Daily Painting Tips: on Motivation

Last week I was asked how I stay motivated to paint everyday in my sketchbook.
Before I started daily painting in January 2014 I had never filled up a sketchbook.
I also had trouble finishing all the self generated projects I thought up and got
excited about.. I've been thinking about what the difference is between now and then.

1. I set a fairly strict rule for myself. It's 30 minutes painting time a day. That is doable, when I'm done I'm done. It takes away the need to fuss with it. I try to do it in the morning before other work starts taking over my day.
2. The first year I used a sketchbook that was very inexpensive and had paper that wasn't even meant
for paint. It took away the preciousness of it and it just became fun. I'm not doing it for any higher purpose than to paint. I'm willing to say a painting didn't work out, learn from it and just move on...
3. I use gouache primarily. For me this is my happy medium. I know it very well, I'm not intimidated by it. Not to say I always know what will happen or I'm happy with the outcome, it just makes me happy to paint with it. Someone else might love to draw with pencil or charcoal or marker. I would start any project from a place of happiness.
4. The first few months I "made" myself do it.. it's truly become a habit now, they say it takes 21 days to form a habit. I think it took me longer but it did work. I don't think motivation is there every day. It is something you do because its important to you.
5. Sharing on social media is a motivator because the feedback is so wonderful. Most of us sit alone in a studio all day. It brings us out into the world a bit.

I don't always do the same type of subject matter. I mix it up to keep me engaged.
Please ask me any questions in the comments, I'll be happy to answer!

Summer Sale on Etsy (Originals)

I'm having a studio sale this week of some originals done in 2013 and 2014. I painted this food group

over a 1 month challenge in May 2013. They are 6x6" and painted in gouache

on watercolor paper. The series is a precursor to my daily painting project. These are the

last 8 available from the 30 that I painted. 

Surtex Update

Just under a month to go till Surtex! I'm ahead of the game, my book is
being printed and the banners are here. It's a huge amount of work
and I'm so curious as to what it will be like and who I will meet.  I have a
pretty little package of postcards and stickers to give out so if you are
attending come by and meet me and I'll give you a little gift. Today I am featured
on PrintPattern as a round up of who will be showing this year.

I'll be choosing the winner of the book giveaway tomorrow.

Resolutions: New sketchbook Work

My first week of painting in my new sketchbook are some resolutions

for 2015. #1 to cook more

#2 to take care of myself

#3 to paint big

#4 to get out more

you can see the rest on instagram or my website!

Reflections on a Year of Daily Painting

365 days of painting in a sketchbook

I am looking at 2 sketchbooks with 365 paintings in them. Last January I set the goal of a 30 minute painting a day in these particular books. You can read about my process here.

December 2014

I have never filled a whole sketchbook before but choosing to do this felt right and I knew it would happen. I enjoyed watched the girth of the book grow everyday.

It took amazing discipline and energy to do this, I had some migraines, I traveled, I was busy with other projects and some days I just didn't have the will to get up and do this. But I did it anyway, every day. And I loved it, even the hard times.There were only 2 exceptions where I painted the night before. I was beyond busy and didn't want to forfeit the day.

January 2014

The project is a little insight on my life, I paint what I see, what I'm feeling, who I spent time with, myself and my thoughts. I tried out color combinations and ways to work my paintbrush. I got lazy sometimes and didn't put my all into it, but those days I learned things too.

April 2014

Some days I just couldn't think about color and I just drew with gel pens on a color background, some days I started over 4 times before I realized my 30 minutes was almost up, then I just mushed paint around. But I found my style and my joy. I truly love to paint, I love color, I love creating something on a blank piece of paper.

May 2014

I learned that I have discipline, I wasn't so sure of that! I learned that it's really ok to make mistakes, to hate the piece I did that day, to find a little magic in the hated piece and move on and paint something I love.

