Thursday, March 2, 2017

Windy Day

The wind has really kicked up today, blowing vigor and freshness this way and that.

With a recent newsletter from artist Debora Stewart in mind, I take some internal wind into my studio.

I cut a 9x12" piece of watercolor paper from a new pad, tape it to a support, prop it on my easel, hold a graphite crayon with an overhand grip, close my eyes, and make some marks.

Windy 3217a, work in progress

Rotate my paper and brush color onto the page, again using overhand grip.

Windy 3217b, work in progress

Rotate, add more paint.

Windy 3217c, work in progress

Rotate, add mostly eyes-closed marks with charcoal pencil.

Windy 3217d, work in progress

Stop for today, refreshed and enlivened.


11 comments:

carol edan said...

So refreshing.I can almost smell the spring! I will try it in my new sketchpad, using watercolor pencils & water. Is this the overhand grip? http://www.proko.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/drawing-overhand-grip.jpg

dotty seiter: now playing said...

Yes to your query re overhand grip. I don't necessarily hold the implement parallel to the surface I'm working on, but holding a brush or pencil from above rather than below is just enough of a difference to loosen me up a bit both in my hand and brain.

carol edan said...

I almost always draw like that. Will try with brush!

Sheila said...

Oh my! :)

dotty seiter: now playing said...

oh me, oh my! Fun for me to look at this again a day later. For me, an interesting element of painting in this way is knowing when to stop. 'Windy 3217d' evokes happy feelings; I love the freedom, play, and disinhibition in it. I'll continue to work on this one, but I plan to do a series, and Stopping Point will be one facet of study. Thanks for saying 'Oh my!' and sparking the above train of thought in me—helpful to hear myself bring thoughts to the surface.

Sheila said...

Yes to all of that. Playful, free, happy. Opening your posts is always so joyful Dotty! A series is a lovely idea :) I got lost in Debora's videos, thanks for the reminder. (BTW I am sure I was following her at one time, but I have signed up again for her newslwtter.)
Joyful, free, playful day to you Dotty!

dotty seiter: now playing said...

Thank you, Sheila. I am so grateful for the collaboration of courage that infuses our exchanges. On my own, don't know where I'd be. But with our conversations with each other and with other artists—look where we are!

Janet Bradish said...

This is beautiful - the colour is so fresh - brings Spring to mind for me too. Love how you explore - fearless!

dotty seiter: now playing said...

Thank you, Janet. The colors felt wonderful to me as I worked and played with them. I so appreciate your affirmation of my exploring fearlessly. Your comments and feedback strengthen my courage muscle.

Phyllis Follett said...

Dotty, I love how the wind outside inspired your painting. The process is courageous yet at the same time liberating. Brava.

Dotty said...

Phyllis, wow! Thank you for commenting. The "Windy Day" post here is part of my original blog, from which I transitioned to my current WordPress blog, and I haven't received a comment here in a long time, but your comment DID get through. Thank you! It's fun to look at this post again now. I have a new appreciation for where I took this painting start at the time, and I'm glad I photographed it at this stage so that it continues to have a life of simplicity here : )

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