Studio notes: Exploring several directions

A little art update

Jun 19, 2024

Some of my recent abstract studies created from bigger pieces using acrylics and watercolours on watercolour paper

Recently I caught myself thinking that my creative practice is nonlinear, I tend to focus on one direction or project and then switch to explore something different. I don’t really control this, because it’s how my creativity works (and always did), instead I try to embrace it and adapt my practice and routine.

After I did my 100 landscapes it felt like I needed a change from this subject matter. Currently I want to explore other directions, but using the ideas that came to me while painting the landscapes within my 100 day project.

Being more expressive

One of the directions I explore at the moment is being more bold with shapes and incorporating more unlikely colours into my work. To practice I have been doing some expressive studies of southern magnolias in watercolour and coloured pencils. I am still intimidated by going too far with the colours and lines, but getting there little by little!

My studies of southern magnolias created in watercolour and coloured pencils

In the past weeks I have been also experimenting with little abstract compositions created from a bigger piece. So far it has been really fun! I plan to glue the studies as pages into an old book cover and continue working in it as in a sketchbook.

More abstract studies in watercolour and acrylics

Sketching on location

Last week I made a little trip to the Cote d'Azur in southern France and made some sketches there, I mostly focused on flowers and plants, but also did some quirky boats! I am really glad that I started a plein air practice this year, I still need to practice more, but it has been very inspiring and I feel how I am now being more present and noticing much more when working outside.

Getting out of my comfort zone

As I mostly create landscapes, flowers and abstracts, I am not very confident with other subjects, so this year I try to push myself into drawing and painting as many different things as possible. I feel that this helps me a lot with my observational skills as well as eye-hand coordination. Also this year I started going out to draw and paint on location, which I am not exactly comfortable with.

This weekend we had a lovely stroll in a gallery and a drawing session with

Citlaflor

here in Vienna and it turns out that having a painting buddy helps a lot with reducing stress and having more fun when working in public! And of course we had so much fun that we forgot to make photos!

I also took part in a lovely drawing session hosted by

La Scarlatte

, where we faced the challenge of drawing animals and plants that are good at camouflage.

Sketches of roses done in a park in Vienna and my interpretation of blooming stone plants (yes, they exist!)

Further inspiration

Is It Okay to Have Multiple Art Styles? - Laura Horn. I don’t know how Laura does it, but her podcast episodes are always so timely and answer the exact questions I am thinking about at the moment. In this episode she discusses that it is normal to explore various things and work across multiple styles and genres.

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