15 Lino’s in 30 Days

September is only a few months behind us and it feels like I just finished the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge during which I drew/ painted in the Amsterdamse Bos (Amsterdam Woods) for 30 days.

Now January is upon us and again the 30 Paintings in 30 Days challenging days are nigh.

This time I decided to do something different. I’ve been planning to pick up lino cutting for the longest time so for next January I rename the challenge: ’15 Lino’s in 30 Days’!

Why 15 and not 30? That would be a little too much next to impossible. If I would cut teeny-tiny lino’s it could be possible but I want a nice size, 15 x 15 cm maximum. So 15 it is.

Cut one day, print the next.

Good preparation is key. I’m going to make drafts first, cut the linoleum to the right size. Make sure I have enough paper and so on. I decided on a theme too and it’s going to star just animals.

Sometimes it's out of your hands

You can prepare for an (art) event all you want but some things are just out of your hands.

The ArtWest Open Studio weekend was promoted quite well by the organisation. I properly framed all art I wanted to show. I send out invitations via e-mail, via Facebook, I put the event on my website, wrote a blog about it, shared it a couple of times on Facebook… We cleaned the studio, hung the art (it looked quite good I think), bought drinks and snacks, we had a massive flag waving for attention, the door stood wide open…

But then on Saturday there was rain, lots of rain and Sunday there was a storm and only a few people dared to venture out of their warm, cosy homes.

Saturday we had 36 visitors and Sunday 46, considering the weather not that bad but still, if the weather had been nice the turnout had been much higher. From our group of 5 I was the only one who did not sell.

That evening wasn’t very pleasant. I doubted myself and my work. Was my attitude too much ‘wait-and-see’? Should I jump people when they enter the studio (something I hate when people do that to me in shops etc.). Was my art just bad/ weird/ unmarketable? Did I present it wrong? What did I do wrong??

Sunday, at the end of the event our group of Grafisch Collectief Thoets decided to prolong our open studio to next Sunday. We would again invite everybody and hope for better weather.

The weather was nice, a lot of people who couldn’t make it the weekend before came by and I sold some small things. Happy.

I need to remember that there’s nothing wrong with my artwork, I just need to reach the right people.

Getting ready for ARTWEST Amsterdam

Getting ready for this!!
The last couple of weeks I’ve been working hard to finish up for my upcoming open studio
weekend which will be on November 19th and 20th.
Together with my artist colleagues Jan Baas, Ina Brekelmans, Edwin Emmens and
Ellen Huijsmans (Grafisch Collectief Thoets) I’m participating in ARTWEST Amsterdam for the second time.
Please come by and visit at:

Nassaukade 321, 1053 LS Amsterdam.
On both Saturday and Sunday from 12:00 till 18:00.

Varnish Adventures

Today I varnished my most recent work. I started it a while ago and got stuck, put it away for a few months and finished it last week.

After the ‘30 Paintings in 30 Days-challenge’ from last September I finally knew how to continue.

Since I started working in colour more and more I also like using lots of different materials (bistre, pigmentedink, water soluble (ink) pencils, soft pastels by Schmincke) at the same time, just mixing them up.

Varnishing is possible because I work on aquabord by Ampersand and can be a problem using all these different materials. I start by putting on different layers of fixative letting them dry for 24 hours in between layering. After that I put on a layer of matt acrylics varnish. This is the tricky part because if not fixated well enough the varnish can partly dissolve the fixative and make the materials run.

All went well today.

Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days – Lessons Learned

This was the second time I participated in Leslie Saeta’s ’30 Paintings in 30 Days’ challenge. This September was very different from last January, both the set-up and also the lessons learned.

In January I painted at home, used pictures I made and flowers I bought to make the flower portraits I did.

This past September I got my sketchpad, my painting- and drawing materials, my drawing stool and went on my way to the Amsterdamse Bos (Amsterdam Forest) by bike and then went on by foot.

Being on my way to ‘the spot’ was very much part of the process but also took time. Posting my blog and pictures with it, took more time. So a lot of time went into this project which was hard sometimes. But I did it, I could manage the busy schedule for a whole month!

So in one way I’m glad it’s finished and on the other I’m sad because it also felt very good to spend my days painting and drawing in the forest.

When the weather is good I will probably go back there to draw. This felt too good to quit!

My plan was to spend my time drawing plein air, drawing nature. I love nature but drawing or painting it was a horror to me with all its chaos. During this month I think I moved in the right directing to finding order in this chaos and putting it to paper.

Along the way I added more colour which I think turned out to be a good move. Adding colour gave my work more depth.

