(23) Today I worked on a larger commissioned piece, so I chose to do this study as a warm-up--it was a suggestion by artist Kenn Backhaus for those of us who tend to overwork our paintings (yes, that's me!) and I decided to share it in case other artists out there want to give it a try. The idea is that you choose a simple object like an apple, paint it as you normally would, and count the number of brushstrokes it takes. Then, you paint it a second time, halving those brushstokes, and repeat the process twice more! Yikes--I started at 124 and ended with 15--it is tougher than it looks, but a great exercise forcing you to be mindful of each stroke. Pretty cool, huh?
By the way, THANK YOU all so much for the wonderful comments and questions I have received. I am humbled that so many of you have chosen to "tune in" to see what I am doing each day. I have been asked if it is okay to share the blog address with friends--yes, I am honored.
And, I have gotten a lot of positive feedback about the quotes I include each day. The truth is, I have collected them in sketchbooks for over a decade--a nerdy admission I know, but very much a part of who I am (and who I aspire to be!) And with that in mind..."Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication"...Leonardo da Vinci (so true, but not easy, as I discovered today)