Twenty-Minute Challenge, Small Paintings

Donna Vines introduced me to artist Mary Gilkerson's 20-minute challenge, which means doing a small painting in just 20 minutes. Here is my first attempt, a scene in Florence, Italy. I learned from this one that the subject was a bit too complex for a 20-minute execution!

This was my second attempt, and it went much easier. No buildings or people!

I was more deliberate with this last one, and stopped panicking over the time ticking by.

If you want to paint more loosely, this is a great exercise. One important tip: mix up your paint before you set the time.

Below is a page from my sketch journal, starting with my gym class the other day. Jean Thomas's class really inspired me to sketch more about everyday happenings.

Carmen

Morning Stack

How can anything that seems so simple be so hard.  Bowls are one of my favorite things.  I love their roundness, their color, their design, their shape, the way they feel....ahhh, they are just cute.  I thought I would set up several bowls and just paint away. 
First of all setting up several bowls and making them look interesting takes on a life of its own. Not everyone likes bowls or finds them endlessly fascinating, I know it's hard to believe but I have heard rumors and secondly you have to take lighting and composition into consideration. o.k. after several attempts, opinions, suggestions, changes and false starts this simple arrangement was agreed upon.
That was the easy part.  Round is hard!!! Their are lots of nooks and crannies to deal with, depth and shadow and lots of curves, oh dear. I had a lot of help with this painting and it is still not finished but I do love looking at it, not only because of the subject but because it reminds me that when I wanted to throw in the towel on this one I got a lot of  support to keep going.  thanks ladies.

Morning Stack