I love my community of friends and followers on my social media pages. The encouragement and comments and "likes" all kept me motivated to get up every morning to paint more.
Thank you so much to Janine Vangool of Uppercase Magazine who featured my sketchbook way back in Issue 21 in the spring, And Lisa Congdon. who encouraged me and gave me so much exposure on her blog, and Laura Tarrish who interviewed me for the Design Observer blog. And so many others. (Now I sound like I'm accepting an Oscar) but I'm truly grateful!

I learned that I love to inspire others and I hope everyone will start a daily practice that fits their passion and lifestyle.

September 2014

I never really felt like an artist until this year, even though I've been painting and drawing since I was a child and spent many years working in the textile industry as a designer and stylist.

This year I found what I love and what I am seeking. It's a great feeling.

June 2014

In 2015 I plan to continue 30 minutes a day.. But I want to branch out from only painting in the sketchbook. I want to see what happens when I paint for 30 minutes but the paper is much bigger? What if I use the same paper 5 days in a row and build up layers.  What if I use more mixed media? What about using black or a different colored paper? I might draw more in the paintings. I haven't quite decided how to proceed with the details but I'm not going away, it's changed my life. The constant will be 30 minutes a day.

October 2014

I'm taking off January 1st and can't wait to start a new chapter on the 2nd, Happy New Year!!

You can see my whole year of paintings in the sketchbook section of my website here. I am reposting this there as well. xo Jennifer

December 2014

15 Painted Selfies

I painted 15 selfies this year. Its fun to see the changes in seasons in my clothes.

 Here is a link to slideshow but I don't think it works very well....

I

Here are a few of my favorites!

And I just found one that I left out....

My Sketchbook, How I do it.

So, I'm in the 10th month of my sketchbook project. This project has become one
of the most rewarding things I've ever done. Really. I mean my husband and son
are really the lifelong part of me that is truly #1 but starting a sketchbook project has
made me a happier person and truer to my real self.
I've met so many wonderful people and have been told so many times that I'm
inspiring them, I feel so special and happy because of that.
Many, many people ask me all the time about how I do this and what supplies I use
and any trick that gets me going... So here it is.

I use this very basic notebook from MUJI. It's approx 5.5x7.5"  It's only $4.50! The paper
quality is not that different from a moleskin notebook in weight but its a little bit smoother,
less of a tooth. It really isn't meant for detailed watercolor, the paper doesn't absorb it well,
and you won't get subtlety.

I mainly use Windsor Newton gouache, but I'll add in Acryla Gouache or even just acrylic
paint. I'll use gel pens or sharpies sometimes. I try to do the 30 minute painting first thing
in the morning, I feel fresh and it helps motivate me for the day. I sometimes know just
what I want to paint.But many times I sit down and am completely flummoxed. I just sit
and think for a few minutes. I may pick up a vintage book of birds, old photos from my
collection. I may see something lying around and it just feels like the thing. I use flower
bouquets that I buy, or a new mug I may have gotten, I take lots of iphone pictures when
I'm out so that gives me ideas too.
I put in earphones, sometimes classical, other times current, maybe something that
makes me sing along. I'm pretty happy while I'm painting. I do a quick pencil sketch,
up to 5 minutes tops, very loosely, I decide the color palette and squeeze out the paint.
Then I put the timer on for 30 minutes
and go. I many times finish in 20 minutes or so but if the timer goes off, wherever I am,
I stop. I spray fixative on them when I'm done. I didn't the first 2 months or so and they
got very distressed looking, the paint rubbed off  the pages onto each other.

Sometimes the paint bleeds through to the other side. It doesn't bother me,
I just paint right over it the next day. I may paint the page a solid color and then
paint or use gel pens to draw over that but I'll also just use the colors that show in
the new painting. Most of it gets covered up anyway...
The whole idea for me is to experiment, have a good time and have a discipline.
The benefits are that I have gotten jobs from this, I have hundreds of pages of
personal reference material, I have tons of new friends, my
confidence has grown and I'm happier. I hope this helps answer some questions.
Please ask more in the comments and I'll answer them all!
you can follow all my daily paintings on instagram @augustwren and see them
on my website here.  Love, Jennifer

Uppercase Magazine!

