Thursday, December 31, 2020

Practice with "Quickies"

 Many people bristle at the term "New Year's Resolution", and yet the new year does seem to offer an opportunity to RE-new, invite something new into your life, reassess and reset priorities. I think of goals more as guiding principles than endpoints that I must reach. The goals are not there to be 'achieved', but to guide, as reference points. They are also fluid - just like the painting process, they are open to revision based on changing environment, new input or ideas, or shifts in my mental landscape.

Read my interview with the Learning to Paint Podcast, "The Brilliance of Bite-Size", about learning and goal setting. 

Quickie, a quick study, 9"x6"

 In 2021, I would like to incorporate the practice of doing quickies - quick studies on paper. You can read here about the oil and cold wax class I took, in which we did four quick, small, studies each day before diving into the work. I won't do it every day, but I'll try to do a set of quickies a few times a week.

Here is a video of my first approach to quickies. I've given myself just a few tools and a few colors to work with.

 

To count as quickies, you are not allowed to agonize over them. Think of them as your warm-up exercises, or your sketchbook, not as pieces you'd show to someone else. They are your private playground, for your benefit as an artist. 

This is a group of 'Quickies', each 9"x6", with plenty of space around the edges to play with in cropping them. Each has the squeegee and palette knife applications, collage, a little spattering, and some have added line work.

2020 was a tough year by any measure, so let's be easy on ourselves in 2021. I'm going to try to invite opportunities and see what happens, rather than set rigid benchmark goals. How about you? What are your plans for 2021? Comment on this or e-mail me. Happy New Year!


11 comments:

  1. Great advice...and gorgeous examples. Thank you Jane. May 2021 be a great year for everyone.

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  2. Great practice! Thanks for sharing.

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  3. This was just what I needed to get back to painting in 2021!

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  4. Genius! This may help me get out of my way!

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  5. thanks for sharing.............i enjoy doing 5 minute collages inspired by crystal marie neubauer

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  6. Just what I needed--thanks for all your guidance and sharing!

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  7. Happy New Year! I have finally realized that these kind of “quickie” ideas are just right for me. I tend to loose interest before finishing a long class, but this type video is just right to get me moving. Loved your tissue paper class on Skillshare. It has led me in many directions and resulted in hundreds of little studies and some beautiful finished pieces. ♥️ Thanks for sharing.

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  8. Happy New Year Jane! I love the idea of inviting opportunities! Along with that plan, I'm setting a goal of more journaling this year! These little quickies are wonderful for art journals. And, as always, thank you for sharing your creativity and continuing to inspire! XOXO

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  9. Just dud six quickie 's. Starting the new year off right. More to come this week. Thank you, thank you 💕From Bethlehem pa.

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  10. Thanks Jane, appreciate the inspiration!

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  11. Brilliant I just love your work

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