by Susan Lobb Porter | Clutter challenge, Digital Art |
Art Alert: Yes, there IS art on this post. Scroll down if words are not your thing. I won’t be offended. Honest.
A long time ago, like last week or something, I declared to the WORLD (or at least the readers of this blog…but then again you guys are the world to me) I declared that I would devote 15 minutes every day (no more, no less) to getting rid of the crap clutter in my life.
And I would blog about it every day. With pictures. Proof and accountability. Really, some people will do anything to get a clean house. Like broadcast their slovenliness on the interwebs for everyone to see.
And thus began the Clearing Space Challenge.
But you know what? Writing those tidy-girl posts every day was a stretch. I mean, how many ways can you list piles of crap and make it sound interesting?
So now I’m switching things up and changing da rulz. I can do that, it’s my game. The 15 minute daily de-clutter practice will continue because the difference it’s made in my house in just 10 days is amazing. I mean you could drop in unannounced (please don’t) and I wouldn’t be embarrassed about the mess…because there is NO MESS, at least in the living room, dining room, kitchen. But bedrooms, closets, drawers…(shrug) well, that’s another story, one I’ll share with you as it unfolds but I won’t blog about it every day…cause I gots me some art to do!
Drumroll–now to the art!
I was watching an interview on a DVD when I was struck by the colors of the set and the clothing. There was a bright yellow sofa involved. Turquoise clothing. Dark walls. Colorful flowers.
So I did a quick little sketch, some arty shorthand to imprint the image on my mind. Then I pulled out the iPad because it was too dark and cold and rainy to work in the studio, not when I had a lovely fire in the woodstove and a couple dogs who wanted to snuggle. I hadn’t gotten far when da Muse popped in and added her two cents.
She didn’t like the dark walls. So I changed them.
River City 2014 Susan Lobb Porter
As usual, she was right.
This is the piece as it stands now. I’ll be offering it as prints soon. I’m also considering it a study for a larger piece. In fact I’m heading out to the studio to work on it right now. Because today is bright and sunny, a perfect day for all those studio skylights and windows.
I’ll take photos of the process. Come back tomorrow and check them out. And take a minute to say hi in the comments below. I’ll eat some chocolate for you if you do. And maybe some cheese. Happy face emoticon here.
xoxo
by Susan Lobb Porter | Art, Choices, Digital Art, Life |
But habits aren’t just for nuns.
Some reflections: 30 Paintings 30 Days
I did it. I showed up every day for 30 days and let da muse have her way with me. Whether she wanted to or not. Whether I wanted to or not. I showed up and did the work.
And it paid off in more ways than I ever expected.
You need to understand something about me to fully appreciate what I’m about to say. I’m one of those oh-look-at-that-shiny-squirrel kind of people. In other words, I’m easily distracted.
Because I find everything so darn interesting.
But for the last thirty days I’ve been consumed by the f-word. Focus. What I thought was going to be a simple (HA!) daily painting challenge evolved into, well … let’s see:
- I created art every day. EVERY day. That’s what I expected to do.
- But I didn’t expect to know more about my iPad than I did 30 days ago. Well, I guess I did but I didn’t expect to learn so much. Which is a heckuva lot compared to the previous nothing. Ditto when it comes to digital art and procreate, things I thought were A. Only good for slick tacky images. And B. Only done by geeks.
- I painted figures. And the figures evolved and became stories. And the stories are still evolving…
- I blogged every day. EVERY day. Just like the arting.
- Of the thirty images, there are a good dozen that make up a strong body of work. At this time prints are available of all the Women in Red images through my Society 6 store. This will change soon as I go through and edit the images. Some may morph into cards and posters. The best will be held back for limited editions available through my website, which is still under reconstruction because I took a month off to paint. The point is, 30 days ago none of this existed. And now I’m mulling over marketing.
- Every image I created these past 30 days, whether I’m happy with the final result or not, is a potential painting of another sort. I’m eager to get back in the studio and start smooshing paint around. OMG, yes!
Am I done with Women in Red? No, probably not. I see them as an ongoing thing. But not daily, not right now. And not strictly digital.
