A Week of Mini Paintings
It’s been a full 5 days since I started doing daily paintings. And already I’ve learned a few things. My intention was to fill my audience’s desire for more aliens through this daily painting goal. Maybe make a few mini paintings that I could turn into stickers. But definitely continue to have a painting practice while I chased my Paige and Webb picture book.
After the third day of aliens, however, I was not liking what I was producing. Even positive comments of “adorable” or “I want you to make that one into a big painting” didn’t convince me that I was enjoying the process. I think it is because just like last year, painting every day takes time.
I decided to see what I could do to make the process more enjoyable.
Make the figures bigger.
First off, I knew that 3 small figures were too small and fiddley for me at the 4x6 in scale. My Day 3 mini painting might be more enjoyable for me if I blew up each figure and did one figure in a single painting. The first take away was to make the figures I am painting larger.
Use sketches I’ve created for something else.
Then it was the time to come up with a new idea for a painting. Those first 3 days my heart wasn’t into it. I would take my first idea and shoe horn a painting out of it. It was a chore to get done so I could get on with the real art that I wanted to do. And the chore was taking 1.5 hours each day. I know I will get faster at it and I will get better at it. But there had to be a way that I could enjoy the process and make art I liked while still having a daily painting practice.
On the Morning of Day 4, I decided to switch it up. I had some sketches from my work on my new Paige and Webb book. I decided to take one of them and turn it into a painting. It felt right. I could transfer the drawing on did the day before on the board, paint it and use it to post on the new Paige and Webb instagram account (@paigeandwebb) thus killing 2 birds with 1 stone.
I loved it. It was my favorite painting from the week.
Embrace the colored background of the mat board.
Since I’m using reclaimed mat board, I’m trying to use the color and the texture of the mat board in my painting. This is best done by leaving a portion of the board not painted. It will take a little more time planning, but it is a fun exercise and one I appreciate in other artist’s work. It allows for a little bit of experiment on a small scale. I also don’t have to cover the entire mat board with paint, and I think it will make more painterly images.
As I look back on my first week of mini paintings, I’m excited about the direction I’m heading and I’m looking forward to filling my mini painting box this year.
Each of these paintings are for sale. They are 4”x6” and the best way to buy one is to purchase it on my website Shop.