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Saturday, September 12, 2015

Art Inspiration from Yoda

'Just in Time for Bluebonnets'                5x7            oil on panel            ©Karen Margulis
purchase this painting on Etsy $95
A new adventure is unfolding. I have painted my third small oil painting. One a day for three days. I didn't really start with a goal in mind. I just wanted to try the Cobra water mixable oils. But it is slowly calling me to do more that just try. It reminds me of one of my favorite quotes...from Yoda of Star Wars fame.

'Do or Do Not. There is no Try.'  Yoda

I have it posted in my studio. I helps me stay focused on whatever I am working on. It reminds me that if I really want to get better at anything I work on, I have to give 100%. I have to do more than try. I have to Do.

Doing has worked for me in the past. When I wanted to get past the learning curve with pastels I made the commitment to paint every day. It worked. Now I am facing a new medium. I have tried it in the past but never fully committed to it. I painted a few and put the oils away.  I didn't work hard enough at Doing. I didn't make time to practice.

the photo references used for the painting
Is it now time to make that commitment? With the water mixable oils it sure is easier to work on a daily small painting and still have time for pastels. And I do know that the more I paint the faster I will get past the oil learning curve. It will begin to feel less frustrating! I believe I will take up Yoda's advice once again. I hope you will enjoy seeing my oils as well as pastels!

What is it that you would like to do better? Make the commitment with me to work harder at DOING and not just TRYING!

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Looks like you are having fun! As an observation and person who has tried oils and taken oil workshop, I'm seeing the brush strokes really make a difference. What I love about your pastels is the strokes (well, and color, and composition, ...), by using the side of your pastel you get these broad sometimes square like strokes that make your paintings unique. I wonder if you used a larger flat brush with these oils what would come out of it? Can one think like a pastel but using a brush? Hmmm... I'm so excited watching you do this! Thank you for sharing!

robertsloan2art said...

Looks like you've got the feel of these water mixable oils, Karen! I have some, so thanks for opening the way. Just haven't played with them yet. Bit of work and space setting up.

What I'm really diving into besides pastels is pen-watercolor and especially now the Pentel Pocket Brush Pen. It has a very fine round real brush tip, with a super fine point IF I control pressure perfectly. Simultaneously exhilarating and frustrating, it's one step farther toward using my Winsor & Newton Watercolour Markers and Pitt Artist Pens. When I'm not up to pastels or their cleanup, brush tip pens are a challenging new medium that I'm slowly gaining mastery. My learning curve on watercolor itself is growing too, but more and more I'm drifting toward other water media - my brush pens especially and watersoluble colored pencils.

Watercolor realism in small pieces occasionally is something I do when I'm out, but the markers are a bigger challenge! I'm also considering trying drips and spatters and loose wash underpaintings mostly because of you, Karen! But that takes a physical good day for picking up and tilting around a large board instead of curling up with a small or medium journal or ATC minis.