Learning and Evolving

 Using What You Learn

Recently I did a 30 day rose challenge where I painted 30 rose paintings in 30 days as I tried to improve my skills. 

I learned a lot in that challenge and if you haven't. seen that blog post click HERE.

I love painting blue glass jars and I wanted

 to be able to add roses to them.

And here is what I love love love painting,

12" x 12" acrylic on gallery wrap canvas.

$125 with free shipping.

Click HERE to purchase.

This truly was so much fun to paint 

and I hope you enjoy it as well.  

To see all my other artworks that are currently available,

please go to Sharon Graves Fine Art

then click on the Works tab,

and then you'll have your choice of different 

subject matters to choose from.  

Thank you so much for hoping in here today.

Have a wonderful day.

Course Correction - Good or Bad? Motivation Monday

Course Correction or Changing Course?

So, what is the difference between a course correction and changing course?

Pilots have to plot a course.

Report their intended course.

Check their course.

and sometimes, they must make a course correction.

Other times the plane is diverted to a completely different airport, possibly in a completely different state.

Making a course correction is not a bad thing, particularly if the error is found early and the correction isn't drastic.

Sometimes the error goes on for a while and will require serious effort to make the correction.

Even then, if the correction will put you back on the path to where you want to go, it is still a very good thing.

Sometimes, we just abandon the course when the going gets too tough, and often right before we are about to achieve the goal we set out for ourselves.

Let me explain this in painting terms:

When you first start a painting, you have an idea.

You sketch out your idea, maybe.

You set up a palette.

You get out your brushes.

You make sure you have everything you need.

You start the painting.

For me I start with the underpainting.

I block in large areas of color and it doesn't look like much.

I add cool somewhat blurry details in the background.

I add warmer more defined details in the mid ground.

I add even warmer brighter details in the foreground.

Still it doesn't look good and I get frustrated.

Doesn't look like much

I have two choices at this point.

Push forward adding highlights and shadows

(course corrections)

Or abandon the whole painting

(change courses)

I'm sticking with it.  Not sure why at this point.

Experience has taught. me to keep going.

Keep adding shadows for depth

and highlights to give the painting life and form.

I'm starting to like at least this part.

Sometimes it is one simple brushstroke 

that changes a painting.

Oh yea, now we're getting someplace.

One stroke where you realize,

Oh Yea!  This is going to work!

This is going to be beautiful.

I am going to love this.

I'm falling in love with this.

What if I had given up before I got to the ONE Stroke?

Think of all the lessons I would never have learned if I gave up before I got to the magical part of the painting.

Almost every artist passes through the ugly phase of almost every painting, then the magic starts to happen.

But you have to pass through the ugly part first.

You don't get the magic first and then go through the ugly.

It's always the other way around.

So I guess the moral of the story is,

DO NOT GIVE UP!

Keep learning,

Keep figuring things out

Keep improving

Keep painting

and loving it.

I really would love to have you come along on my art journey as I try to get motivated on Monday mornings, teach and practice art concepts on Wednesday and bring a famous artist to life on Famous Artist Friday.

If you did not receive this in your inbox, you are missing all those great topics and posts.

My art blog is all about teaching beginning artists how to achieve things, how to have fun in the process, and how to appreciate the art of other people.

Yes, you can buy my art on here, but it's definitely not the main focus of this blog.  In fact, I've been told you have to look pretty hard to find my art that is for sale.

So, if you are a beginning artist or a home school family who could use some help, this is a perfect place to start as you travel on that fun road to appreciating, understanding and creating your own art.

Scroll back to the top right hand side,

put your email in the box that say "Subscribe to my blog"

(very original Sharon) 

You will receive a confirmation email and you will need to click the link in that email showing that you did in fact sign up.  Finally you need to drag that email into your priority folder so the goodness I'm sending you will not get lost in cyber purgatory.

Click HERE to see more Motivation Monday posts.

Click HERE to see FREE 10 minute art lessons.

Click HERE to begin your journey learning about famous artists.

Thanks for stopping by today.

I hope you enjoyed this post and if you know someone who would love it also, please feel free to share it, so you can all become part of the Painter Nation!

Leave a comment below on your own struggle with course corrections or changing courses.