I feel like the luckiest person in the world! In April, Janine Vangool who is the brains and genius
behind the absolutely gorgeous Uppercase Magazine contacted me about featuring my sketchbook
in issue 22 of the magazine. I was blown away, delighted and so honored to have this amazing
opportunity to be published. Of course immediately said YES!
A few weeks later she requested the pages she was interested in featuring, I sent them and waited
patiently until July. Well, it's here now and it's just beautiful. The issue is about color and paint,
set up as Roy-G-Biv, going the full spectrum throughout the magazine.
I'm thrilled to be in the same issue as Janet Hill, Belinda Marshall, Kristen Texeira and many more!
The sketchbook is my personal project that I chose to put out into the world daily, to keep me
accountable to painting every day. It's been rewarding in so many ways, personally, creatively, and professionally.
At the moment I'm illustrating a cookbook for Abrams Books that really came about
due to the sketchbook.. That is one of the reasons it has taken so long to writing this blogpost.
I'm so busy, just painting all day. How great is that?
Here are the pages:

Dolls and Faces

I don't think I could have more fun with an assignment! The mini this week at Make Art That Sells is
to draw dolls and faces. This is my go to!! I do it all the time, my notebooks are just filled with them.
So I had a fantastic week with this.

I saw this doll at the local church sale last week, just begging to be painted!!

And these are real people that look like dolls!! My sister in yellow and my Mom in the 40"s from
an old black and white photo.

I'm back at Make Art That Sells. This time it's bootcamp where we get an
assignment each month. This is perfect because it gives time to do other
things as well as really dig deep into it. The first month we have Cuckoo Clocks!
My grandparents had one in there home when I was a little girl and I remember
being enthralled by it. It was so magical with the little bird popping out and
making that pretty sound. I haven't thought of them since.
It turns out we have to design a cell phone cover using a cuckoo clock. I need
to start sketching..
I've also been continuing my sketchbook paintings a day...

Here are a few florals, The right one inspired by Downton Abbey, that
beautiful shot at the beginning. You can see them all at my website.

This is a page from my Daily Sketchbook. My restrictions for
these paintings are that I do 1 a day and I limit my time to 30 minutes
and under... This is a page of succulents, I've wanted to start a
succulent garden for a long time..I love the forms. My sketchbook
is also a place where I can experiment with other techniques, not worry
if it doesn't come out "good", I'm trying to find new ways of painting
that I love. When I first did this one I thought it just looked rushed and
very messy but the more I look at it I realize that I achieved a kind
of magical environment that I've been trying to accomplish.
By working daily like this some fun ideas start to emerge..

Here is my very messy desk..

This is my sketchbook. I can't wait until its a full fan of painted pages..
I'm using a book that's really not made for painting.. the paper is very thin,
it buckles and tears through if it gets too wet. I chose it because sometimes
if the sketchbook is too nice it becomes too precious. I don't want to worry
about mistakes or mess with this project. It is from the Japanese store MUJI,
It's really cheap and has lots of pages. You can see the whole series on my website
in the sketchbook section. I Also put them on instagram daily.

New Project

I have lots of ideas for projects this year buzzing around my head.. One is
the commitment to do a painting a day in my sketchbook which I started
about a month ago. I decided though to post them on my website sketchbook
section so they will all stay together. I will continue to add other work, projects and
ideas here. If you'd like I'd love for you to visit me there too.

Portrait 4th Day

Here is another painting taken from my sketches from Central Park
last week. The last few paintings were in ink and watercolor, This one
is gouache which is my favorite.

Portraits Day 3

Yesterday was the most beautiful day, it was the perfect temperature
with a nice breeze. (The rest of the summer has been boiling hot or raining)
I decided to get out of my studio and spend time sketching people. I sat in
Central Park in NYC for a long time and sketched the people sunbathing and
walking around.

This morning I started painting from my sketches, Just playing around and
having fun.