Category: finishing something

Finally A Finished Product

The painting was patiently waiting for me to return to the studio to finish it. And now it’s done. I added more color and dimension and called it quits. This photo does not do it justice. The background is not as green as it seems here. There’s ochre and blue, burnt sienna and umber, but okay. 

More importantly, it is a finished work.

Flower Shadows, 18×24 Watercolor
©2013 Dora Sislian Themelis

What’s a little bit more exciting is that I also started and finished another smaller painting on the same day as this was finished. While this was drying, I designed and finished two new necklaces. Let me say that I was on a roll that day. Making the decision to work, having it become a commitment to working, caused productivity. Heady stuff.

Also exciting, on my end anyway, is my new venture. I’ve been working on a new blog/website platform on WordPress and it has been a struggle. However, it’s a clean, neat look and still needs decorating. Just like new diggs, decorating takes time.

Please drop in over there and visit. I’ve written a little more about this painting, with a few views of the different sessions it took to get to the finished product. I’m a newbie over there, but I’d love it if you commented and let me know what you think.

Visit the new site here Dora Sislian Themelis Art. 

Finished, and Unfinished on Friday

Now that my excitement of the art event has died down I can get myself back to the real world and work. 

Recently I downloaded this fun painting application to my iPad called Artrage. It allows you to paint a virtual painting in any medium, with any type of tool you desire. 
While investigating this app I found out there was a stylus coming out for sale that can be used as a paint brush, called Sensu. As soon as it was available I ordered it and it’s wonderful. I love it.
Pillow on Chair ©2012 Dora Sislian Themelis
Oil on canvas with Artrage app on iPad
using Sensu brush stylus

I painted a work using the Artrage program before I received the brush stylus, using my finger to manipulate the paint. Now I can actually paint in oils with no clean up! Great tools.

New work- real watercolor on real paper!

Take a look at a real, live watercolor painting I’m working on. If I could get myself away from painting on the iPad, maybe I can finish this latest work and move on.

Technology is a an amazing thing. Now let’s get back to the easel, shall we?

Thankful for Finished Work

Every once in a while I think we have to stand back, take a break, and just do nothing. When there’s too much going on it seems to me the only way I can move ahead is to stand still. The craziness of the last event had me standing still a little longer than I would have liked. Things eventually work out.

The latest watercolor painting I started working on was waiting patiently to be finished while my brain rewired itself. There it was, sitting on my desk, waiting. I waved hello and got to work. Patience pays off in the end, and it is finished, finally. 
I don’t know what the big deal was, it’s a small piece after all, but brain cells were missing, having gone AWOL. When they returned, so did the motivation. 

Big Tomato ©2012 Dora Sislian Themlis
9×12 Watercolor, Arches cold press 140lb

Waiting to continue..

And there you have it.  I worked on it until I decided I’d had enough of it. Maybe an hour to get it where I thought it should go and then I dropped it like it was HOT.

The thing is it’s finished.

Finished Friday

There is so much going on here I don’t know how I find time to post. In a nutshell: prepare to go on a vacation, go to the destination, return and unpack, dive right in to Holy Week preparations, attend church services, bake the required Easter things, keep up with the painting schedule, keep up with the Get Organized class, run the regular errands, and all that.

I am tired.
But here is a finished item for Friday, before I collapse!
Tomatoes ©2012 Dora Sislian Themelis
9×12 Watercolor, Arches cold press paper 140lb

Just thought I’d throw in the photos of the work in progress so you don’t have to jump around here to see it. And that brush I didn’t like working with over there in the center photo, you remember? A commenter had such good thoughts about using tools you love, and how this particular brush is supposed to be used. 

Now I just have to finish up this week and a brand new Monday will be waiting for me. Ahhh..

But I Like the Photograph

Dance Party (c)2011 Dora Sislian Themelis
8×12 Watercolor on Arches paper

Well, it’s finished. Or let’s just say I’m finished with this. I had to stop. If I had continued I am not sure what kind of mess I would have gotten myself into. There was nothing else to do at this point.

Shall I tell you what I like, or what I don’t like? How about this: I like the photograph I took of the original scene. The suggestion from you dear readers to add lights or banners was a huge help. I decided to make it look like an outdoor party and the lights strung over head were just what this needed. Not to mention the fact that in Greece they decorate exactly like this.

I’m not so sure what else to say about it. But if you have something to offer go ahead and let me have it. Good, bad, doesn’t matter. Tell me your opinion. I’m an adult. I can take it.

Sshhhhhhhh….

My apologies for the non-post friends. Rainy day #2 is well under way and Rainy Day #3 is expected to be more of the same. It’s depressing. Thank goodness the weather is sort of warm rather than cold. That would really be terrible.

Rather than painting I’ve been knitting, but I forgot to take a photo of the finished product. I knew it would be a bad idea to put away the painting supplies when I was having a dinner. Out of sight, out of mind. You know how that goes.

