Blog #16 Bird’s Eye View

If you have been following my blogs you know that I talk a lot about and champion trying new things creatively. Trying new painting techniques and subject matter, types of paints and materials and new approaches and motivations. When trying something new it can be scary and you can feel quite tentative about choosing to go that unknown route. Especially when that familiar approach you normally take in your painting always gives the results you expect. What a relief, right? Not always. Tried and true can lead to stagnation with your art. Same old, same old. Even though your fans love your work, what about you, the artist? Are the old ways still giving you that thrill as you paint? If not maybe it’s time to go crazy and create something completely different.

When you open yourself up to making art in a whole new way it creates an environment for you to try out new ideas. It stirs up your artistic brain. Often what begins as mistakes can turn into happy accidents that turn into exciting surprises. Brilliant colours are obtained, clever designs take over and your imagination can run wild. How inspiring!

While I pondered what my new approach might be I doodled the above pencil drawing which became the painting that I couldn’t have even imagined months ago. I had decided to take a chance on something I had never done before. So I squeezed out my acrylic paints and just dove in. I prepped my gallery wrapped canvas with a lovely grey/blue background colour. I planned to paint in such a way that this colour would become my outline around all my images. My detailed drawing was put onto my canvas using a white chalk pencil which easily wiped off with a wet cloth after.

‘Bird’s Eye View’ Acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas 18″x24″

I wanted this painting to be decorative with a feeling of whimsy and fun. That allowed me to dream up my chubby birds and the wild garden that is surrounding them. It was so invigorating to be surprised by what I was painting. I really looked forward to each of my painting sessions in my studio everyday. As more and more of ‘Bird’s Eye View’ was completed and revealed the more and more I enjoyed the process. Which should be the whole point of wanting to be an artist. It’s not just the goal of finishing a work of art but the exciting path you travelled while creating it.

To see a close up of ‘Bird’s Eye View’ and my other original paintings please go to my acrylic and watercolour galleries on this website.