Imposter Syndrome

I hope as we  grow older we become more confident in our own skin then it's easier to be ourselves.

 

Anyway it's taken time, for me to acknowledge my work is good., and so for anyone starting out, be proud of your work, never tell people your work is 'rubbish', it never is. Time spent painting ( in my opinion )is never wasted. 

 

If people see beauty in your work ,that you don't, then bask in their appreciation

I wrote these words a while ago now, and I must say it still rings true, however I do now tell people ( if they ask) that I am an artist , and that it's how I earn my living. 

I was talking to a lovely lady this week who was picking up a painting from me and we were discussing what we do. She hit the nail on the head when she said she sometimes feels "someday she'll be found out" that's exactly how I feel with my painting. I just do what I do and am so amazed that I am able to do this every day .So when people ask for advice or " do I offer classes?" I almost have to look behind me as I assume they are talking to someone else

But I am growing daily in confidence and I am happy to share what I know and grateful if people find it useful and interesting

Last evening I needed to relax and wanted to paint something that reflected my mood and the changing season. I began as always by sketching a scene, this time from my imagination, with some swans flying by gleaned from a photo. 

The cream circle is a piece of masking tape carefully cut which I am hoping will be the sun . It will preserve the white of the paper against the sky.

Next the joy of subtle washes ,cerelean blue, yellow ocher and cadmium red mixed with cobalt blue. Some of my old friends that I couldn't be without them.

 

I got lost in the trees and the washes so not too many photos I'm afraid. I use a stronger mixture of cobalt blue and cadmium red to paint the distant trees and vegetation. I love this bit as there is no 'right' or 'wrong' shape. I can lose myself in the colours and patterns, the only thing is not to let it dry so to avoid hard edges and to try to vary the shapes to keep it interesting.

Then on to the foreground grasses and twigs, Again cobalt blue and cadmium red , trying to emulate grasses and twigs and not get too fussy in the detail. I splatter, and scratch into the paint. Turn the board upside down etc etc.

Now finally the swans, flying past. same two colours silhouetted against the sky. I wanted this misty morning scene to have some movement and hopefully some noise. I use a very small series seven brush and take my time, then when that's done, it's done.

 

Hopefully I'm not found out yet