Finishing the knitting project was an accomplishment though. My granddaughter now has a new hooded sweater to enjoy. I hope she can wear it for a while before she gets too big. A finished item is like a miracle around here. Done and out. Next!

As spring is in full swing with the rain, stalking is also happening in earnest. But guess what? Peek-boo-I-see-you too! Its easy to feel anonymous and stalk to one’s heart’s content.

I know who is who, friend or foe. (Most here are friends.) Just as people can stalk, it is just as easy to see the stalker. Don’t they get that? Come on. Maybe now they will get the idea. But, then again, maybe not.

Finished for Friday

The Dark Apple Hides Shells (c)2011 Dora Sislian Themelis
8×12 Watercolor on Arches paper

A finished work for Friday is here. I am done! I can’t touch this another time. I think I will keep at this apple until all that paint is used up. I have no choice. How many times can I complain about these paints? I guess an awful lot by the looks of the posts about this apple! Have you all had it with me yet? I’ve had it with my constant whining. The next time I decide to throw caution to the wind and by paints I know nothing about, kick me please?

Besides that, I fooled around with my camera and for some reason my photos in my last post came up like a widescreen TV. I don’t know what button I pushed. I was hunting for something that would take a decent photo and not be huge when I uploaded it to the computer. There’s just alot of steps to get the photos the right size so that they upload in seconds rather than long minutes. I mean long. Looks like there are no short cuts here, or in life in general.

I will be posting this to the 100 Paintings Challenge, too. Slowly, but surely, I’m working my way to 100. Oh I’ll do it, too. No doubt. But it’s going to be slow.

A while back I purchased another book on creativity and resistance titled The Creative Habit, by Twyla Tharp. I know she’s a great dancer and choreographer, but from what I’ve heard this is a really good book for breaking through blocks to creativity. I finally started reading yesterday and I think it’s going to be interesting.

I want to read it slowly for the words to really go into my head. Most times when I read, I more or less scan and read too quickly. Oh I’ve read big books in a couple of days, but don’t ask me what I read, I couldn’t tell you. While I’m reading I am in the moment. After I’m done, forget it. Talking with a friend about a book I had just finished, which she read in college, she remembered characters and plots. Me? I could barely remember the main character and some sketchy details. Not good. I need to take time to read this, and not while I’m having lunch. No. Multi tasking is not my forte.

The first page of The Creative Habit began with this: The White Room. Just imagine a large, empty, white rehearsal room for dancers. Immediately I thought of a blank, white canvas or paper. I knew then that this was going to be a good read. I will let you know next week.

From Sketch to Done

The latest watercolor painting is done.  Finished.  I finished something!  I was so happy to remove it from the paper block.  I have so many ideas in my head I just couldn’t work on this any longer.  Once I painted in the details of the butterfly’s wings I was just so done with it.  Here’s a look at the progression from sketch to finished work.

I really have to remember I’m not using oil paints.  The highlights have to stay white or else forget about highlights.  There’s no adding in later.  It’s a process and I’m learning.  And waiting for the work to dry is another thing.  With oils it’s just the opposite.  You can let it dry and then have issues because now it’s dry!  Watercolors need drying time.

The other thing I wonder about is if it’s too big a painting for the size of the surface.  I tend to go large and then find out that my subject pushes the edge of the paper or canvas.  The size of this paper is only 12×16.  I think this looks as if it’s a huge work.  Just another thing to ponder over. 

I can hear my painting professor saying “Great job. Now go bigger!” 

Finishing Something Else

Every day I try to work on this newest painting.  I’ve abandoned the basement studio for the time being to work on this outside, or at my kitchen table, where the light is brighter. 

When not working on it I prop up the painting on a mini easel so I can eyeball it as I walk through the house doing my chores.  Here and there I can stop what I’m doing if I have an idea and throw some paint in an area that I see needs something. 

I usually have my work in progress in my general vicinity when not working on it.  It gives me a different perspective and I’m able to live with the work.  Then again, it’s nice to work in the studio and leave when done working, leave it all behind and go on to life.  But right now this is working for me.  It’s keeping me in the game, so to speak, so Mr. Resistance can keep his distance.

Distraction was never my middle name, but it is now.  Keeping me in the loop is a tough job and I could use all the help I can get.  With a few things working at the same time, all different media, I could be drawn away to any of them and never finish one.  “Finish Something” has been my mantra.

Most evenings I like to knit, if I’m not too exhausted.  This week I finished something!  I was determined to finish this one thing and I did it.  I sewed up edges and hid all the dangling yarn ends. The bad thing about finishing this knit is now I’ve got my eye on different yarn and a new project I’m dying to start.  Bad.

The good thing is that the yarn I’m eyeing has not been available in the local shop I visit.  The longer it’s not available the better, otherwise I’ll never finish anything else.