Also just sitting down at a nice spot doesn’t make a nice painting/ drawing. I need to pick a subject within the image I want to create and love it! This is wat happened on day 21 where I fell in love with this tree stooping over the path. From that day on I tried to find a tree like that again and again.

Spending more time (love) on one drawing also worked out for the better I think or at least it added to the joy I experienced in making.

These trees still live in my brain, especially the ones that had fallen over. They probably will find their way back as a subject.

Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days, September 2016 – Day 30

Deciding to draw outside every day in the month of September in The Netherlands is quite risky. Usually it’s 18°C/ 64,4°F with occasional rain, so not the best circumstances for drawing outside.

That’s why I decided to draw ahead. Every week the weather forecast said: rain! And every week the rain was pushed back with a week until September 29th! So I’m really happy I finished the challenge two days ago!!

I loved doing this last one. When I sat down next to these tree roots all kinds of animals and faces kept popping up. Amazingly beautiful.

Amsterdamse Bos/ Amsterdam Forest, bistre & pencil, 24 x 30 cm

Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days, September 2016 – Day 29

Another go at the fallen tree from day 26.

Amsterdamse Bos/ Amsterdam Forest, bistre & pencil, 24 x 30 cm

Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days, September 2016 – Day 28

Amsterdamse Bos/ Amsterdam Forest, bistre & pencil, 24 x 30 cm

Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days, September 2016 – Day 27

A very different view of the birch tree I drew multiple times.

Amsterdamse Bos/ Amsterdam Forest, bistre & pencil, 24 x 30 cm

Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days, September 2016 – Day 26

During previous drawings I would bring my drawing stool and sit on a grassy field or a path, but last few drawings I let myself wonder off the yellow brick road and into the woods.

After the blackbird has stopped it’s alarm all gets quiet again, or actually very noisy because when I sit there very quietly the birds don’t take notice anymore and let me be a true observer.

Amsterdamse Bos/ Amsterdam Forest, bistre & pencil, 24 x 30 cm

Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days, September 2016 – Day 25

Amsterdamse Bos/ Amsterdam Forest, bistre & pencil, 24 x 30 cm

Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days, September 2016 – Day 24

Back at my new spot and back at this fallen birch tree. This time from the other side with a close-up of the roots.

Fallen Birch tree, Amsterdamse Bos/ Amsterdam Forest, bistre & pencil, 24 x 30 cm

Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days, September 2016 – Day 23

A new spot to draw, again the Amsterdam Forest but this area has a more woodsy scenery.

During this drawing I was surrounded by the sound of beech nuts falling from the trees, sounding like rain. They kept falling on my drawing pad and ended up being a nice little snack.

Fallen Birch tree, Amsterdamse Bos/ Amsterdam Forest, bistre & pencil, 24 x 30 cm

Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days, September 2016 – Day 22

Yesterday was the first day I felt a little cold drawing outside, in the shades. After a while I had to  move to a sunnier spot.

Temperatures had been way too high for the time of the year in the Netherlands but when I rode my bike into the Amsterdam Forest this week all of a sudden the paths were yellow with leaves and the leaden summer air had changed to a cool autumn air. How I love the change of seasons.

Fallen Birch tree, Amsterdamse Bos/ Amsterdam Forest, bistre & pencil, 24 x 30 cm

Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days, September 2016 – Day 21

Did I ever mention I love trees? I love trees! Today I stumbled on this lady leaning forward and I had to draw her.

Amsterdamse Bos/ Amsterdam Forest, bistre & pencil, 24 x 30 cm

Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days, September 2016 – Day 20

For some reason this one felt really good to do and I think it depicts the amazing sunny and peaceful atmosphere of that day really well.

Amsterdamse Bos/ Amsterdam Forest, bistre & pencil, 24 x 30 cm

Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days, September 2016 – Day 19

With this one I started with the background in ecoline saving the light areas like the birch trees. Then I slowly moved to the foreground adding bistre for the darker areas.

Adding pencil last I worked the other way around, starting at the foreground and adding the background last.

Amsterdamse Bos/ Amsterdam Forest, bistre & pencil, 24 x 30 cm

Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days, September 2016 – Day 18

Another revisit at the spot I drew on day 8 and 9. They are all so different!

In the middle of this drawing my three legged fishing stool broke which forced me to sit on the floor (not comfortable) and changed my perspective a bit.

Amsterdamse Bos/ Amsterdam Forest, bistre & pencil, 24 x 30 cm

Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days, September 2016 – Day 17

Berries!!

Amsterdamse Bos/ Amsterdam Forest, bistre & pencil, 24 x 30 cm

16-09-2016 Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days, September 2016 – Day 16

In my previous drawing I decided to add more colour. Next to my usual (brown) bistre I added ecoline (burnt umber) and red ink. I also had to switch the colour of my pencil because I ran out of Derwent Graphitint ‘autumn brown’ and replaced it with ‘port’. But the ‘port’ one ended up really soft and broke all the time.

