Abstract painting in my art journal

abstract abstract
art journal pages

I just passed the 2 month mark of painting daily, and I don’t see an end in sight. I’m enjoying the practice, and want to keep going. I started a new journal last week, and I’m planning on filling it with abstracts.

There are days I feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface of abstract painting, even though I’ve painted abstracts for 20 years now. On those days, ideas are flowing, and so is the paint. Other days, I feel bored doing the same ole thing.

Creating abstract art isn’t easy. In some ways it can be harder than painting portraits because with portraits you basically know what you’re supposed to paint. An eye goes there, period. With abstracts you’re completely on your own. Go on now..create whatever you want. Ack! That can be a scary thought. Whatever I want??? Me??? What does that even mean? You gotta figure that part out on your own, and it can be intimidating some days.

Figuring out what you like, choosing your colors, and finding your own style takes a lot of trial and error. It also takes endless layers of paint, patience, and time, so make sure you have plenty on hand if you start painting an abstract series.

365 days of painting daily..again?

Mai Tai
(my friend Wanda will get this title.
Cheers, Rich!! hahaha)
Prints available here

A few weeks ago I wrote about painting daily in my art journals. I don’t know if this means I’ve started another 365 days of daily painting or what, but it’s been well over a month now, and I’m still going strong.

Farmhouse style painting
Comfort & Ease
Prints available here

So far, I’m not getting overwhelmed or tired. I think the biggest reason is because I’m not pressuring myself to blog or post on social media every day like I did last time. Keeping my daily paintings private until I get around to sharing them is way less stressful.

Orange & pink abstract painting
Bursts of Energy
Prints are available here

I’ve always said I’d be willing to do another 365 day challenge, but I’d have to do it much differently. I set so many rules for myself last time that made me miserable and stressed out every day for no reason. I was extremely burnt out at the end of that challenge. For months afterwards, I had visions of quitting art altogether, and I’m still sorting through those feelings today.

Dopamine Hit
Prints available here

I finally figured out it wasn’t anything to do with the challenge itself. It was how I treated myself, and the demands & rules I set on top of painting 365 days in a row that wore me out. For some reason, my brain told me it wasn’t enough for me to just do the challenge. I had to do soooo much more, and do it every single day. I’m still trying to figure out why I was so hard on myself.

Maroon & Pink abstract painting
Filled a Void in Life
Prints available here

That said, I don’t know if I’m fully committed to another 365 challenge at this time. As long as it doesn’t feel like I’m forced to paint every single day, and I’m having fun, I’ll probably keep this up for a while. Just gonna take it day-by-day and see what happens.

I was very sadden to learn of the passing of artist Karin Jurrick over the weekend. I’ve long been admirer of her work, and have followed her blog for ages. My condolences go out to her family and friends.

Let us so live that when we come to die
even the undertaker will be sorry.

Mark Twain

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Finding me time in the studio

making a print (left)
from a wet painting (right)

I started doing daily art journal pages again. It’s been three weeks of painting every day, and so far, I’ve been loving having me time in the studio.

Have a lovely weekend. xo

Subscribe to Blog via Email

New gouache portrait paintings

Compassionate Understanding
9×6 inches
Gouache & acrylic on watercolor paper
SOLD

Ahh..I’m back after taking almost 2 weeks off, and I’ve had a bit of a rough start getting back into the groove. I’ve been trying to figure out a routine now that I’ve finished up painting commissions, but where to start? I love and hate a good routine, don’t you? The artist in me constantly rebels against structure and clocks, but it’s necessary or I lose all track of time.

Dude, I’m sad
9×6 inches
Gouache & acrylic on watercolor paper
SOLD

Painting daily takes great discipline, so I’ve committed to painting one of these 9×6 inch portraits every day until I get back in the swing of things. I had a lot of this watercolor paper around my studio, and some new gouache paint to play with, so I figured why not. It’s my first time using gouache, and I LOVE it!! I’m thinking I need to do an entire series of watercolors and gouache soon..as in VERY. Maybe this is already the start of it. Hm..

The title of this painting is something I overheard someone say the other day when I was out wandering the streets, and I thought it fit swimmingly with this painting.

In Solitude We Find Ourselves
9×6 inches
Gouache & acrylic on watercolor paper
Available here

I hope you had a great Thanksgiving, if you’re in the US, and celebrated. I’m back for the next couple weeks, and then I’ll be taking a few days off for the holidays.

If you plan on purchasing anything from my shop here or on Etsy, now would be the perfect time to do so. I’d prefer if you purchase through my website, so I don’t have to give half my earnings to Etsy. Goodness, have the fees ever gone up for Etsy sellers, plus we’re basically being forced to give everyone free shipping or not show up in search. It’s discouraging to see what Etsy is turning into, but that’s a post for another day.