30 In 30 Wrap Up

30 Paintings in 30 Days Wrap Up

 Well, I made it through 21 days of the 30 in 30 challenge, before the flu and pneumonia struck.

The painting in the center is the one I did using a photograph I took at Findlay Market in Cincinnati.

What I learned during the challenge:

1.  You can have a very workable plan

2. You can have everything ready.

3.  You can work your plan.

4.  All bets are off if you get the flu and pneumonia.

I did have all of the above and was totally sidelined for the last 9 days of the challenge.  

But, 

I started painting figures.

Some are much better than others.

But I set out to do it and I did it.

And I showed you along the way,

even when I didn't want to.

That is a total break through!

I also was not able to complete my blogaversary giveaway

so I will be doing that now.

I'll be extending it for as long as it takes me to give away all the goodies I had planned for the month.

If you don't receive this in your inbox,

scroll back up to the top right

and put your name in the box that says,

"Subscribe to My Blog".

That's the only way you can get your name in my virtual hat for the paintings, classes and the online course I'm giving away.  

So, gittr done!

 

 

Is It Day 21 or Day 30

Not Sure How I Got Here

In This Challenge.

Day 21 I sat down to sketch out my final dranddaughter,

Kelsie on the 10" x 10" panel I selected for her painting.

Before I had it half way done,

it became painfully obvious,

I was very sick and there would be no painting that day,

or the next 10 days.

After going to my lung specialist,

he began treating me for the flu,

and 

pneumonia.

Many of you know, I have scleroderma

which has filled my lungs over the last 20 years with scar tissue, making it difficult to breathe on a good day.

Many of you also know,

I've been on a quest this whole year to improve my health.

I've worked out many days a week and I have improved my lung ability.  I guess that's a good thing,

because I used it all up during the 11 days I was sick.

But today, I headed to my studio to finish my Kelsie's painting.  I've never been a figure painter and I've been using this challenge to learn about it.

I've struggled every single day with every painting,

but I have learned a ton.

So on Day 30 I was able to paint Day 21,

Kelsie.

   Kelsie turns 21 in January.

I know, how can anyone as young and lovely as me,

have a 20 year old granddaughter.

She is a long tall drink of water,

coming in right around 5'11".

Her face here is too narrow,

(wish I would have noticed that before the point of no return).

She is a knock out and has a beautiful long neck and gorgeous full lips,  (The kind lots of the ladies pay big money for).

While this is far from perfect,

there are parts of it that look like her.

So, after not painting for 11 days,

I am no unhappy with it.  

Day 20 - Lakyn Picking Asparagus

Day 20 - Lakyn

Picking Aspragus

Lakyn came to stay with Papa and Grammy this past spring and while here she fed bunnies and chickens, gathered eggs, picked berries and this asparagus.

She is a sweet little girl

and loves getting bunnies out to pet.

Only 10 more days in the 30 in 30 and I'm beat.  

These figure paintings are killing me.

But I have learned a ton and am thinking all the time on what to paint next.

 Blogaversary Update

I put a page on my blog about my blogaversary

with pics of what I'm giving away

and everything you need to know to win a paintings or an online art course. 

Click HERE to see that page.

 

Day 19 - KJ - I Love To Paint

Day 19 - KJ

I "Love" To Paint

 You Had Me At Hello

Did a little tweaking on this one.
I paintedfor about 12hours yesterday and I was exhausted when I finished it up the first time, and didn't realize I was channeling Picasso.  So this morning I woke up and realized the problem and tried to fix it.  
Happy with this one. 

KJ is a step grandson, and I first met him when he was 4. He was killer cute then and still is.

We don't get to see him very often, but whenever he does get to come over 
he always wants to paint. 

I had to paint two paintings today
to make up for yesterday not painting.

I am thoroughly exhausted. 

The good thing about this painting is,
I didn't have to paint everything behind him.
I was able to clean up my studio in this painting
if not in real life.

Click HERE to see what still hasn't been won in my Blogaversary and who won what.   

Thanks for stopping by today,
see you tomorrow.  

Day 18 - Karen - Ballet In The Roses

Day 18 - Karen

Ballet In The Roses

Day 18 - a day late and a painting short.

