Sunday-9:45am

Practice for the trash.

Okay--I decided to post examples of the endless practice work that ends up in the garbage--hehe! This is what I am doing while I sit and get lost in time--playing--and annoyed when the timer goes off. Last night I just couldn't get the bamboo leaves to come out right at all. I am giggling at the ones to the left. Was trying to make bamboo in the wind and it looks more like some kind of peculiar grass--chuckle! Oh well--this is what it is all about--practice, practice, practice. Or what I think of it as--play, play, play!!

I really think I like the Mountain Horse brush for the bamboo stalks. (I like the stalks that are not solid and leave the scratchy marks--even tho I think bamboo is pretty smooth in real life.) I have only tried the smallest Mountain Horse brush--also bought the next size up and will try that soon. The four larger stalks on this sheet were made with the wolf deer brush. I was using the wolf brush from Haiying for the leaves.

Besides getting familiar with the different brushes, I am slowly trying to learn how much liquid to have in each brush, how long to let the paper dry before you paint over a stroke, how much water to add to the ink to get shades of grey, how much ink to use in the first place, how to hold the brushes upright, how to paint with my whole arm (I constantly forget), when to press, when to lift, how much pressure to use.... So no matter how silly my attempts may look--I am always learning something as I play. :)

Last night I sat and looked online for paintings of bamboo. Pictures I liked that I could attempt to copy as a way of learning. (Copy the masters, right? Or anybody who can paint better than I can--which leaves a broad spectrum!) Next I should look for real photos of bamboo so that I can really see what it actually looks like--how the joints and branches are placed and the shape of the leaves, etc. Should have done that already--duh!

It was so beautiful on Friday that I just read and enjoyed the day with all the windows open. It was windy, so I didn't want to try to struggle to paint by the window and certainly didn't want to close them. By Saturday morning the heat and humidity had returned and actually woke me up. Been closed up since and supposed to be humid and mid 90s for the next few days. This sure has been awfully warm weather for Fargo, North Dakota?

I have been on the computer quite a bit the past few days and had finally caught up yesterday with emails and reading posts. Of course I am behind again today--chuckle! And wrote some letters, too. Not much art--but I have to get other things done sometimes. :)

Have a beautiful day and may you find things to lift your soul and bring you joy!!