A Pleasant Rut :)

Do you ever find yourself “stuck in a rut” when it comes to your artwork? Doing the same thing, the same way…over and over again.

I recently got into a rut, but it was actually quite a pleasant one. It began when we were at my husband’s last appointment with the retinologist. As some of you may remember, I always bring along a sketchbook and a few drawing pencils, and I do a bit of doodling while we wait for his procedure.

On this visit, I did a bit more than doodle. I completed a sketch that I hoped to use for an oil painting.

I was pleased with how the sketch turned out, and the doctor also admired it. “I want to see the painting you do,” he told me as we were leaving.

For several days I left the sketch sitting out near my easel as I contemplated how I would approach the painting.

Finally, I felt I was ready to begin.

My first decision was to use a small canvas panel.  I toned the canvas first with a light blue acrylic and then went to work.

I liked the result. I liked it so much, in fact, that I decided to paint a second one. This time, I used a coral color to tone the canvas.

I enjoyed doing the second painting, too. So, why not do it again? Third time around, I used a lovely lavender acrylic to tone my canvas.

Here are the results. Which do you prefer?

My personal favorite is the third version. Each painting is a bit different, and I definitely learned a lot by doing these three “more-or-less identical” oils.

• I learned that I like working on smaller panels. (These are 5 x 7 paintings.)
• I learned that I’m very comfortable working with small brushes.
• I learned a lot about mixing colors on the palette.
• I learned more about “drawing” with a paintbrush.
• I learned a lot about choosing colors for underpainting.

Now, I’m ready to take what I’ve learned and move on to something new.

Happy painting!