And now my sweetums, let me tell you about the February challenge. TA-DA, yes, February!!! Because I just now decided that EVERY MONTH THIS YEAR will have a different challenge to kick start a new habit. My creative focus for February is another twofer. January was a twofer, right? Painting every day while learning digital. So every day in February I will devote 15 minutes to de-cluttering a specific area of my house or studio. De-cluttering as in putting things where they belong, even if that means garbage or the thrift store. I will let it go. All of it. And then I’ll photograph the area that’s been cleared. Arty photos of course, showing clear, reflective zenlike surfaces. Very arty because if I’m going to be cleaning I need some inspiration to keep me going.
And I’ll report it all here on the blog because I need to be held accountable. And you’ll want to see the pretty pictures.
What about you? Got a new habit you want to start? As long as it’s legal, somewhat moral and doesn’t involve mayhem you’re welcome to share it here. Looking forward to hearing all about it in the comments below.
xoxo
by Susan Lobb Porter | Art, Digital Art |
30 Paintings 30 Days, day 29
Almost there, sweetums, almost there.
Women in Red # 29 © 2014 Susan Lobb Porter
I wonder what tomorrow will bring? What will I paint for the last day of this exercise? Come back tomorrow to find out because right now I haven’t a clue.
Except there will be at least one woman. And she’ll be wearing red.
xoxo
Technical info: Created on an ipad 2 using procreate and my left index finger. Fueled by a lovely slice of blueberry teacake and chocolate chips.
by Susan Lobb Porter | Art, Digital Art |
You know the Peanuts cartoon where Snoopy is doing the happy dance?
Well, that’s me tonight. And this is the reason:
Women in Red # 15
Women in Red # 15. Oh, I luvvvvv this one. She makes me happy. I feel like I’m getting this style down, getting comfortable with working in the iPad, working with Procreate.
I even like the way my signature turned out.
And I owe it all to the 30 Paintings in 30 Days challenge. Because without that commitment I don’t think I would’ve sat down every day and stuck with learning Procreate. Never would’ve gotten past the frustrations of the early learning curve. I know I wouldn’t have painted (if that’s what you call this digital image making) every day. And would have never come up with the Women in Red theme.
But I did and I have and I’m here. And I’ll continue being here with a new painting every day until the 30 days are over. And then I might just set myself up with a new series, a new challenge. Who knows?
Prints of this image and the rest of the Women in Red series are now available in my Society 6 shop. The link is up above and to the right on the sidebar.
Technical info: Created entirely on my iPad 2 using Procreate.
As always, I’d love to hear what you have to say in the comments below. And if you like this post please share it with your friends.
xoxo
by Susan Lobb Porter | Art, Digital Art |
30 Paintings 30 Days # 9
Women in Red # 9 © 2014 Susan Lobb Porter
I made a comment somewhere on Facebook that this 30 Paintings in 30 Days is a triple challenge for me. The first is the most obvious, painting every day.
The second challenge for me is the figurative nature of the images I’ve chosen to paint. Holy crap, I’m painting PEOPLE every day. I’m not new to figures by any means but for the most part I haven’t done them in a long time.
The third challenge for me is I’m doing everything on my iPad. I figured having to use the digital art programs would make me more familiar with them. But it’s not like painting on canvas or paper and the feel of the digital tools is nothing like holding a paint stick or brush in hand. There’s a learning curve above and beyond the image making.
The fourth challenge–oh, I said there were three, did I? Liar liar pants on fire, silly me. Four. There are four things I set myself up for. And the fourth one is letting go, having fun and realizing these paintings are at best studies for potential REAL paintings someday down the road. Some of them stand alone as nice images and will be available as prints. Some of them already are (check out the link on the sidebar).
And the fifth challenge–because yes, there ARE five, is writing a blog post every day. I didn’t think I would do this, the writing part. I figured I’d just slap a picture up and be done with it. But that doesn’t appear to be the case. I just likes to talk.
So talk back to me. Say something in the comments below. That would make me so happy I might have to give you a pony.
xo
