AMANDA BRODIE STENLUND
  • Home
  • Artwork
    • Available for Purchase
    • Scotland
  • About
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Commissions
  • Classes

How to Survive the Winter Blues

3/9/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
Last month was my third time doing a daily-painting challenge, and by now I’ve learned a few things. I’ve always had a theme and materials at the ready so that I wasn’t spending time thinking of what and how to paint each day. This time I took that preparation further to have a more cohesive group of work at the end.
 
I did this by choosing not only a theme (blue) and tools (palette knife), but also a mood. I started with snow scenes, and as I got into them I found that even when painting activity—sledding, skating—a quietness prevailed. Snow does that to the outdoors—even a city—and we like that about it. So, I went with it. When I didn’t paint snow I kept that feeling of quiet and calm in my still lifes. Using blue helps a lot. Besides thick swaths of many blues, I also used a neutral blue-gray to tint each panel. It made for a good start toward unity.
 
I always had a panel on deck ready for the next day. I made two a day when I could to take some pressure off of my and my husband’s (yes, both!) birthday weekend. The flu knocked me off my game even more, and since this is now the second February in a row that I’ve been afflicted by this angry virus, I may choose a different month to do this challenge next year.
 
Last lesson: I should not “hide” a box of Valentine chocolates in a drawer in my studio. They turned into second breakfast too many times.
Picture
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    I Heart Art

    I do! I make it, sell it, think about it, look at it, read about it, and (sometimes) I write about it. Join my mailing list, and you'll receive my brief--promise--messages about new work, shows, events, and a little inspiration. Probably a picture of my dog, too.

    Picture
    In front of a mural of a Tim Rietenbach painting in Columbus, Ohio

    Archives

    February 2023
    August 2022
    July 2022
    August 2019
    May 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    November 2018
    September 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015


© Amanda Brodie Stenlund Fine Art, LLC
Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • Artwork
    • Available for Purchase
    • Scotland
  • About
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Commissions
  • Classes