Saturday, January 05, 2008

A little art plan for 2008


2007 was the first year I ever had some kind of plan with my art. It worked out pretty well, I did almost everything I had set out to do. I´m not going to do any heavy analysis here about the year that passed, only make the conclusion that it was a great thing to have some art goals written down, it helped me focus a bit.

So, what´s up for 2008, then? Well, I have decided not to make my art plans for this year so extensive and detailed, so after a bit of thinking, I´m down to a list of three main things to focus on:
  1. Work in series - this is probably the most important point for 2008. I´m not very good at concentrating on things for a long time, so when I´ve drawn or painted something once, I´m already tired of it. But even I can see that when I do try to work on some subject a bit more, study it from different angles, try out different colour themes, I get better results. So for this year, whatever I draw or paint (except in my sketchbooks - a girl´s gotta have some plain fun too), whichever technique I use, I´m going to do several pieces on the same theme. Partly because I want to get better at carrying through my ideas (and my head is full of them!), and partly because I get a greater feeling of accomplishment by working my ideas through properly.

  2. People and faces - drawing people was on my list last year too, and I did a lot of it. I drew people in town, went to some life drawing sessions and started to get the hang of it, and I´m going to try to keep it up. I´m adding faces this year, though. I´m beginning to feel more comfortable with the human body and it´s proportions, but I totally forgot how to draw faces...

  3. Cars - also in my 2007 art plan, but since they are still so impossible to get down on paper, I´m keeping cars on this list for 2008. Just for the challenge and practice of it.
Today´s painting is one thing I´m going to work with during this year - a series of watercolours of the view from our kitchen window. I´ll never grow tired of those houses down there. They look different in every weather and the light changes every hour of the day, so it is a perfect subject for a longer series of paintings.

17 x 20 cm, pencil and watercolours on Arches 300 g watercolour paper, fine grain.

25 comments:

seesue said...

Nina difficult though it is to picture your village scene improving,(it is sOo delightful as it stands this morning)I await the coming year with your many interpretations of your delightfully rendered 'kitchen window wonders'.
I too have enjoyed and am feeling nudged by all the interesting art goal postings.

mARTa said...

What a great idea for a series! I love your watercolours and will be looking forward to more of your art this new year. I didn't list goals or plans but have a few in my head that I want to work toward.
This wc is lovely and I especially love the red colored building. I can imagine it in different light and what colours might surprise us!

Sharon said...

Love the composition and colors in this painting!

Unknown said...

Great art plan Nina! I love your watercolors

Felicity Grace said...

Whatever you do, I know will be interesting and beautifully done but I'm especially pleased that you are doing the views, I love your buildings (and the light, shadows and colours you capture).

Judybec said...

Love the painting of buildings... beautifully done. Your series idea sounds like a good one. All the best for the new year!

Ann said...

Stunning watercolor! Your goals sound like a very good plan. I look forward to seeing much more of your work as the year unfolds.

Linda said...

Great goals -- and what a beautiful painting! You have a stunning view from your kitchen, and I can see where it would be a perfect subject for a series.

Kerstin Klein said...

hey, the drawing is lovely.

btw: in case you want to do a portrait exchange with me for the portrait party just let me know.

Claudia said...

Wonderful painting and nice, realistic art goals for 2008!

Gláucia Mir said...

Nina--Thanks to you I had an art plan last year, and one this year too.
You can check mine out, when you get the chance, and thanks again for the inspiration!

Penny said...

As usual a lovely painting, as I love buildings I look forward to more. I like your idea of an art plan and will look with interest with how you do cars, i agree they dont seem to work, well not for me.

Shelly McC said...

Great painting.

Anita Davies said...

very share a very similar art plan Nina, except the cars. I too hope to work more concentrated on a single subject from different angles and with different media and people are top of my list with my 2008 people project. I'm hoping I can get regular sitters to concentrate on portraiture from life...I'm guessing they will be easier to find than nudes! LOL!
Beautiful watercolour, as always...looking fwd to sharing another year popping in here!

MILLY said...

Thankyou for your lovely comments. this has now helped me to discover your beautiful work which I have enjoyed looking through.

Jules said...

Nina, just delicious. I love this view. You have inspired me to properly put down some art goals for the next year and this idea of capturing one view in its various incarnations is exciting to me.

I wait to see your next insight!
Jules

Anonymous said...

Great goals Nina! I'm looking forward to your window view series...I have no doubt they are going to be spectacular, like the one above. And the rest will be great to follow too...nice diversity in your goals, keeping it interesting the whole year!
Ronell

Inger Carina said...

Oh I love the "Funkis" Stockholm areas! And with the thin layer of snow on the roofs it's a magificent painting. Saw in your archives that you been blogging for 2years now. Happy blogaversary! Seriously:I would love to buy a coffee table book with all this - have you ever considerd making one? like on www.lulu.com?
Kind Regards IngerC

caseytoussaint said...

I just love the heavy grey sky behind the pastel colored buildings. I just read a book set in Stockholm, and your painting is just the way I imagined it.

df said...

nice painting! I love the movement in the sky. great palette.

José Louro said...

Cars for me too, this year.

Terry Banderas said...

I enjoy your work. This painting is nice. I like the way you handled the dwindling snow on the rooftops. You handle watercolors sooooo well.

Laura Frankstone said...

This sketch is so crisp and clean and so evocative of Stockholm (albeit on a gray and not crisp day)---I admire your technical ability very much. I want to leap inside the scene you've depicted and just be there!

Jo Reimer said...

Love the strength of both the drawing and the colors. Boldness matters, and of course you have a great and unusual-to-me view out your window.

Pascal Kirchmair said...

your art-skills are astonishing, I think your blog and site will be a great inspiration for me.