What are your intentions? Why are you painting? What is your goal?
How do you know the answers to those questions?
Through journaling. Keep several sketchbooks at a time. Keep them every where. Keep on in your car. Keep one by your bed. You never know when inspiration will strike and you will NOT remember it later. This I know.
Through journaling, you will create your intentions. You will have a starting point for your paintings. You will be able to create a body of work.
A body of work- many pieces of the same subject matter. It is important to create a body of work. Not a smorgasbord of paintings. (I did this in college.) I also like the advice of having standard sizes for your body of work. Your series.
Paint what you know. One of my series is of guitars. Do I play the guitar? No. But I love music and the sound of the guitar. Music has the power to change your mood, bring people together, and inspire you. My other series is hearts with inspirational sayings. The art and power of relationships is something that intrigues me. Do my intentions and goals need to be refined? Of course. For my whole life, I will be a work in progress. And so will my paintings.
Bob asked me on Sunday afternoon what my intentions were for the workshop. My intentions were to submerge myself in painting, re-learn or hear again some basics, and allow him and others to inspire me. Your intentions and goals will change as your life changes. Write it all down, go back and revisit ideas, and do something you have never done before.
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