Inspired by...

Klimt and Gritty Jane.

Something a little different. Weeks ago Jane des Rosier (aka Gritty) posted a challenge to get a bit of Klimt into our work. I'm taking her portraits and papers class (slowly!) so incorporated a bit of her teaching into my piece. There are some incredible works of art that she has posted on her Facebook page - I urge you to go on over and be amazed.

As you can no doubt see, this was painted over a patchwork of papers, many of which allowed their texture and pattern to show through. There are even the words A BEAUTIFUL PRINCESS at the bottom of the painting which I rather loved.

I can't decide if this is finished yet. It has been a week of unfinished projects which has left me ill-tempered. I've been going to bed early nursing a sore throat and accompanying aches and flitting from one work project to the next. I've calculated my VAT, but not paid it yet. I've bought half an outfit. I've not finished the book on storytelling in presentations I should have completed a week ago... I've half watched a webinar on writing a book and only managed to listen to one of Goddess Leonie's Summit lectures.

I shall post this to show my friends at Paint Party Friday and let them decide if it's finished or not! And in the meantime get on with finishing some stuff!

At the charcoal face

I've just had a revelation and it's called Charcoal.

Seriously, why have I never used this medium before? I've owned a charcoal pencil for about two years that's just sort of languished alone and unwanted in the pencil box under the waxy lushness of my prismacolors.

I knocked this sketch up in around 10 minutes on a bit of paint-splattered scrap paper. Just thrown together without much planning, but look at the depth of shading I managed to achieve.

I've opened up a vein of possibility. Now I am dashing off to open a pristine page in my sketchbook to concentrate on a 'proper' piece.

I'm taking Jane DesRosier's Gritty Jane class....yes, and the Experimental Art class... and I've also enrolled on 21 Secrets... Well, the latter two are self-paced so I can take my time! Jane's first lessons involved blind contour drawing and charcoal. I'm hooked and will share this with the Sunday Sketchers. Hopefully I'll have time today to complete a more careful study, but there's a wall waiting to be painted (with emulsion!), and a tonne of work admin I've been putting off...

Ah the temptations and distractions of art.... how we love them!

PS: If you have time for an extra read, yesterday I wrote something from the heart - a thank you post to all my supportive friends here in Bloglandia.