I don't paint on Sundays so I have always tried to get ahead,

but this week I wasn't able to.

So here is Day 18.

 

This is Karen, and she has always loved to dance and tumble and show off her talents. 

She is another one of my very busy grandkids.

This was taken several years ago and it is so her;

dressed up,

hair perfect,

and cute as a button.

I'm learning a lot as I continue to paint figures.

I only have a few grandkids left,

so some of you might be surprised to see what comes next.

 Some might not be.

It's still September, so I'm still celebrating my blogaversary.

I'm still giving away lots of art and art classes.

Get signed up to be a winner by

Scrolling back up to the top on the right hand side and put your email in the box that says

(wait for it)

"Subscribe To My Blog"

(get it - Blogaversary)

Put your email in the box and then when you receive an email asking you to confirm you actually did sign up,

confirm it.

Then you're in and there's nothing more to do.

If I draw your name out of my virtual hat,

I'll send you an email with 

"NO Joke! YOU WON!"

in the subject line.

Answer me in 24 hours and you get the prize.

Not hard, just lots of goodies to win.

Here's what I'm giving away this week.

(If you've already done it, don't worry, 

you're in)

 This is my last small painting

 I'm giving away.

I'm also giving away one more single subject iris painting class this week and one next week.

So get jiggy with it and get signed up. 

 

Day 17 - America - Tennis Camp

Day 17 - America - Tennis Camp

 Meet America,

one of my granddaughters.

Yep, that's her name.

It's an old family name on my husbands side.

We tried several different nick names, 

but nothing really worked.

She is America.

This was her at tennis camp a few years ago.

 

Day 16 - Caleb Eagle Pin

Day 16 - Caleb

Receiving His Eagle

 

Caleb is our oldest grandson and has always made us very proud.  

He received his Eagle Scout award over a year ago.

He's such a great young man.

His Dad was an Eagle Scout,

Papa was an Eagle Scout and was 1 of the first 4 brothers in Ohio to receive their Eagle Scout award.  

 This was hard for me and the photo is not good.  

But it does sort of look like Caleb,

more in person than in this photo. 

 My computer  is giving me fits recently.

It's slow as Christmas.

It took all afternoon to get the photos uploaded,

so I'm not going back and taking more pics to take another hour to load.

Oh the joys of country life. 

Day 15 - Aidan - Remember Learning to Play Golf

Day 15 - Aidan

Golf On The Farm

This is Aidan, age about 3, and he is one busy little boy.

I have an uncle who loves to play golf, and he took some of his old clubs, cut them down and bought a cute little blue leather bag and brought them and a huge box of balls up one summer for a visit while Kari and Aidan were living with us. 

Aidan and my uncle Bud played golf out by the orchard almost every day.  We're still finding golf balls!

Aidan is nearly eight now,

and he is still busy and still plays golf.

We don't have a lot of flat ground here at JumbleBerry Farms,

but this one place out by the barn is flat and has pretty good grass.

He's facing an orchard on a sloping hill 

and Bud taught him to line up a bunch of balls

and then hit, hit, hit until you run out.

Rinse and repeat.

The problem is getting him to go out and retrieve the balls.

One Step At A Time.

*********************************************************

Blogaversary in full swing!!!

I'm trying to give away a single subject iris class, and I'm having trouble getting people to respond to my email.  If you receive an email from me with No Joke! YOU Won! in the subject line, open that bad boy up and get back with me.

 

I still have lots of paintings and online painting classes and a full blown art course to give away.

Scroll back up to the top on the right hand side and put your email in the box that says

(wait for it)

"Subscribe To My Blog"

(get it - Blogaversary)

Put your email in the box and then when you receive an email asking you to confirm you actually did sign up,

confirm it.

Then you're in and there's nothing more to do.

If I draw your name out of my virtual hat,

I'll send you an email with 

"NO Joke! YOU WON!"

in the subject line.

Answer me in 24 hours and you get the prize.

 I'll be giving "Shaky Legs" away on Saturday.

 And this fun guy will be given away next Wednesday.

And I'll also be giving away two more online single subject iris painting classes.

Heavens to Betsy!

Get signed up.

If you've already signed up, Thank You So Much.

You don't need to do it more than once.