Make up post!!!

Yikes. I got PRET-ty busy there for a while. I had projects due, I got sick, I was out a lot...yada, yada, yada. I'm a lame blogger, I guess.

Wait, no I'm not! I'm awesome. (that was convincing, right?)

So...where was I? Working on my abstract, right? Well...I finished it. It's ok...I think its marginally successful: (its on the right, by the way....the pears are old)



Our next project was to set up a still life at home of a chair, with fabric draping and 3 or more round or oval objects. This is how it started for me:


I used the Grisaille technique. Next I laid in some colors:


Then the back ground:


Then the details:


Overall I really like this painting. It's not 100% done, but I am happy with it. I have gained so much more confidence in diving into a painting. This took me about 5 hours total.

Now I'm working on an abstract of the chair painting--I'll show you when I'm further along.

Portfolios are due Monday! Ack!! I have to gather all my stuff and make sure it's all finished and ready for scrutiny!

I should mention---I totally blew off Script Frenzy. Too much going on...and I just didn't have a clear vision for a screenplay this time...even if it was Blood Freckles all over again!!

Oh, and as an ode to my immaturity:

May is a good month. *sigh*

Acrylics class #20

So, my professor set up this awesome still life today. It was supposed to be a jumping off point for us to run with.

The idea is to find inspiration from the object and find a unique way of representing them. I knew immediatly what I'd do. I was lucky to be on the side with the mans' face. The other side had some spheres, a vase, a skull and a plant.

Here's the start of mine:


I'm REALLY struggling with the proportions on the face- something I really want to get good at.


SO, I stuck the dudes head on one of the pipes. I like it. I can't wait to finish it.

Acrylics class #19

Watercolors....transitioning into abstract!! Fascinating!!

Today's project entailed painting the same kind of tulip still life with a twist. We had to look at the color wheel- any color you see in the still life must be painting in it's opposite on the wheel.

Seems easy enough, right?

Here's the still life:



Well, yeah..sure. I mean yellow's opposite is blue-violet. Cool. Yellow-greens opposite is some of ted-violet. But all the variations thereof...YIKES.

I muddled through it and got favorable results despite the challenge:



I dig it.

Monday we are to bring a gesso-ed board and gel mediums for some more abstract work!!! I'm ridiculously excited.

In other news, I indeed applied for that scholarship. I gathered my portfolio, got my two letters of recommendation, wrote the essay, got my transcript, and VOILA! I've actually taken a step in the direction of an intentional person trying for a real goal. I'm a freaking art major. Weird.

Acrylics class #18

More water colors. I was just beginning to like them, but then, this time, I was REALLY frustrated with them. Nothing seemed to dry and everything I applied ran together.

Here's the results of what I did in class:



I still need to finish these.

I am very excited though....she menetioned changing gears a bit in the next few classes. We are heading towards....(drum roll)...abstraction! I'm very excited about this! I like abstract work, but when I try to do it myself, it looks...well....lame.

She said that new artists often feel this way about abstract work. She said there indeed IS a method to it and training helps the quality of the work. I'm stoked.

Jumping through hoops

I was so overwhlemed a couple days ago. I'm such a light-weight.

But now, I have things moving into place for this scholarship-thing. I've got 1 recommendation letter done and on it's way to me. I'm meeting my professor in a couple hours to go through my digital portfolio- she's going to help me decide what to give the Scholarship comittee. I'm so excited to see what she thinks of all my stuff together- I put some stuff in there that I've done at home. I'm nervous to hear what she thinks.

Matt took an hour or so last night and photographed my better works and I edited them and put them on CD.

I will take my transcript request form to Folsom Lake College today.

(breathe....)

It's moving along. Because I can do this. I am a grown up. I am an artist. This is just the first time I'll be doing this- the rest of my life will be spent selling myself and my work if this is what I want to be. I should get used to it- what if I actually finish this book? I'll have to do the same thing with the manuscript. I need to grow some balls.

My term paper is due Monday- and I still haven't gone to a gallery. I'm very, very excited, though- my friends and I are going to the Second Saturday Art Walk in downtown Sacramento tomorrow night. I will get to see the kind of stuff I dream of doing, and there will be LOTS of it!! The hardest part will be making up my mind on which piece to write about.

Here's a couple of the better images we took last night of my work:

Acrylics class #17.

I finally have a minute to blog about yesterdays class.

I thought I hated watercolor, but I really enjoyed yesterday.

Here's the still life:


It was so pretty!!

Here's my work.


My crazy palette!


My homework is to do 2 watercolors of fruit or flowers. I guess I'll do fruit, since, there are no flowers here right now!! The snow is gone, finally, as of today- so thats a start at least.

