Saturday, June 2, 2012

What's In My Sketchbook?

My sketchbook pages are filled with drawing exercises like last week.  So I'm not going to bore you with them. Instead if you would allow me a bit of a whinge ...

This week is very unsatisfying ...

- Extremely busy at work as the office was understaffed due to people falling sick one after another and at the same time, company asked some of our staff to take long overdue leaves.  I ended up working 3 people's job for the whole week.

(Usually, I work only 4-days a week and then focus on my creative projects the rest of the time.)

- Classic Melbourne winter weather - COLD and Wet.

- I'm feeling a bit out of sort ...I think I'm about to get sick.

- Then came the usual blockage which I need to go through before I could start any creative work.  Do you know what that is?  It starts with the letter P. It's called PROCRISTINATION.  How do I know that?  Here are the usual symptoms.

1) Spending hours and hours watching DTO & PTO videos over and over again.

20120526 Watching DTO = Procrasination

2) Prepping canvas panels in rainy days ... takes forever to dry!

20120527 Prepping Canvas

3) Traveling all the way into the city to shop for art materials while I could get them close by or get them online.

20120602 Glass Palette and WS Oil Paint & Medium

4) Keep thinking I need to make another trip into the city for a more fancy (i.e. baroque style picture frame) and bigger glass palette.

20120602 My Glass Palette, Palette Knives and Gray Scale


Though the above are all essentials for preparation of any painting / drawing lessons, I know deep down I'm procrastinating.

Why?  Because I want to skip all those slow learning process and be able to paint well immediately.  But the hard truth is I can't and I don't think anyone can master a skill over night. So let's get back to reality, bite the bullet and dive into the practice.

Thank you for listening to all this nonsense and you all have been so supportive to my venture.  Thank You!

Cheers and have a wonderful weekend! xxoo

(The post is also for Paint Party Friday - hosted by Eva and Kristin.  All are welcomed!  Do join in to share and support each other!)

13 comments:

Barbara/myth maker said...

Hi, good to see you. Oh, I know what you mean by procrastination...it is a plague! I'm sure you'll get past it, though. The want-to-be-perfect syndrome can be overwhelming. I know what that is like.

Giggles said...

For me doing art is all in the timing. Like a waltz, you have to wait for the perfect beat to join in!! Then is flows and all comes together!!!

Soon....I feel it is around the corner for you!! Procrastination can also be called sabotage!! Good luck, it will be worth waiting for!You do BEAUTIFUL work!!

Hugs Giggles

WrightStuff said...

You are so neat and tidy - my work station is a TOTAL mess! There's paint all over the handles of my brushes (and me usually too)!!

You dive in girl - get messy!!

Netty said...

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and pictures. Happy PPF, Annette x

HeARTworks said...

Oh dear! I'd just hate being in that state! My suggestion, why don't you make a small piece of art to start off, like an ATC, or something like that. Maybe you'll get excited on the way! yesterday my sister and I invited a friend over to teach her how to make ATCs and we were all so loving the process! Patsy from
HeARTworks

Linda said...

I feel your pain. It's something I go through quite often. It's hard to get it into my head that the masters don't create a painting in a few hours why do I think I should be able to?

Good luck.

GlorV1 said...

How very neat everything looks. I'm sure things will get moving soon. Enjoy the week ahead. Happy PPF!

Paula - Buenos Aires said...

I soooooo understand where you are coming from! Thanks for the links, tutorials are always welcomed. :)
Enjoy your new materials.

Tracey FK said...

we have all suffered from the procrastination blues... I find they just take over sometimes and it is always frustrating... I think we have been having Melbourne weather up here in Brisbane at the moment... think you should take it back... it is horrible and wet and cold... I want my lovely mild and sunny days back... when they come I will send some your way to help you get back painting...xx

carlarey said...

Oh, yeah...been on that road to nowhere. I know exactly what you mean about wanting to skip the boring fundamentals and skip right to the genius part. But no matter how many time I try to make that scenario work, it never does.

Unknown said...

This learning stage is very important. For a while there I went through learning John Howard Sanden's process for painting portraits and I felt the same, I just wanted to get in there and paint, but it's well worth taking the time to study things like colour mixing, the value of colour ect, when you do start painting your work will be all the much better for it.

Ayala Art said...

Oh yes heheheh Or when you say you will paint and find yourself cleaning the kitchen? Or doing something unrelated hahah oh well, our little brains need to play jokes with us I guess ;o)

Cameron said...

I say just dive in....easier to practice on a subject you find stimulating in my opinion...

(psst.....I think you are a better artist than you give yourself credit for...it's true :D)