Abstractify

I've been plodding along on my little creative blog, over the years...but that's about to change. With my youngest now in school, I'm able to focus a lot more on my creative endeavours. So be prepared for more blog posts!

Right now though, I'm doing an online art course, run by Tara Leaver, called Abstractify. It will get me back into the swing of creating.

 Lesson 1

I don't want to share the details of the course, but I will share the impact it's having on my own style. As well as the works I create, as a result. This is, after all, a new journey for me and I want to take you on it.

Above is an exercise in making marks. It took me outside my comfort zone,  because it was so random. The instructions in this exercise, contradicted, every approach I normally like to take, painting. But after getting over the initial discomfort, and what felt like a lot of mess - it eventually taught me something.

 Best take-away from exercise.

The above frame, was pointed out later, as being reminiscent of French Riviera. It was feedback from the course creator. Yet it completely missed my radar. I actually thought it looked too simple for my tastes. I normally use a lot more of details.

But that's precisely why I'm doing this course. To be able to express myself more freely, and loosely. Somehow I'd reached that benchmark already, without realising it! I was grateful, to have it pointed out later, because I was stuck in my past way of doing things. If I hadn't been prepared to feel uncomfortable though, and push through, regardless - I never would've appreciated the mystery of mark making! 

 Titled: "You-eclipsed-us"

After the first two lessons, I was inspired enough to paint something for myself. In this case, gum nuts from our property. I took the reference photograph, in 2011, or the year of the big flood. It was fun to paint this picture, without feeling I had to get everything right. It was meant to be "representational", not identical to the source image.
   
I'm having fun doing this course, and really glad I signed up. It goes for about a month, and I'm happy to share how it adds to my creative journey.

Male torso

I did a painting during the Touchstone course, which I would not normally do. It wasn't part of the course material, but I stumbled across it on the course creator's video collection.

When (or if) I ever find that video again, I'll be sure to post a link. I could not find it in my history files, and a search of the blog again, did not result in success either. It was actually a tutorial from one of the courses she runs, to demonstrate what to expect from the course. Perhaps it was removed?

So anyway, enter my abstract figure painting, in acrylic...

completed September 28

I decided to opt for a male figure, as it tends to be traditional to paint the female figure. The entire painting is different to anything I would normally do, but what I like about the Touchstone course, is how it pushes you beyond what you believe you are capable.

Not that it necessarily "forces" you to. It's however much you want to push yourself, in whatever direction you choose. It was fun to be prompted outside my regular process.