Little Things

I've still been struggling with getting myself to my paints. The truth is that when your household is turned upside down for summer break, there may be no recovery until school starts once again. However, I do have some positive art-news to report!

Someone suggested ACEOs to me a while ago. I bought some packs on my last major supply order, and they've just sat in a corner of my studio. I admit, I haven't been sure what to do with them. They're so small! I've worked small before, but not that small. And I don't think I have all the supplies I need (for example, I need a good white pen - I need specific suggestions? I've never used one, but I realize now that working so small it would be a boon to have! Help?)

After all these weeks of no productivity, last night I had finally had enough. If I couldn't do a painting the size of a business card, I was in real trouble. Time to make something, anything, happen. I went into my studio and grabbed my stack of blank ACEOs and then stared at them. Now what?

I sketched out a few:

I have fairy cottages on my brain a little bit, along with a few other things...

And then I noticed the black ones that were there too. When I grabbed my paints I also grabbed my pencils. I then went toward the black pieces rather than the white. I had this image of something with a glow, but it didn't quite come through. I still like the results, but I'm chasing something now.

I like how the pencils work on some levels, but I'm unaccustomed to the rough sort of quality they naturally lend a piece. I think it's why I went to paint, I'm attracted to a smoother finish for my own work, even if I appreciate it the rough quality in other's.

So, I switched to my acrylics. I tried for the glow too, but I'm not quite nailing it. I'm starting to wonder if pastels wouldn't be the right thing. I used to get an excellent glow with those, long ago. I think I still have my boxes of chalk pastels in my studio somewhere...

Still, the paint came out better. More vibrant, although I may try crossing the two a bit and see what happens then...

I realize that I love the black background, but I only have a few black pieces left! I also realized that these ACEOs are not necessarily something I have to buy. I have a ton of matting board that I bought when I was matting my own prints. All sorts of colors, and frankly? It seems to be the same kind of stuff these ACEOs are made out of. So, I figure I can make my own for a while.

I'm finally painting again! YAY! More, it'll be good to have some of these smaller paintings to sell which are at a much lower price point than a bigger painting would be. I'm trying to see what folks sell them for, and account for my costs (I looked into eBay, as a lot of folks sell on there. When  did they switch to taking 10% of your sale, and that doesn't even include the payment processing? WOW! Ouch! I think I'm sticking with either Etsy or my own Website for these.)

I figure I'll put them up for sale in a day or two, when I have a bunch to offer. I'm excited that I actually started and finished something. It's been so long! Hopefully I'll get things rolling again and get the bigger paintings finished too. I had been wanting to finish the unicorn and fairy painting so I would have that as a print offering for an upcoming show, but I'm starting to run out of time.

Anyway, I painted something! Yay!