As I have said before, I have never taken any art classes. So my knowledge on how to draw or paint comes from a mixture of what my mom has taught me as I would do art and projects growing up, and what I learn from doing.
When I decided to start to try to paint, I had no clue what type of painter I was. (I still have no clue, I just know some things I enjoy).
The big question at the beginning of any drawing or painting is what do I draw or paint. For me this is just about the hardest part. I am not good at coming up with what to paint/draw. With painting, the question of what to paint becomes even harder because you have to add in the question, what style of painting do I want to do. If I decide to paint a flower, do I want that flower to be realistic or somewhat abstract? Do I want it to have texture? Do I want the painting to be of just the flower or should I do something in the background? SO many questions, and so many decisions is hard for someone just starting to paint to sort through. This is probably one of the biggest reasons I don't paint more. I simply just don't know what to paint, or where to start.
Before starting my big tree painting, I had started several paintings but had not finished anything.
Enter Myles. He loves it when I paint, and sometimes I thinks he gets more excited about me painting than I do. I love him for that :) Anyways... Myles wanted me to paint him a big painting of a tree, and he said I had to finish it. I drew out some ideas I had, showed him, and he chose one. We then went to hobby lobby and got not one, not two, but three huge canvases. This was both scary and exciting.
When we got them home I started drawing out the design for the tree on the canvas and got started painting. I only knew what I wanted to do for the tree so I started there.
Once the tree was about done, I knew it needed something in the background. I added a different color...
but it still needed more. I didn't know what I should add, so I looked online at paintings for inspiration. I remembered some paintings I had looked at (and LOVED) before online and thought painting a city in the style that artist had done would go perfectly. (I would post the link of this artist's site, but I can not find it.)
After adding hills and the city, I thought the painting still needed something else. I decided to add more detail and texture in the grass. I thought it would be interesting to do a different type of "grass" on each canvas, and I really liked the way it turned out!
So with the grass added and a little more texture/ variety of color in the background, I was finally finished.....I don't ever think I declared it finished, but I haven't done anything else to it in over a year, so it is pretty much finished. However, I do still need to sign it.
From doing this painting, I learned that I really love painting colorful paintings and BIG paintings. Kids love my tree painting. Some of my favorite compliments on it have come from kids. Eli has also always loved the tree painting. When we were living in college station, we had it hanging over the dresser we used for his changing table. He would always look at it while getting dressed or his diaper changed.
The painting has also made a fun backdrop for taking pictures of Eli. The picture below, we used on Thank you cards. (Many of which I still have not mailed out, sorry!)
Now the tree painting has a home in our hallway. I really love it there. Eli still looks at it when we are walking through the hall, sometimes I stop and let him get a good long look :) I am glad he likes it.
I hope your Friday is Artsy Fartsy!
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