I started a painting class today at my local art centre.
Oooh it was nice to buy some new paints, a couple of new brushes and bits and pieces and spread them out on the table with anticipation and a touch of apprehension as I always worry that I am kidding myself and I won't be able to do anything at all. ( This is what really stops me at times is a flood of self doubt.)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO9cYGIFvdIHV8XgI_6MnjRBBz0Nd1yk_UGVe9vN5ajCaxC_y4tPZVTGdlmyB2hA6hYiifuPNWsCe2ELVDTMOpx3OiqJJU56NvNzyA3Zbs8K9umoBffIrWWF7temYfk22ZUwmkvUoc-Fw/s320/100_2795.jpg)
The coffee was nice too, and the Greek shortbread was delicious. It didn't survive long enough to make it into the photo!
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We started wit the general 'play' of discovering what our new paints could do. This course was advertised for beginners and although I'm not really a beginner, gouache is a newish medium for me and I really needed to make time to begin painting again.
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Firstly our teacher asked us to draw a landscape of some sort, just off the top of our heads...
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Then a character that would fit in our landscape. We then came back and painted them after our 'play' session. I quite like this little sketch, it really reminds me of my
cherubs when they were little...but I keep using the gouache like watercolour, I'll have to keep practicing. I find the blending of tonal gradations difficult to achieve with gouache when I use it as an opaque colour.
Hmmm..I guess I've got some homework to do.
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Finally we used the images we had bought in to create a slightly larger piece to work on next week. I chose my daisy photograph which is something I've wanted to paint since I took this photo ages ago.
Three hours went by in that lovely dream like rich time state that seems eternal but like no time at all at the same time. I love that state that comes from being totally engaged in creating something. And it is this that is important, I need to remember to paint for myself, for the sheer delight and meditative quality of it and not give a damn if others like what I do or not.