Skip to main content

Practice Practice Practice


Last night, The Princess (pictured above) and I set up Tootsie Roll still lifes and did some 10 minute paintings.

This is a concept I first learned in college. Back then we called them gesture studies. They were charcoal sketches done with 10/15/30 second live model poses. It was the perfect warm up to larger drawings and helped me better understand the principles of movement and balance.

In painting classes I also did my share of thumbnail sketches - small studies at 4-5 minutes each of a still life setup, with the object placement or lighting shifted in each. These are a great way to figure out problems BEFORE you get to the big painting.

Also key - working quickly takes the pressure off making something perfect from the get-go and allows you to focus instead on capturing the essence of your subject.

I was reminded of the value of this exercise when theDaily Paintworks' challenge (a few weeks back) was 10 Minute Paintings. I've been meaning to paint me some 10 minute pieces ever since.

The Princess and I had so much fun that we're repeating the exercise again tonight. This time with Cadbury eggs and breaks for homemade chocolate mousse.

What should we paint tomorrow night?

Thanks in advance for sharing my artwork with your friends and family,
Kim
(4) 10 Minute Paintings done on an 11" x 14" canvaspanel -
the photo's a little dark due to our glum and gloomy day.
10 Minute Tootsies

I love painting Tootsie Rolls - each one is uniquely shaped and wrapped. When spotlit they take on a special character.

Do you have a similar sweet tooth? I've got several Tootsie Roll and candy-themed paintings available for purchase.

I'm open to painting commissioned candies, too - one of the perks of painting candy is getting to eat the setup when the painting is done! Let me know if you want to see something special.

And if you are interested in the above 11" x 14" study ($150), shoot me an email.

Thanks in advance!

Comments

  1. martinealison11:59 PM

    Merci pour ce partage... Il est vrai que plus vite on travaille on départ, plus le poignet se délie et les automatismes aussi, ainsi nous allons à l'essentiel...
    Bravo Princesse.
    Bisous à vous

    ReplyDelete
  2. Kimberly Kelly Santini9:52 AM

    Martine, merci, merci, merci!! :)

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Picture Book "A Dog Named Blue" - now available!!

The cover of "A Dog Named Blue," now available from Blurb publishers. When I first painted Amelia I never imagined that she would be re-christened "Blue" and inspire a book. In her defense, Amelia had a number of other partners in crime - animals who's portraits seemed to fall into a specific color category and prompt color-centric names. In typical ADD fashion, my brain started spinning 100mph. What if I turned those muses' paintings into a picture book for animal loving kids? I shared my idea with three friends in the industry, and they eagerly offered their expertise. I am truly indebted to them. Illustrator and author Matt Faulkner and children's book author and literacy expert Kristen Remenar edited an early version of the draft. They suggested key plot/conceptual changes that made it oodles better. Designer Elizabeth St. Hilaire Nelson worked her magic, pairing the images with perfectly color
1 comment
Read more

Tabby Kit

"Tabby Kit," 5" x 7", acrylics on a museum quality panel, depicting a tiny little orange striped guy from Morgue File . This painting can be yours for $289, which includes s&h inside the US. And in case you didn't see it, a little doodle of him is also available for sale here . Inquires may come directly to me .  Although it certainly doesn't FEEL like spring here (snow and ice and wind chills, brr!), I can tell that spring is coming. The mercury is rising a wee bit each day and the days are getting longer and brighter. Over the weekend we drove with the moonroof open just to feel the sun's meager and oh-so-very-welcome warmth (although the heat in the car was cranked, too, in the interest of full disclosure!). I wanted to work with spring-like colors today, and this little guy was still on my mind , so I grabbed a small panel and got to work. Of course, I also have Poppy to finish and some changes to make to another po
Post a Comment
Read more

Dear Copyright Thieves

Dear Copyright Thieves,   Just because it's on the internet doesn't mean it's free for the taking. So let's just stop pretending the internet is a free-for-all.   Don't play the card that you didn't know - that's insulting. And don't also tell me that you meant to follow up and get permission but never got a chance to. That's insulting too. And by the way, don't you have a copyright protection notice on your own site?   And don't even try and point the finger at a third party who commissioned you to make a copy of my painting - again, an insult - you and I both know the difference between a reference photo and a painting.   And don't tell me that I asked for it because I share my artwork on the internet. I share my paintings and ideas and the stories behind them so as to encourage others to pursue  their own passions . I do not share so that those lacking integrity and morals can copy and market the images as their own
33 comments
Read more