I signed up for virtual painting classes back in August. The instructor hosts live painting sessions via Facebook several times a month. There’s full-length classes where she takes you through the steps to paint a specific topic — a fall sunset, a bouquet of asters, blue hydrangeas on the beach — you get the idea. She also does several sessions each month on painting tips — quick tutorials on painting techniques like blending color or highlighting or painting leaves.
So far I have only done one of the classes. I picked it because it was under 45 minutes (figured I could handle that time commitment) and it was a sunflower (which is my favorite flower). I was so proud of myself after I completed that class. I hung my sunflower painting above my desk. It’s not perfect, but it looks nice.
And I haven’t done a single class since. Until today!
First, I did the pumpkin tutorial:
I didn’t like my first pumpkin with the squiggly leaves — the squiggle just didn’t seem right to me. My husband didn’t like the colors — he thinks pumpkins should only be orange. What does he know about art, right?? So then I did the second one without the squiggly leaves. This one isn’t as round. Pumpkins definitely don’t have to be round, but now I might like the first one better…
And then I did the fall leaves tutorial:
Some of them are OK, but what the heck is going on with that maple leaf?? I guess that’s why it’s called a tutorial, right? I definitely need some more practice, but it was a fun way to spend my Saturday evening!
It’s only taken me 3 months, but I’ve done 3 classes! Go me!! Maybe I will get 3 more done by the end of 2020. It’ll be a quarantining miracle!
Notes from a Self Quarantine 