Brenda Pinnick -news, ideas, events and more...

100 little paintings, all in a day's work

I'm traveling later this week to spend brainstorming time with one of my manufacturers. As a result , I'm able to also spend a day with my brother-in-law, Matt. He's a graphic designer and an artist. He and I are going to spend all day Saturday together, just painting! I'm so excited!!!

Anyway, in thinking about my previous post, I am setting forth the challenge to myself and to him...100 little paintings in one day. Yep, that's right...each of us! They don't have to be masterpieces, just explorations in color, form, texture, pattern and lines. I'm guessing that out of those 100 little paintings, I'll get a few that I just love and decide to make into large works. (He doesn't know about this yet, so shhhh.)

Here's the plan, I've got a bunch of leftover acid-free boards from when I was making prints and selling them a few years back. I'm going to cut to size and gesso them up for us to use as substrates. I don't know if we'll be painting outdoors or inside, it will be determined by the elements. It's up north, so we should have wonderful autumn colors to inspire us. But, this means we could also have some cold, wet, windy weather to deal with too. Anyway, I'll post them next week so be sure to check back.

I'm remembering one of my design classes with the much dreaded but loved teacher, Sylvia. Our first assignment in her class was to bring back 100 concepts/sketchs based on one animal. My animal was a Llamma. I drew that Llamma everyway immaginable! Out of those 100 sketchs, I had several on which to base my final project, a cut paper poster.
What a great excercise! So, as painful as that first experience was, it taught me that it really comes down to the "law of averages". **************so, for anyone who is feeling intimidated by creativity, I challenge you to dive in and create a hundred whatevers and I'm sure there will be a masterpiece in there somewhere. Oh, and I REALLY want to see it!

I love comments from old friends and new friends. Please let me know that I'm not just talking to myself...please?
Thanks Helen for your continued enthusiasm and your relentless dedication to all things crafting in the U.K. !

And, finally, word is, the big 8 k Holiday Papercrafting kit is finally airing tomorrow on QVC.U.K, along with the original, everyday kit! Wish I could be there, Rosemary Merry is presenting it and she does fantastic projects as well as a wonderful job of presenting on air, which can't be easy.

Okay, back to Halloween...now HOW MANY WAYS can I draw a pumpkin....I think I've done them all.

Painting time

Click here to see the photoalbum showing the painting process. Then, click on each thumbnail to read about the process.
I had to get off the computer yesterday and work with real paint. Geez I miss this. The mess, the brushes, the spontanaity of mishaps and no "command z" to instantly undo something. Working in real paint creates an opportunity to "solve the puzzle" so to speak. On the computer, it's very easy to start over in a new direction if you think that something's not working. With a painting, you've invested not only your time, but acutal paint and physical application into the work. It's the challenge of "making it work" that I find satisfying. I think that this aspect of creating is sometimes lost when you only work on a computer. I'm so glad that many graphic design schools are going back to insisting on doing hand work, using art materials and thinking the project through by working in sketch books. I'm lucky to have studied both, fine art and design. When I create art, my design knowledge always come through and in my design process, my education in fine art is an advantage that I use daily.

OK, back to work...I'm working on Halloween art this week. It doesn't often happen that you get to design for the season/holiday that is currently happening. Usually, it's Christmas in July, etc.