The Joy of Digital (or "Why Take Lots of Photos") and an Important Announcement!

 

I've been meaning to make a little post on this -- specifically about the benefits of taking LOTS of photos.

I've created eight large paintings and several small ones from this same "photo shoot" of this herd of sheep I came across somewhere in North Texas years ago. And I still haven't exhausted the possibilities.

I must say, when the conditions are just right - the light, the subject, the time - you'd best run with it, and keep snapping!  Good fortune smiled upon me when I found these sheep.

On this public Patreon post you can read some tips on scoping for photo refs, more about how I found these sheep, and a little gallery of all the paintings (15!) I've done so far from them. ...Be sure to read all the way to the end, for my favorite features in a camera and a terrific digital camera reviewing site!

Now for an IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT:

The Feedburner team announced that their email subscription service will be discontinued in July 2021. As a result, Blogger’s email subscription widget, also known as FollowByEmail, will be turned off. Specifically, the email subscription system will no longer work and subscribers to Google blogs will no longer receive email updates.

SO! If you're receiving this post via email, I thank you for your subscription, but you will no longer be getting these delivered to you from my Google Blog after next month. 

But don't despair! There's a way you can still get my Art Journal musings in your inbox! Simply follow my public Patreon Posts. Sure, Patreon is a subscription-based creative support platform, but you don't have to pay anything for my public posts, and just about all of my new work gets posted on my Patreon page, along with occasional art tips and extra info like this post.  CLICK HERE to go to my Patreon Page and right below the membership levels, next to a button that says "share" is a button that says "follow". It's that easy! (Browse around my other free posts while you're in there..)

Thanks so much for following my blog. Here's to many more years of following my Patreon, and to many more years of creative thinking!

Careful What You Wish For

"Mooove Back!" (pastel, 16x8 inches)

Our times have changed so dramatically in such a short time. Just two months ago I was sketching portraits for my 25th year at the San Antonio Rodeo, surrounded by hoards of people (well, on Saturdays at least!) Then I woke up one day in March and it seemed as if my entire calendar for the foreseeable future was wiped clean.

For the first couple days of cancellations, I was frankly shocked and a little depressed, wondering where my income would come from. But at heart I've always been one to take life as it comes and follow the opportunities that life presents to me. An idea from another artist prompted me to have a Studio Sale, which has been quite successful thanks to my wonderfully supportive clients! (You know who you are, and Thank You!)

In week 2 and 3 of these strange isolated days, the new reality has begun to settle in, and I've been seeing this as a golden opportunity to handle those critical actions that have constantly been pushed to the bottom of the to-do list since 2016... namely CLEAN UP THE COMPUTER, and the surrounding office! 😂 (and next.... the Master Closet!?)

But humming just beneath the surface of all this domestic activity is the strong, pervasive desire that has been plucking at my mind for months, digging it's way through the frustrations of juggling several businesses and scheduling conflicts. That little voice is telling me "I just want to be a Daily Painter!" In the tradition of Julian Merrow-Smith, Dwayne Kaiser and Carol Marine.......... Drop the events, the craft shows, the festivals... I just want to paint, and post, and see where that leads.

(I've been half-heartedly attempting to paint daily since 2011, but my average has dropped off. Sure, the unwritten "rules" of Daily Painting are not as firmly followed as in the early years of the movement. Even the big names don't paint/post EVERY day any more. But most of them did - for years!)

So the little voice is saying "..What are you waiting for? We've cleared your schedule... "

I'm filled with sadness and regret that it has taken a global pandemic to finally bring this little voice to the forefront. But that just firms my resolve to make this opportunity worth the effort. I'll be taking this adventure one day at a time, and we'll see how far it goes.

I sincerely hope you have not had any friends or loved ones severely affected by this virus. How have the forced stay-at-home rules and the changed situations affected your daily life and your future goals?

Today is Day 1 of April. I invite you to follow along with my journey and I'd love to hear from you!

Follow my Daily Paintings

Lorenzo Chavez Demo of the Southwest Landscape

 Lorenzo Chavez demo at IAPS convention workshop, Sunday, June 9, 2019.

Explaining his thumbnails and color notes

Atmospheric color spectrum

Lorenzo's palette

The sketch

Blending the base values

 Somehow the painting looks "finished" at every stage...

 Amazing!

See more of Lorenzo's work and workshop opportunities at www.lorenzochavez.com.

See my own attempt at a southwest landscape in Lorenzo's workshop here. :)

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