Trying to Get Looser? Here's how you might approach your #20for20ArtChallenge2022
There are many great ways to approach your #20for20ArtChallenge2022 Spring Edition. The important part is to design something that addresses something that peaks your curiosity….and looking at the things that currently challenge you, is a great place to find ideas.
Lisa C. wrote:
“I am trying to find “my” style but keep becoming comfortable copying every stroke or detail of my subject instead of having the confidence to be FREE.”
An Idea for the Challenge
This struggle (a familiar one to be sure) offers a GREAT opportunity for the Challenge.
Twenty minutes isn’t that long. But it’s more than enough time to create an incredibly loose watercolor painting. If you’re running into the challenge of painting too tightly, a time limit is your friend to be sure.
First, choose a simple subject (you’ll have lots of great options if you work through the Podcast Art Club Starter Pack coming April 25th). Draw a quick sketch onto a small (think 4x4 or 4x6) watercolor paper.
Then using the wet-into-wet technique, challenge yourself to paint a painting in 20 minutes. (Or whatever time you have left after the drawing. Commit to STOPPING at the 20 minute mark. No fussing after the timer buzzes even if you think what you have is a disaster.
My guess is that this will feel absolutely chaotic for the first couple of a days… but then you’ll start to get a feel for how quickly your paper dries and how your pigments lay down.
But what I most love about giving this a try is that you are FORCING yourself to work very loose. You don’t have time to get tight, or if you start tight, you’ll only get a few brush strokes in before you finish. You might think that you’re actually creating work that’s “too loose” but by doing so, you are giving yourself permission to do all sorts of things you normally probably wouldn’t feel permission to do.
The goal isn’t to love these paintings. The goal is to head really really far in the loose direction as a way to break yourself free from painting every brushstroke.
How to Prepare:
First, I would suggest that you commit to a size or two of watercolor paper and that you precut them. Make them small, under 5 inches so that you don’t have to fill up a bunch of space.
Second, I’d also suggest that you use the same watercolor paper the whole time (no switching between hot press and cold press for example during the challenge.)
And finally, I would suggest limiting your color to just a few. You’ll have your hands full with this wild and loose style. Remember, it doesn’t matter how realistic it looks. Realism isn’t the goal. Breaking out of your tightness is the goal.
Remember, the goal of the #20for20ArtChallenge2022 isn’t to create award winning, finished work. It’s to focus on something that you’re curious about and giving yourself permission to explore it with out expectations of the results.
Learn more about the #20for20ArtChallenge2022 here. We get started May 1st on Instagram and Podcast Art Club (Patreon) Members will get their Reference Starter Pack April 25th!