I guess I have to grow up now.

Ok, I'm in over my head.

I mean...I'm not. But I feel like I am.

By nature, I'm pretty lazy. I'm pretty scared to challenge anyone or anything. I'm not a fighter. I don't want to put myself out there.

This is why I failed in college. I gave up when the time came to take on something hard. I wasn't being handed any favors and I was going to have to work real hard to keep progressing. I'd have to take some tough criticism and be willing to fail in front of a lot of people. But I wasn't...so I left.

Fast forward to now...I'm in this class, and the Fall catalog came out for the next semester. I only have a few options for what I can take in September. With the kids and preschool and stuff, I have only a narrow window of time that I can take a class. I can't commute to the city, I'm limited to the Folsom campus or the El Dorado Center. And they have limited classes.

My first choice is Figure drawing, but it's in Folsom, 2 nights a week. And it overlaps with Matt's schedule.

My next choice is Intermediate Painting. The funny thing is, it's with the SAME professor I've been having. I LOVE her, but I'm kind of embarassed to take another one of her classes.

Also, the class has a pre-requisite that I don't have. I assumed I could ask the professor and see if she could let me in- but she can't. She suggests I challenge the pre-requisite. I have to get a form, and submit my portfolio to the Board (of something...i'm not sure...) and get them to let me take it. This makes me nervous as hell. I'll do it, though. Because I am an adult.

Right?

I must do this before my appointment with my counselor before April 22nd.


Also, I'm applying for a scholarship. This means I have to photograph 6 works, write an essay about how I will contribute to the art world and obtain 2 letters of recomendation from people who are not related to me. The deadline is April 15th.

Also, I am supposed to submit 2 pieces to the student show- deadline is April 18th.

Yikes.

My term paper is also due this monday. I have to get to a gallery, find an exposition, critique a painting in 2000 words or less.

I need to keep my brain on.

I'm also doing Script Frenzy.

I'm not telling you what I'm doing because its too embarrassing.

Which means...you know what I'm doing. I'm doing what I said I shouldn't do because it would be stupid.

Shut up. I'm a dork.

And I guess I have to be an adult about this. This is my chance to put myself out there, takes some risks and live life for real.

Acrylics class #16

Finally back to class after spring break. (which felt more like Winter Break...)

Yesterday we got a lesson in watercolors. Well- not watercolors, but using acrylics as watercolor. We went over the basics of soaking paper, taping it down and all the prep. Then she basically just let us play.

For me, the beauty of watercolor is the accidents that can happen. Of course this is also why I DON'T like watercolor. Most of my playing was watching the way the paint bled on the paper. I find that very beautiful.


Heres one of the sheets I did- I like the center of this. I'm not sure how much I'll do watercolor on my own, but it's good for me to try. Tomorrow we're going to do a still life in watercolor. I'm nervous, but, it'll be good.

Also, our professor taught us about using boards to paint on as well as how to brace them and hang them. This was invaluable. I bought 2 sheets of heavy MDF at Home Depot. This was surprisingly cheap! I spent some time covering one of the boards in Gesso with the intent to paint something on it. I'm not sure what. Some people on the painting forum I belong to suggest that if I'm interested in painting people, I should get a mirror and start with myself.

I tried to paint my kids, but, I just can't get it right. I tried to paint it from a photo, though. Maybe I need to paint live objects? Like myself? Or try to get one of my kids to sit for me?

Script Frenzy.

I can't write Blood Freckles as a Script. It'd be the 2nd time.

I must think of something else to do for this year's Script Frenzy. 100 pages of screenplay in 30 days.

I like my other ideas, but I'm still obsessed with my novel. Crap. I'm losing my mind.

To add insult to injury, the enormous population of ants that share our home with us crossed the line tonight. We have a ridiculously cool coffee maker. It costs more than your life. (if your life is worth $299 at Williams Sonoma...)

It has a carafe that will hold your coffee hot and steamy for an entire day. It is my love...my soul.

And tonight...the ants found a way to get into that carafe and die in my $13.50 a pound Peets coffee that I brewed earlier today.

All that is holy and steamy and earthy is now corrupted with the bodies of these evil beings.

And now I have to drink tea. Coffee's weaker, self-righteous cousin.

(this is a tad dramatic, I know, but I'm really avoiding cleaning the kitchen and putting this stuff down seems to be a noble distraction.)

I guess this Script is going to literally be page by page- I haven't a clue where to start or where its going to go. It will be good for me. Like lifting weights. Or eating leafy greens.

Maybe I'll call the story- "hefty kale"

I swear I haven't been drinking.