Still life

Well it's hardly radical, but I have actually created a painting that doesn't involve faces!

I went at this without much planning, just loosely copying from a beautiful photograph in a book. It all stems from my 'letting go' phase. I just wanted to draw, so I did. I couldn't be doing with the hassle of making sure my ellipses were elliptically correct (or even spelt right!). I needed to see the colour run across the paper and so it did.

It's all Inktense pencils - lots of layers of dry then wet then dry then you get the idea.

I really love how this turned out, it's got an interesting energy to it. However, as soon as I tried to do another I found myself slipping back to the more structured approach and it lost all the fun.

I think sometimes I forget why I paint. Of course, it's lovely to end up with some wonderful artwork that might one day grace a wall in a fancy frame - even better if someone pays for the privilege, but really it's as much about the process of getting there as the end result. It should be fun and never a chore!

Right I'm off, busy day, must dash...

Sharing with the folk at Paint Party Friday and Art Every Day Month