For this drawing I switched from ‘port’ to ‘juniper’, continued with the burnt umber ecoline and brown bistre and added green bistre.
This one was really fun!

Amsterdamse Bos/ Amsterdam Forest, bistre & pencil, 24 x 30 cm

Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days, September 2016 – Day 15

Do over of yesterday’s drawing.

Amsterdamse Bos/ Amsterdam Forest, bistre & pencil, 24 x 30 cm

Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days, September 2016 – Day 14

Pushing yourself doesn’t always work out…

Amsterdamse Bos/ Amsterdam Forest, bistre & pencil, 24 x 30 cm

Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days, September 2016 – Day 13

Thus far I’m very lucky the Dutch weather is cooperating with my plans to draw outside. Sun shining, temperatures around 27°C (80,6°F), it’s amazing!

Next week will be around 19°C (66,2°F) with possibly rain so I feel a bit pressured to push myself these last days of summer…

Amsterdamse Bos/ Amsterdam Forest, bistre & pencil, 24 x 30 cm

Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days, September 2016 – Day 12

Today I didn’t have much time to venture out and draw so I just sat on my balcony and drew the neighbour's cat and the shed it always sleeps on.

Neighbour's shed, bistre & pencil, 24 x 30 cm

Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days, September 2016 – Day 11

Line of trees.

Amsterdamse Bos/ Amsterdam Forest, bistre & pencil, 24 x 30 cm

Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days, September 2016 – Day 10

This peaceful drawing does not convey the small disaster that happened right before I started this drawing.

I dropped my beloved Pentel Aquash WaterBrush in the water!

I was having a small brake, put down my brush, I looked away for a second and it started rolling, fell on the wooden bridge I had chosen as my workspace and slipped through the cracks! With a small splash it landed in the water!

I first feared I had lost my brush forever but soon noticed it floating under the bridge, right in the middle. Panicky I tore a reed from the ground and started poking at the brush. Slowly it moved to the side of the bridge. I moved to the side of the bridge and lying flat on my belly I used the reed to move it towards me and that’s how I got it back.

Amsterdamse Bos/ Amsterdam Forest, bistre & pencil, 24 x 30 cm

Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days, September 2016 – Day 9

Here’s the do over from yesterday. I left this version much more open which gives it a more clear look. It still could use some tinkering but for now on to new sites!

Amsterdamse Bos/ Amsterdam Forest, bistre & pencil, 24 x 30 cm

Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days, September 2016 – Day 8

Confession, I don’t draw one drawing a day, I do 2 to 4. This way I can work ahead to cover things like  rainy days.

The drawing of today is from yesterday. I knew it was going to be a huge challenge. There’s a lot of (murky) water and not much sunlight. I feel like I totally lost control on this one.

Today I went back to have another try. I’ll post the result of the do over tomorrow.

Amsterdamse Bos/ Amsterdam Forest, bistre & pencil, 24 x 30 cm

Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days, September 2016 – Day 7

Another view of the waterside I drew yesterday.

I really enjoyed drawing these two drawings. From a drawing perspective but also because something happened that made me grin every 15 minutes or so.

On the other side of the water there was a path a lot of dog owners used for their walk. Around every 15 to 30 minutes I would hear a big splash and more sloshy sounds and a dog owner either going berserk at their dog or start laughing hysterically because they used to have a clean and not so muddy dog.

Amsterdamse Bos/ Amsterdam Forest, bistre & pencil, 24 x 30 cm

Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days, September 2016 – Day 6

Amsterdamse Bos/ Amsterdam Forest, bistre & pencil, 24 x 30 cm

Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days, September 2016 – Day 5

Today a somewhat wider view of the spot I’ve been drawing for the last couple of days.

Amsterdamse Bos/ Amsterdam Forest, bistre & pencil, 24 x 30 cm

Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days, September 2016 – Day 4

Back at the same spot at the Amsterdam Forest as in my first 2 drawings.

Amsterdamse Bos/ Amsterdam Forest, bistre & pencil, 24 x 30 cm

Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days, September 2016 – Day 3

Usually I’m alone when I draw. During this drawing I was on a nature walk with a good friend and I learned that I can draw and chat at the same time!

Amsterdamse Waterleidingduinen, bistre & pencil, 24 x 30 cm

Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days, September 2016 – Day 2

The first time I had to sit down and draw nature was during highschool. I say ‘had to’ because I didn’t like it at all!

My teacher was very pleased with the result but I wasn’t. To me nature was utterly chaos and I couldn’t decide what was important and what not, I didn’t feel like I was making well considered decisions what to draw and what to leave out.

