Painting For Product

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Pod sketches 5-8.  Ink, watercolor, colored pencil, & oil pastel in sketchbook.
Pod sketches 9-12.  Ink, watercolor, colored pencil, & oil pastel in sketchbook.
Pod sketches 13-16.  Ink, watercolor, colored pencil, & oil pastel in sketchbook.
Pod sketches 17-20.  Ink in sketchbook. (Unfinished.)

As many of you might already know, I’m all about painting for process.  That’s the heart of what FEARLESS® Painting is about.  But a big part of my heart has been itching for something else lately when it comes to my Art.

A project?  A purpose?  Something to wrap my mind around and examine?

I’ve mentioned this a few weeks ago as well–those ol’ pod like creatures keep coming up for me.

You see, me and the pod like thingys have had an on-again/off-again love affair for almost two decades, I’d say.

So that’s what I’ve been up to.

I’ve decided that I am going to do 100 sketches of them–to purely play with the composition and to stretch, pull, prod, and mess around with this whole pod like thing.

Yep, this is purely painting for product.  And it’s fun!  Total fun–because I’ve taken it on more like a scientist I guess, than an Artist.

I’m curious.  Curious about how I can manipulate negative space–and how it effects the composition when I leave or fill in the white.  I’m curious how I can bring movement in through my color choices and  marks.  I’m curious how they can all compliment and play off one another.  I’m curious if after 100 of these babies where it will lead to.

What has also been exciting about starting these sketches is that I’ve become more obsessed with seeing shapes everywhere.  For instance–I think I spent about 20 minutes alone at the bell pepper aisle of the grocery store–wishing I had brought my camera.  It was pod heaven!!!

Plus, when Nyla and I go for our daily walk–I’m starting to look past the actual objects I encounter–and start to see them purely as organic forms.  That’s bringing loads of ideas to mind for pod adventures as well.

So you’ve been warned.  You have not seen the last of the pod thingys.

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