Valuing Your Painting Journey: Investing in Time
Have you ever noticed that when something takes a long time to achieve, it becomes valuable? The things that mean the most to me are the things in which I’ve invested my time, things I’ve sacrificed for, and given myself fully to. It’s interesting because it’s actually changed the way I value my art.
As a new painter, I would labor hours over a painting, agonizing over brush strokes (usually lifting out more strokes than I placed on the page) and problem solving to fix my mistakes. There were many times that I chose to frame a painting despite glaring errors simply because I had so much time invested in that painting that I couldn’t bring myself to admit that it wasn’t very good. (please tell me I'm not alone in this admission of guilt!)
As I racked up more “brush miles,” I added strategies to my toolbox that helped me paint with more confidence and a stronger plan, and that sped up my painting process. A painting that had previously taken me eight hours could now be completed in two, and that meant it didn’t hurt so much if I messed up and had to redo it. I could afford to spend two hours making sure I got the result I was looking for, because I knew that would also make me a better artist. I was learning to value my entire painting journey - creating a sustainable lifetime painting practice - over the time invested in a single painting.
I've also learned that painting quickly doesn't have to mean rushing. Fast painting can lend strength to your work if it's done right, and I share more about how I "paint fast, think slow" in this week's World Watercolor Month blog post and video lesson. Read it here.
More resources for World Watercolor Month below:
Paint along with the daily prompts on worldwatercolormonth.com.
Donate to our charitable sponsor, the Dreaming Zebra Foundation
Shop the limited edition merchandise in the online souvenir shop (100% of proceeds to Dreaming Zebra)
Post your work on social media using the hashtag #worldwatercolormonth
Enter the giveaways at worldwatercolormonth.com (I'll be giving stuff away too on Instagram & Facebook)
Join Heart-Led Landscapes and learn how to paint your own expressive landscape paintings. (Interactive series starts July 14)
In addition to all of this great World Watercolor Month hoopla, the Heart-Led Landscape interactive course series is BACK! Last year this watercolor course saw the highest single event enrollment of any of my online courses.
This course, designed to help you break free from the tyranny of the reference photo (you know what I mean - copying that darn bossy photo instead of painting like the free artist you were meant to be) shares the insights and processes that transformed my paintings and helped me grow confident in my own unique watercolor style, and I love seeing it have the same impact for other artists who are just READY to see change happen.
Students who enroll in Heart-Led Landscapes by July 14th will receive a month of bonus content and access to the Fearless Artist Community, a place to learn in community with other artists. It's the virtual classroom we all need right now! Find out more and enroll here: https://learn.angelafehr.com/p/heart-led-landscapes-interactive
If you've enrolled in Heart-Led Landscapes in the past, and want to join the interactive series again, you can! Members of my Fearless Artist Community get access to all of the live sessions (plus 20+ online courses). Jump into the community today by signing up here: