ourselves we only contribute to the healing of the world - instead of turning to hate, turning to love.

This post is really not meant for anything else but myself, I know no one is reading this but it's helpful to write out what I most need to hear. Tough times indeed. The prognosis not looking good.

Day 9 - 100 Day Project

Day 9 - 100 Day Project Follow me on Instagram @KathrynJNeale, #100Days20minptgs, #100DayProject

Click here for official webpage.

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Day 9 was actually pretty fast. I liked the geometric background to build upon. I usually like organic imagery obviously but it's a different feel to react with my organic painterly style to an already highly graphic structured pattern.

Day 8 - 100 Day Project

Day 8Follow me on Instagram @KathrynJNeale, #100Days20minptgs, #100DayProject Click here for official webpage.

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First painting I've strongly felt should be landscape but can't do that for instagram cause proportions are more portrait (vertical) format. If I had more time obviously I would still work on this one. Perhaps pushing some parts into the background (fading) and highlighting as well. I confess I took a little bit more time just because it takes so long to dry the parts so that I can also apply the patterned piece of paper. That's probably what frustrated me the most about this process, I don't mind working fast at all but I get annoyed when I have to wait for things to dry with a hair dyer. I much prefer letting things dry on their own - much more interesting effects when I come back a day later or couple hours later. You just can't beat "natural" drying process with pigments floating and settling on their own.

I also had little bit of fun with some pastel and then painting over the pastel with watery paint. The paint immediately falls to either side cause it's different dry material so it doesn't absorb the water at all it repels it. So it's a fun effect. Probably will have some more fun with it in a little bit.

Seeing this past week's and assessing - definitely into just the watery bits and pieces of painting right now. I haven't painted consistently in so long - since my son was born for sure (and really before that because come on, in the 3rd trimester I just wanted to lay down most of the time to rest! My son was BIG!!). I don't really have any "plans" right now for myself. I'm just not thinking about anything, sitting down, choosing my colors and keeping it real simple. I can see similar color palettes of warm reds, warm yellows, ochres, etc. and accented with cooler colors of blue and green. But not too much. I know that I'm subconsciously attracted to this palette because it's springtime here in St. Louis and after a harsh winter, it's lovely to be drawn to the beautiful, strong colors of spring into summer.

Day 6 - 100 Day Project

Day 6 Follow me on Instagram @KathrynJNeale, #100Days20minptgs, #100DayProject

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Actually did Day 6 & 7 tonight since it was the weekend. Lots going on of course and it's REAL nice to sleep in on Saturday and Sunday (well as much as an 18-month old will allow!).

Day 5 - 100 Day Project

Day 5 - 100 Day Project Follow me on Instagram @KathrynJNeale, #100Days20minptgs, #100DayProject

Click here for official webpage.

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Interesting this morning. It's Friday and I'm a little out of it. Not used to waking up at 5:15 that's for sure! I LOVE my sleep!

So not quite sure about this little guy, I'll have to just let it "sit."  I had other intentions for this piece - mostly I covered up more of the patterned circles then I wanted but that's ok. Here I decided to use the patterned background and give it more of a dominant "role" instead of just having it in the background like Day 4. So I drew circles from a template and just painted around them in neutral gray. I like effect because the circle shapes create the foundation of this piece.

You can see upper left corner little light blue "blobs" well another instance where I was hovering and blobs dropped randomly on the page. I accidentally got some on my finger but instead of just wiping it off, I used my finger to blot them into the piece. Then decided might as well use my finger for other parts of the light blue.

Also experimenting with different paint does different things. I have pre-made house paint samples that the Martha Stewart brand used to provide at Lowes. The paint is couple years old by now so it's very "gloppy" and thick. And the brush/cap thing is horrible but great for just hovering over the piece and gently swinging the brush, you get this weird, rubbery "line" that just plops onto the page. You don't have much control but it's a weird paint-line, scribble effect.

Then knew I had to add some dark to it but might have been little too much. Don't mind the sketch-look with the dark line but went back in to blot out with paper towel some of the areas so it "fades" and has more dimension not being so "heavy."

Then my timer went off and still needed a "highlight" so took bright yellow with knife and blotted some yellow highlights to help assist moving the eye around the page.

Day 4 - 100 Day Project

Day 4 - 100 Day ProjectFollow me on Instagram @KathrynJNeale, #100Days20minptgs, #100DayProject Click here for official webpage.

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This morning was fun because I felt like painting on top of a design - paper ("found paper" we artists call it!) from Target or Michael's I think that comes in a packet), and it's a great exercise because instead of making stuff, you are reacting to what's already there. You have to decide what to keep and what to delete or "push back." I was constantly trying to "push" back some parts of the sketch because all of the elements of the design is 1 color tone - meaning there wasn't highlights or dark places, that sometimes is what a pattern is. So when I applied paint, I needed to decide some darker elements and lighter to make more dimension in the piece (foreground vs background etc.). Also helps you think about negative space because you are creating that negative space with your brush to knock back or cover up parts of the printed pattern underneath.

I think it turned out ok. Still quite busy! But the challenge here for me is that these pieces are such a small space that it's hard for me to get that proportion so again, it's all good practice!

Day 3 - 100 Day Project

Day 3 - 100 Day Project Follow me on Instagram @KathrynJNeale, #100Days20minptgs, #100DayProject

Click here for official webpage.

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Not particularly liking this one a whole lot because it's tough to start with a dark background and work backwards into light and get enough mid-tones and highlights to work. And hard core blue with green can be problematic colors to work with because they are opaque and feel heavy. But it's an experiment! And certainly and interesting exercise.

Day 1 - 100 Day Project

Day 1 Got up this morning for first time in my life at 5:20 am. I'm NOT a morning person at all and I love my sleep. But this is the perfect opportunity to commit to getting up and "being there" just like this project is intending. It's only the first day - you have energy, lots of optimisim and a "go-get" attitude. I am not that idealistic, I know I will not want to do this and also I know life will get busy and I'll probably forget, etc. But patting myself on the back, just for today, I showed up.

I'm participating in the 100 Day Challenge through The Great Disconnect with Elle Luna starting April 6th!

I'm going to create 1 painting in 20 minutes every day for 100 days.

Follow me on Instagram @KathrynJNeale, #100Days20minptgs, #100DayProject

What Is the 100-Day Project? It’s a celebration of process that encourages everyone to participate in 100 days of making. The great surrender is the process; showing up day after day is the goal. For the 100-Day Project, it’s not about fetishizing finished products—it’s about the process.

Click here for official webpage.

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I love to show stuff like this - I wanted to open up my gray chalk paint and I fumbled the lid and out came BLOBS of paint on my painting! But that's the fun of it. I had to work with it and take from that. It was a lot more gray paint then I was intending. And to be honest, the image above not digging it -- it's really busy, all over the place and there's a lot going on in this little space. But that's OK. This is not about making great artwork. It's about the process and just doing it.

Day1a

 

 

 

100 Day Challenge Project!

Screen Shot 2015-04-05 at 8.45.14 PMI'm participating in the 100 Day Challenge through The Great Disconnect with Elle Luna starting tomorrow, April 6th! I'm going to create 1 painting in 20 minutes every day for 100 days.

Follow me on Instagram @KathrynJNeale, #100Days20minptgs, #100DayProject

What Is the 100-Day Project? It’s a celebration of process that encourages everyone to participate in 100 days of making. The great surrender is the process; showing up day after day is the goal. For the 100-Day Project, it’s not about fetishizing finished products—it’s about the process.

Click here for official webpage.