Solid and Strong or Just Boring?

Composition #6. Unclear values; boring arrangement.

Ended my five-day streak and took a day off from these maddening compositions. The next day, for composition #6, I set up my three Roshi teapots and lit them from the side to noodle on an idea I've had rolling around in my head. These teapots are HEAVY. And when I think of them, I think solid, strength, reliability. I thought a horizontal composition would support that concept.

An hour later, I had a three-value drawing with five values, an awkward light pattern that seemed inexplicable, no focal area, and an idea that's a dud. Even my husband thought the layout was a tad boring (he was trying to be supportive). UGH. The only good thing was that I got to draw my teapots, which I enjoyed greatly. The one on the left looks like a cantaloupe, the middle is a beautiful grayed violet, and the tiny one on the right is a patterned white.

Luckily for me, a book I ordered several weeks ago, to help me learn acrylics, arrived: How to Paint Fast, Loose, and Bold by Patti Mollica. I spent a good deal of the next day devouring it (and put off my daily composition for another day). The first 33 pages in the book are about, you guessed it, getting your values figured out. In fact, she says several times in various ways, do these exercises and get this skill under your belt. Back to my compositions tomorrow.

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Becoming an Artist

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