Here's the rough sketch for my landscape.Although I think I may move the barn to the side a little bit. It kind of looks dead center when I see it like this. Oh, and the photo for this sketch is posted up on my Facebook fan page if you want to check it out.
I've got to say that I'm getting excited here. But I think I need to stop with the planning already and just paint it! So, that's what I'll be doing for the next few days. :) Wish me luck.
Now, onto Motivational Monday.
Lately I've been asked by a couple of different people how I get so much painting done. And I think it really comes down to something I learned when I first started writing.
There's so much about the act of being a writer that's comparable to the life of an artist that I find myself looking to both of those sources, successful writers and artists, for motivation when I feel lacking in that area.
Here it is.
Three big words of wisdom that changed my life.
Are you ready?
Here we go.
B-I-C.
Butt In Chair. Of course if you stand while you paint then maybe you'll want to say Feet On Floor or something else that's a little more clever than that. ;)
It's really that simple. You want to paint? You want to be an artist? Then you have to show up for the job. There's no other way to create a body of work than to sit your butt in that chair and paint away.
Sometimes you might not feel like it, sometimes you might want to do anything other than sit down and paint, but you do it anyway. Because you WANT to be an artist more than you want to be anything else. And you know that by showing up and putting in the time you will succeed.
Tough love baby. That's the name of the game. Being an artist isn't all rainbows, glitter, and kittens, although it is that a lot of the time, and it should be that a lot of the time or else why bother?
I guess that my point is that simply by showing up, sitting your B-I-C and painting is usually all you need to start feeling the joy of painting that made you want to pick up your brushes in the first place. You can't feel that joy, that rush of creating, unless you first start. And you can't start unless you first sit your
B-I-C.
Wash and repeat, everyday until it sticks.
Paint on friends. See you Wednesday!
