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}.

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.

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}

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.

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.

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.

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!

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. 🙂