Paintings make great stocking stuffers, and/or gifts for under the tree..just stating the obvious here. 😉 xo

PS: I’m going to disable the contact form here on my site for the next week or so because I’m getting A LOT of spam coming through lately. I have no idea the purpose of spamming, and using my website as their email address..like info[at]katiejeannewood.com (<–this is not my email address, so please don’t write me there) It makes no sense because even if I fell for the spam, how would I get in touch with them, since they’re not using their real email address??? Surely there must be a purpose to this kind of spam..I’ll have to google it to find out.

What I do know are their isp numbers, which comes through any time someone contacts me or comments here on my site. So, hello..I’m able to blacklist you anyway, so you can never contact me again. Bye! I love WordPress. Bots are so stupid, tho, and need to be banned.

Anyway, if you’re a real person, and need/want to contact me, please use the comment section. Be sure to leave your email address, so I can email you back, if needed.

This is what love looks like

Sunday, Sept 8th, 2019

Day 8 of 30 Day Creative Gathering
WIP oil portrait painting

I’m revising this painting using the Zorn palette. The colors before didn’t really match my style..green, and orange. I’ve always liked orange, but not so much green, especially dark green. This is what it looked like before..

I’ve aged her quite a bit by giving her lines around her mouth..or maybe she’s aged me. lol I’m far from being finished with this one. I don’t like it all that much, so once the oils have dried, I’m probably going to make big changes.

Monday, Sept 9th, 2019

Day 9 of 30 Day Creative Gathering

I worked on her arm a bit today, and her face. Had other work to get done, so didn’t spend a lot of time on it.

This is what love looks like
Only the bestest of frens
would sleep like this.
LMAO
😇😅😀🙃

And now some clouds because I was up bright and early…

Gorgeous sunrise
the sun looked itty bitty poking through the trees

I’m so thrilled to live where I can see the sunrise every day. It’s been one of the things I’ve been most grateful for since moving here.

This house has lots of light..windows in all the right places. I love my other house, but I’m so much happier living here, probably because I’m getting my vitamin D on. 🙂 I’ve become a tanned sun worshiper since moving here.

I open my door each morning, excited to see what kind of show the universe is putting on for me out there. She outdid herself today. Dang! This is what looking west looked like.

Tuesday, Sept 10th, 2019

Day 10 of 30 Day Creative Gathering
oil portrait painting

I worked some more on her face today..cutting this painting session short once again because I have other pressing work to get finished. I’m up to my eyeballs in work. Gah.

September is a busy month for me, and I never intended on doing the 30 in 30. The only reason I’m doing it is because Sheila took over, and I knew I didn’t want to miss out. Since completing the 365 day daily painting challenge back in 2017-2018, I experienced pretty bad burn out. I’ve stayed away from challenges of any sort.

However, like the fool I am, I’m seriously considering doing another 365 day challenge in the near future. I started thinking about it again when my birthday rolled around back in July because that’s when I started the last one, but I decided I wasn’t quite ready to fully commit.

The resistance I feel isn’t with painting itself. I paint daily anyway. It’s about documenting, keeping track, blogging, and social media that I get weary of doing. We’ll see. If I can figure out a way to do all that without constant stress, I’ll do another 365 day challenge. I have to think about it, and come up with a plan. I won’t be doing it the same way I did last time, and hopefully I’ll avoid burnout.

If you don’t want to check back to see when/if I post, sign up to receive my posts in your email inbox. It’s free!

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Revising mini portrait paintings

Since I’m on a roll
revising Halloween paintings,
I figured I might as well keep going.

Meditating girl

Norwegian Girl
acrylic portrait painting

Polka dot scarf portrait painting

Masquerade Masks Portrait Paintings
being listed now

While working I’ve been listening to Simon and Garfunkel’s greatest hits, Songs of Leonard Cohen, Nick Cave: The Good Son, Eminem’s new songs, and 4 part interview.

Last night I watched several documentaries on youtube, and found a slew of artists to follow: Salvador Dali doc, Sparta 300, collection of 825 Van Gogh paintings, Ray Johnson, Peter Blake, Andreas Gursky, Basquiat Boom for Real, Dali and Duchamp, James Turrell & Rachel Whiteread. Yes, I went on quite a YT watching spree, and I haven’t even started listing all the new artists (to me) I found.

I actually binge watch youtube quite often (much more than Netflix) because the selection is so awesome, and bingeing helps me decompress. Most of these weren’t full documentaries. The Van Gogh one was the most relaxing, and I think I nodded off a few times while watching it. I will be watching that one again soon.

Tonight I’m planning on watching The Fake Van Gogh’s Counterfeit art documentary. If you have time, check out the first comment under the doc by Alexandra Zeres. I think she has a valid point. “Have we become that pretentious?” Unfortunately, yes.

