I know, 30 minutes doesn't sound like much, but it works for me. A lot of the time if I can just get started, then I will 'get into' the piece and keep working. Also, it's a lot easier to get working today if I have done something yesterday. There is a tremendous about of inertia to overcome when I go 3 or 4 or even 7 days without picking up a pencil or a brush. That little voice in my mind says, "Hey, you didn't work for the past 3 days and you don't have much time today, why work now? Go do a sudoku." Well, if I worked yesterday, that voice is quieter. Besides, if I'm focused and want to get something done, 30 minutes can be very productive.
Now this brings up the claims of some artists to claim they work 10 or 15 hours per day. While I occassionally will work those kinds of hours, it's VERY rare. And I suspicion that few artists do this consistently. If I had a cook, a maid, a gardener, and a personal assistant, I probably could and would do 8 to 10 hours a day of painting. But I'm on my own in terms of cooking, cleaning, pruning, mailing, etc., so I don't have time unless I try to live on 2 or 3 hours of sleep a night. (Call me lazy, but I need 6 hours of sleep to function well!) If other artists can do this, I sure wish they would tell me their secrets!!!
Anyway, since the D-O-G has left, I have managed to do 30 minutes a day, except for today. (I have a part-time job and I spent today doing that.) Actually, once I got working yesterday, I just finished the still life off. And here it is:
Not the best scan -- it's grainy and too dark in areas, but it gives the general feel of the piece. (BTW, it's oil on canvas, 5x7.) I know it's not my best, but I still like. A lot of it was done with a pallette knife, so it has some interesting textures as opposed to my normal perfectly blended oil paintings.
Hmm, I still have a bit of time before I call it quits for tonight -- I can get my 30 minutes in tonight!!!
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