More 10 minute snapshots!

 Here is the 2nd half of the 10 minute painting process with the finished product! I really like this system of working.

What systems help you?

Set the Timer!

 I discovered a new strategy that I've been using the last few paintings. Following the advice of Jen Evenhus https://www.uartpastelpaper.com/uart-tip-38/ I've been setting a timer for 10 minutes at the start of a painting. When the time goes off I stop, photograph and assess. Then I do it again and again...until I am done. I'm finding this simple little trick to be quite impactful. For one thing, if I only paint 10 mins at a time, it's much harder to ruin the whole painting. That in turn makes me less anxious to actually get into the studio and paint. Looking at the photos later is also helping me see my process more clearly. 

 It's still taking me a while to finish (many many 10 min sessions) and it hasn't stopped me from overworking parts but having these stopping points is quite useful to remind me to step back and see where I am and where I want to go next. This is the first three 10 min sessions of a painting I'm working on now. Not done yet but coming along!

My messy non linear process

Tried the same technique as the last painting but it didn't work so well this time. Overall it just doesn't pull together as a painting. It also got overworked and muddy in places. I have a few ideas about why but for now, rather than stop and analyze, I'm going to keep going. I need to trust the process.

Feel free to leave a comment as to what you think went awry (or not) in this painting :)

Fun!

 Watched several videos today. Sometimes I watch them to avoid painting. I also did studio organizing and even the dishes. Luckily I have a practice and sooner or later I pick up the pastels. Thank goodness for this commitment to paint every day. I had so much fun with this painting. 

I used a new color layering technique. Yes, today the videos were useful :)  

Art practice tip!

 I made some "black boards" to use for figure drawing. I simply painted a big piece of foam core with blackboard paint which you can get at the hardware store. I cut it in half to make it more manageable and voila, an erasable reusable surface to practice on.

It allows me to work much bigger (the boards are about 19"x14") than my sketch book does and I can do tonal drawings using colored chalk. I want to move to working with the figure in pastel at some point so this is perfect. Kind of freeing and fun!