It’s funny. I spent a fair amount of February feeling a mild irritation that I ‘had to’ take photos every day.

Despite the fact that it was my choice. Despite the fact that I love Viv’s classes. Despite the fact that I always ended up enjoying the process, from pressing the shutter to deciding on my edits and sharing it in the group.

I’m such a child when it comes to ‘having to’ do something every day. If I have to, I automatically don’t want to. Usually I get over myself if it’s something I really want to do or I can see it’s benefitting me {like showering or doing Tai Chi. Or eating}.

flower crazy drawings

And now I’m feeling it again, having signed up to Carla Sonheim‘s online painting class ‘Flower Crazy’ on a total whim, the day after Viv’s class ended. And while it sounds like I’m having a big old whinge, I don’t regret it. Some parts I find challenging, but that’s good. And once I get started, I really enjoy the drawing practice; and even though I thought I hated small detailed work, I’ve just spent an entire afternoon doing just that.

drawings

I actually joined the class because in the class description I could see there were techniques I really wanted to learn. I also really like Carla Sonheim’s work, and have her book ‘Drawing Lab For Mixed Media Artists’, which I wrote about here. And I really love to learn, and I guess I got in a classroom groove over February.

I’m teaching myself Spanish {again} too. Not sure why, but apparently I just need to. I expect the universe will reveal the why to me later.

{some cards I made from disaster paintings}

flowercards

So here’s a little round up of my first week of Flower Crazy. Every day there are prompts for drawing practice, which you can see at the top. Carla gives us a theme, and then we check it out in Google images {or around our home, as today’s prompt was}, and draw anything that appeals to us as a possible flower shape.

I learned from this that I don’t like drawing gears  {too symmetrical and neat}, but I love drawing sea plants! No surprises there. If it’s got a wiggly and imperfect vibe, and is sea related, I’m on it.

week one collage

There are also videos three times a week and ‘how tos’ in between. Carla’s paintings are so neat and lovely. She also uses really gorgeous soft colours. Since I don’t naturally gravitate towards neutrals and greys {although I wish I did!} mine are a lot brighter and purple/aqua orientated.

Sorry I don’t seem to have edited these very well. Anyway, the image below is what I spent most of this afternoon on. {In between working on my mum’s commission ~ more on that another time ~ and making banana bread.} I loved it! And I’m happy with the outcome. So, you know, yay.

fcweek1 (4)

And here are a couple of collages of some close up areas of the paintings that didn’t work out. Nice elements, terrible as a whole. It’s cool though because I learned heaps doing it. I’ve been wanting to bring more detail into my larger scale paintings and am starting to see how I might do that more effectively.

 

fcweek1collage

 

Lots going on in the studio just now; I’m so pleased to be up here more often with actual PURPOSES rather than just playing, which is also fun but sometimes you need a focus. I’m working my way through various TED talks and business summits {which seem to be doing the rounds at the moment; great timing}, so if you have any recommendations of good things to listen to I’d love to hear about them in the comments!

fcweek1collage_2

My eyes are going googly, time to go downstairs and, er, watch a few episodes of Modern Family. {My new obsession. My neighbours must think there’s a deranged hyena living next door.}

Thanks for stopping by. 🙂

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