INSPIRED: Clouds

Tonight there's no update in terms of painting. Kyle and I were at a young married's dinner with some couples from our church.

But I am posting some images of clouds that we're using as models. Kyle did work on sketching some clouds and rain earlier. We will be doing some basic outline tracing on the actual canvas tomorrow!

Day 5 - Artistic Differences or What's a compromise without a shouting match to get things going?

So remember when I said this blog might end up being a metaphor for marriage? Moi = righter than rain. I've compiled the skeleton of the argument for your reading pleasure (or maybe just to make you feel better about the last stupid fight YOU had with someone you love more than life).

In summation: Kyle is a fan of representational art (ie. art that looks like the object it's supposed to). So when Elizabeth says she thinks the sky should be made out of strawberries and she wants to write poems on the ocean waves and wouldn't it be lovely if there was a green sea monster in the distance, Kyle scratches his full head of dark wavy Irish hair and blinking green eyes at her and says, most politely, "I think that would look stupid." So then Elizabeth takes a deep breath, trying not to roll her eyes at the complete idiocy of a man who couldn't possibly understand the DEPTHS of her artistic genius and says, sniff, sad look down, "Oh...Oh, well...that's okay. We don't have to do that. We'll just," sigh, brave look, "do whatever you want." Then there was some general accusatory grumbling about manipulation and some exasperated, "Why do we always have to do things YOUR way?" sorts of moments and maybe something was said about dividing assets and sleeping on the couch...and somehow, it ended with, "Let's just leave the sky part for last since we agree on the ocean and the ship" and "Okay." That's some fine conflict resolution right there!

So tonight we did some practice painting on a little extra primed canvas we'd saved from the scraps. But mostly, we just tried to remember why we thought it was important to do an art project together in the first place. Oh, yeah. Because we love each other. No, really. We do. Pay no attention to the strangling sounds. Kyle's just choking back tears. RIGHT, honey? See you guys tomorrow!

Day 2 (Part One) - Priming or Madigan Tries to Help

So I'm at school all day today, reading Aristotle and generally all grad-studentish so Kyle did this next part of the project on his own.

He managed to get the whole canvas masked before Madigan, our Pomeranian, decided she wanted to be more involved. Once we start painting in earnest, this could get interesting!

Kyle has now masked and primed the whole canvas and is working on some basic pencil sketches for the lay-out.

Keep the comments coming, guys! We appreciate the encouragement!

Day 1 - Blank Canvas

Okay, so we bought our first materials! Medium-weight canvas, white acrylic for the base coat, and black for detail work, and sponge brushes. Big shout-out to Blick Art Supplies for their 10% student discount! Here's the link if you'd like to visit them online: http://www.dickblick.com/ (I know it doesn't sound like a site you should be visiting!)

First task: To cover the office floor with dropcloth and mask the edge of the canvas.

Wish us luck!