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Coming full circle – Daily Painting Day 364 & 365

A year ago today, I gifted myself one of the best birthday presents I’ve ever received, the gift of art. I vowed to paint every day for 365 days, without taking a day off. Today I’ve come full circle, and I’m happy to say, I did it! I painted every day for a year.

I’m going to leave you two pieces of my word art that sum up the 365 day daily painting project coming to an end.

Life will be returning to normal for me. Not sure I remember what “normal” means exactly, but I can’t wait to find out. I feel like a bird must when it escapes from its cage. As much as I love painting, I can’t help but want to shout from the rooftops, “I’m free at last! Woo!!” No longer tethered to the project or this blog, I’m ready to explore new avenues. Who knows where it will lead me?

When one door is closed, don’t you know that many more are open.
― Bob Marley

Lots of possibilities are in my immediate future, including selling the house, and moving to a new city. I’m also ready to get serious about a couple new jobs I’ve been working on for the past few months – my “nightshift side hustles”, which have been keeping me up too late at night. I also have fun projects that I started about a month ago. One has to do with creative writing, and the other art. I’m going to be keeping these projects private, and I won’t be forcing myself to create something every day.

Now that the daily painting project is over, I’m taking a break from blogging, probably until sometime in the fall. While I’m away, I’ll be thinking about what I want to do with this space. I’ve been brainstorming, and have some ideas, but the answer isn’t clear. All I know for sure is that the daily or near daily blogs are officially over as of today.

Below you’ll find an email subscription form. If you sign up, you’ll be notified via email when I post, so you won’t have to keep checking back. If I don’t post, you won’t hear from me..simple as that. I’ll also include links to my social media accounts. I still plan on posting on IG, Twitter, and FB frequently, so let’s stay connected, one way or another.

Artist credit

Thanks to all who have followed along on this 365 day journey. Your comments, private messages, and emails have kept me going through the rough parts. It’s been an amazing ride. Have a great summer, y’all! This freed bird will see you again when I see you. xo

This is what 365 days of art looks like. I might have forgotten a couple pieces, but I’m sure you’ll get the gist of it. This video wouldn’t be the same without music by the fabulous Josh Woodward. Thanks so much, Josh!

Some things won’t be changing. You’ll still be able to find me online here:

Etsy: Miz Katie
Art By Katie Jeanne

FB: Miz Katie FB Page
Art By Katie Jeanne FB page

Instagram: Miz Katie
Art By Katie Jeanne

Twitter

Flickr

Youtube Channel

Subscribe to Blog via Email

You don’t have to be good at drawing to be an artist/painter – Daily painting days 361 – 363

If you realized how powerful your thoughts are, you would never think a negative thought.
Peace Pilgrim

People have told me they don’t paint because they can’t draw. My advice is always this: you don’t have to be good at drawing to be an artist/painter. You actually don’t have to draw at all. Not today or any day. I know plenty of artists who don’t start their paintings by drawing first.

While I greatly admire the work of artists who draw well, I hate to draw, myself. Well, maybe not hate hate, but it’s not how I like to spend my time. I’ve heard it relaxes some artists, but it gives me great anxiety for some reason..probably because I know I’m not good at it. I don’t even like to doodle. If left alone with a pencil and paper, I prefer to write, not draw. This is why I keep my line drawings simple. I don’t shade or get fancy with crosshatching. It’s just not my thing, and yet somehow I’ve survived as an artist for many years now.

It takes a great deal of patience to make a good drawing, and I have zero. I figure I’m going to cover up the drawing with paint anyway, so why work that hard? I don’t like to waste time or energy, and I’m incredibly lazy when it comes to things I don’t like doing.

That said, I’m also not comfortable staring at a blank canvas for hours or days, wondering what I’m going to paint or how to begin, so that’s why I do a quick contour line drawing to get the ball moving. I don’t spend much time on these drawings, maybe 2 or 3 minutes tops. I use the lines as a jumping off point only, which is subject to change as I move forward with the painting.

A tip for line drawing: Use watercolor pencils because you can easily erase lines with a tiny bit of water, no eraser needed. When I use a No 2 pencil, as I did in this drawing, I always get black smudge lines when I erase, which you can see in the first photo.

When you’re painting with oils, as I did, the oil tends to smear the pencil lines and the smudges created with the eraser react with the paint. This painting got pretty ugly, and I had to wipe the oil off her chin a couple times because it was black smeared mess. If you’re painting an oil portrait, it’s better to use a red watercolor pencil in your line drawing because it blends in better with the paint.

Some links I found about line drawing:

Line drawing: a guide for students

Tips for Creating a Better Line Drawing

COLOR PENCIL PORTRAITS – THE LINE DRAWING

Share this:

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Share this:

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Share this:

Share this:

Sunday, Sept 8th, 2019

Monday, Sept 9th, 2019

Tuesday, Sept 10th, 2019

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Share this:

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Share this:

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Share this:

Share this: