10 Minute Challenge

10 Minute Challenge

8x6in oil on canvas board  nfs

The Daily Paintworks group I belong to has Carol Marine's 10 Minute Challenge, this week.
Since I have been painting a series of roses I thought it would be easy and fun to participate by painting one. Well, it was fun at least, but easy?  Nope.
 The Challenge is open to everyone who wants to participate. All the Challenges are stimulating because they push you out of your comfort zone. For this one ( very abbreviated) you set a timer for 10 mins to do each square. The last one you paint should be better than the first one.
If you cheat and keep on working on it (the temptation is strong) you are depriving yourself out of a wonderful learning experience. I didn't get to finish the backgrounds on my first two squares and because the rose was opening up under the hot light, the last one was fuller, but it is the most complete one so I feel the system works.
 I really wanted to go back and fix up everything, but am giving myself a gold star for staying true to the rules.

Fall Challenge

Late September Weeds on Studio Chair

6x6in oil on canvas board 85.

This weeks Fall Challenge is a difficult one for me in sunny New Mexico. The comparison of temperature differences to other more northern parts of the country is obvious when I look entries showing pumpkins and beautiful fall leaves. In the spirit of the challenge I walked out onto the open desert next to my studio looking for inspiration and all I could see were these tiny, yellow flowers in great abundance. When I say tiny, I mean tiny. I have no idea what they are but they must be in the daisy/aster family...little spiky petals. Northern New Mexico most likely has the magnificent Chamisa blooming at the moment and I have photos of those but I wanted to paint from life.

I did enjoy painting the chair and will try several from different positions.