Days 2-5

First, let me state that it is not leap year.  Therefore I will not be doing 29 paintings.  Oh, what's one more you say?  One too many for me right now!  Is that why I picked February to do this, because it has two/three fewer days? Naw, I was just really busy in January.  Turns out I'm quite busy in February as well! But I'm committed (or should be) and will do my best to make it through.  

So I don't bombard people's inboxes, I've chosen to only send out only one email a week featuring that weeks paintings.  Should you be breathlessly anticipating each day's offering, you may see it daily on my facebook page-- Michelle Morris Art. 

Day two-

I like doing quick sketches of subjects I may want to paint bigger at a later date.  This is where I work out color and composition issues.  These sketches are rough, a little like shorthand.  But it's here I get a feel for the finished work and can play around with ideas without committing.  Sometimes working quick helps me keep from overthinking things, which always leads me to create a stuffy overworked painting. I often like the sketch better than the finished product for that very reason.  My goal is to achieve a balance between the loose spontaneity of the sketch and the well planned carefully executed painting. I see things I like in this one, and things I will change. And that's exactly their purpose!  Quick studies are a valuable tool in my toolbox! Since this is 28 different paintings I won't revisit this one until later. 

Day 3

Two things I remembered while painting this: 1) paperwhites are delicate and beautiful 2) they give me a headache! Since I have a short memory for bad stuff (which is good!) I forget the headache part and buy them every year!  I put them in the garage to relieve my head where there been blooming since early January.  So I brought them in for this little sketch. 

I enjoy painting white flowers, since there is so much you can do with them.  White is never really all white and there are endless colors that exists in the subtle shadows of form. I'd also forgotten how much I love Cerulean blue.  I love it's grainy texture and how it moves with the water. And, of course, I love the color. 

Day three:check! 

Day four 

I started out trying a small portrait study of my son in law.  Handsome guy.  When I was done it looked like he had been beaten in the face--I'm out of practice!!  That would never do!  So I threw together a quick study of some delphiniums from my many, many, did I mention many?- flower photos.  It'll have to do! Day four- check! 

Day five

Today was another very busy day.  I need to go through and make an inspiration list!  Anyway, I did this from an old photo.  It may be a future painting.  I thought I'd like the red shirt, but since this was a color study, I may do another with a blue shirt and black pants just to see what I think.  The lighting is the star, so I don't want bold color to overtake it.  But I do like this, so we'll think on it.  Again, that's the beauty of small studies.  They help me see the finished product. 

Thanks for reading!  See you next week!