Confessions of an Artistic Insomniac: Using photographs to make paintings.

I don't know if it is the fact that I have been house bound for 4 weeks almost, the fact that I have to lay down a lot because I push too hard and over do things after having major back surgery, but I cannot sleep. I have had a LOT of difficulty sleeping for the past 2 weeks. I stayed up until 6am last night, or maybe better yet this morning. I am just NOT tired. I don't know if it helps that I'm watching a really interesting series on Netflix, or what, but I just can't sleep. I broke down a couple of weeks ago and started drawing in my sketchbook, pictures of Maddi when she was very little. I just needed to stay busy, I mean seriously when cabin fever sets in, it's all you can do to not go a little nuts. So what do I do? I taught myself to knit, started drawing, painting, photography, cleaning house, doing laundry, dishes, etc. And part of the point of this blog was to document the realms of art and photography, and how one generally will inspire the other.

So yesterday was a bit of a turning point. I got inspired, in a fit of insomnia inspired genius. I've been staring at this watercolor paper that my husband got me for a gift, and most people that create have experienced this before, but I had NO idea what to draw or paint. I had done a little sketch from one of the pictures that I took, and stared at it for a couple of days frustrated at what I thought was going to look awful. But last night I took the sketch, made a couple of adjustments, and broke out my daughter's watercolor paints, you know the cheap ones that we used in elementary school in the pans, not the artist squeeze tubes. And I just started painting.

And as I worked, it took shape, and I was excited. I played around with the shading to make it a bit more dramatic, but I have to admit that I'm pretty impressed with the final results. 

Out of curiousity, if anyone is reading this, I have to wonder if they find the most daunting task when doing a piece of artwork, is putting something or anything on that blank paper. The blank paper is when I usually freeze. If I can get an idea on paper somehow, it turns out looking pretty good, it's just broaching the blank stage.

 I have to say that yesterday I had a creative break!  I am starting a pretty ambitious piece.  I took the portrait I love so much of my daughter and am blowing it up from essentially a 8"x8" picture that I cropped, and making it into a 4'x4' mural.  I will be documenting that process.  I'll admit I really overdid it today, but I got the board (masonite) primed, and the grid lines snapped on there in charcoal.  And I took some plexiglass and gridded the picture, so I will probably start drawing tomorrow.

I'll keep you posted.