Painting Loose Florals With A Mystery Underlayer

Yes indeed, the secret in now out as to why there is a serious lack of new Hanukkah crafts here on CJM: I have been painting loose florals for the past month, and that together with a ton of graphic design work has left no time for Hanukkah crafting. Of course I plan to remedy that this week with some large paper decorations, and re-using some of the best projects from previous years, but truthfully I really feel like just concentrating on painting, as at long last I’m getting into it and getting better, yippee!

For years I have dreamed of painting large canvases of loose or abstract florals, and while I won’t get there for quite some time, I have at least begun the process, and this is really thanks to the amazing Amanda Evanston and her online painting class called The Secret Garden. Totally recommend it to anyone itching to paint in a creative way, and you can watch the videos over and over and over (as I have) and learn something new every time. I have heard that to master anything one must spend 10,000 hours doing it, or paint 500 paintings, so that is where I’m headed, right not I’m on #32, which is a good start. The paintings here are mostly #28 and higher, as the previous ones are just at this point too bad to actually share, Can’t wait to see what the future brings!

This is the first painting that actually had me say “hey I think I’m starting to get it.” Under this is a terrible ill proportioned painting with a black background, but I persevered, and voila!

A close up view with some faint purposeful drips. I never used to like drips, but I have to say, now I understand them.
This floral actually has quite a bit of the mystery underlayer showing, which is the key to a great painting done per Amanda’s technique.

This one is a bit too tight but I love the light, so it is a keeper!

That is it for my brave sharing of the start of a new painting journey that hopefully will take me to the paintings I’m dreaming of. If not, at least I will have given it a shot, and that in itself is a good thing! So dear readers, go for it, and even when it seems tough or frustrating, or you think maybe you should give up, just don’t, because it takes 500 paintings to get good, and until then, just enjoy the process!

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