Until this day I feel the same way about drawing (in) nature. There’s so much going on: branches, leaves, twigs, shrubbery, it’s just too much!!

But I do love nature. That’s why I decided that drawing outside in nature would be the challenge for the 30 Paintings in 30 Days challenge of this September.

Amsterdamse Bos/ Amsterdam Forest, bistre & pencil, 24 x 30 cm

Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days, September 2016 – Day 1

Last January I entered Leslie Saeta’s painting challenge: Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days.

It was a really good experience, I learned a lot and I ended up exhibiting all 30 paintings last April.

This September I’m having another go at the challenge.

This time I decided to be less strict. Leslie Saeta said it herself: there are no rules, just to have fun and ‘paint’ more than you would’ve if you didn’t participate. A ‘painting’ doesn’t strictly need to be a painting, it can be a drawing, a linocut, whatever your medium is.

For the month of September I’m going to draw in nature daily, mostly at the Amsterdamse Bos (Amsterdam Forest) and my ‘paintings’ will actually be drawings.

I found out about the challenge and Leslie Saeta through her podcast Artist Helping Artists which I highly recommend!!

Amsterdamse Bos/ Amsterdam Forest (24 x 30 cm)

Experimenting

Last couple of days I’ve been experimenting a bit with lines and layering.

This is an overview of the layering-experiment I did. I started with layer of thick, bright watercolours and then added pastels, charcoal and pencil.

More experiments coming up!

Sticks and Stones

When I started this blog I set out to share the good things and the bad things and now I’m about to share a ‘bad’ thing I hesitate… It’s hard to share when things don’t go as planned.
As some of you might know I’ve been battling a burn-out for some time now.

First I continued to work but after a while I had to stop and when I did, I started to fully comprehend how bad I was doing. Back then I wasn’t even able to do art, I wasn’t able to do much of anything.

Just recently the tax authorities got wind of me not making much money and I got invited for an appointment at their office. The burn-out had made sure I didn’t make much money of my art and couldn’t spend much time on my art either.

Because of that they ended up taking away my fiscal entrepreneurship status and they will be checking up on me in 2017.

The appointment was last week and I felt very bad after that. It took me a few days to feel better but yesterday I had a little help putting me in my place again.

The lady I had the appointment with called to run through what was said earlier and explain her findings. She repeated once again they would check up on me in 2017 and she added, because they were not very convinced any significant progress would be happening.

I’m sure the lady didn’t intend or realize it but these words felt like a right kick in the face.

But hey, ‘sticks and stones’, right?!

Window art: Roald Dahl & Quentin Blake

Most Roald Dahl-fans will know that on September 13^th 2016 it’s 100 years ago Roald Dahl was born and that the July 2016 premiere of Steven Spielberg's adaptation of Roald Dahl's The BFG (Big Friendly Giant) is no coincidence.
To celebrate these wonderful events the American Book Center Amsterdam asked me to paint a special Roald Dahl window in style of Quentin Blake’s art. I am both a Roald Dahl and Quentin Blake fan so I immediately said YES!

At home I made a small design of some of Dahl’s characters (almost) all being after Wonka’s Golden Ticket.

When it was time to paint the design on the window itself I first started sketching the characters in white. This to position them correctly and also provide a more rough surface so the next layer of colour paint would stick better and be less see through. When all this was done I used an acrylic marker for the line work that I drew on top of the acrylic paint.

So hop on over to the American Book Center Amsterdam to buy one of Dahl’s treasures and see my window live at the same time. As far as my window goes you can do so until July 14^th.

Open Studio Grafisch Collectief Thoets

Last weekend me and my colleagues at Grafisch Collectief Thoets had our open studio Sunday.

It was fun but compared to the exhibition weekend I organized last April it was soooo quiet…

At the end of the day I started doubting myself.

Was my work not good enough? Maybe the way it was displayed on the wall wasn’t working?
Or maybe the art didn’t work well together…

Also I find it very challenging to divide time between all of my different guests: friends, family, old customers, potential new customers… Maybe I did it all wrong!

Maybe I did some of these things wrong, maybe, but then I thought I just had this big show in April, people had just seen me (and my art).

Also we started promoting the event quite late, only 2 weeks ahead of time.

Next to our event there was a lot happening that weekend, a big comic festival in Haarlem, the start of Terschellings theatre festival Oerol and probably much more…

Today there was a new episode of a podcast that I like, the Creative Pep Talk by Andy Miller and the theme of the show fitted perfectly: Breaking Through (creative) Anxiety.

Or as Miller puts it: ‘Creating from a place of anxiety is like trying to plant a garden on concrete.’