I was inspired by artist Robin Cheers' blog post http://robincheers.blogspot.com/2010/10/30-minute-start.html to attempt to paint a small painting in 30 minutes. It took me about that much time to find something to set up to paint and adjust the lighting, etc, but I did paint this one in just 30 minutes. Well, to be honest, I took 2 extra minutes to touch up the highlights, etc. but was suprisingly happy with the results.
Some of the benefits of painting so quickly is that it forces me to work more instinctively rather than labor over each decision. The brushstrokes are fresher and bolder as I hurredly move on to the next section rather than hang around and redo the paint that I just put down. One of my favorite things to look at in other artist's work is the freshness of their color and brushstrokes. Learning to work quickly is especially helpful when I paint outdoors and have to keep up with the changing light and shadows. I'm hoping this little 30 minute excercise will help. This zinnia theme continues, as I have never been one to let a perfectly good little zinnia go unpainted:)
"Zinnia and Coffee"
8"x 8" oil on gessoed board
$125 unframed plus $10 shipping
