I have found that after major seasons of productivity, I tend to deeply need rest. Rest, in the physical sense, yes. But I need creative rest, mental rest.
Rest so I may keep pouring out into my life, my family, my work.
After last year’s 100 Landscapes challenge (I actually completed over 135, not listing them all, and sold 90), I began the new year with a big sigh of “okaaaaayyyyyy.” I just needed time to create that wasn’t meant for selling or staging for photos. Time for me to play.
Vintage Watercolors
January went a little awry, and I didn’t have as much creative time as I’d planned. I’ve made up for it in February, though. There has been no rush, no pressure, and I’ve barely documented anything I have created. I began sketching in my sketchbook again, which I’ll share soon. I opened up my fabulous vintage Winsor & Newton Watercolors from Ponder and Purchase and swatched them out, doing a few landscape studies along the way.
Tonal Landscapes
I played with tonal landscape studies because I’m absolutely obsessed with these two new Charvin colors: Ash Blue & Blue Shadow.
Collections will release this year, but they may be smaller, or I may only release a few larger collections. Creating this way has been a sweet way to try new mediums and challenge myself.
New Charvin Colors
I ordered a few new small Charvin oil colors I was lacking, and I have to say, that palette above is pretty much a go to for me, depending on how much mixing I feel like doing. In case you want to know, from bottom to top the colors are (all oils): Olive Green, Sap Green, Terre Verte, Cinnabar Green, Ash Green, Grey Shadow, Blue Shadow, Ash Blue, Ultramarine (Green Shade), Burnt Sienna, Portrait Pink, Cadmium Yellow Light, Yellow Ochre Pale, Titanium Buff, and Titanium White.
Charvin Fine Acrylics and Oils are more expensive, but the paint texture is so creamy, lasts forever, and has such rich pigmentation. If you are an artist or pursuing art more seriously, give them a try!
Pigment Mixing
Lastly, I’ve been mixing some pigments and generally studying them more. I am making a quick trip this weekend, and hope to stop in a shop I’ve admired for a long time…and pigment is why.
What have you been creating lately? Anything for play? What have you made simply for yourself? Share a link with me if you’ve got one!
