Take the plaid challenge!

Untitled WORK-IN-PROGRESS

24 x 12 inches • oil on 2" deep cradled Gessobord

Here’s where I am on this one today. Lovin’ that plaid blanket!

I used to be really intimidated by trying to paint anything with a plaid pattern. Whenever I would paint a scene with something plaid in it I would make the plaid item solid in my picture. The first time I attempted to actually depict plaid was in this painting of the redbones napping on their favorite blanket:

At first I was just going to make the blanket solid blue. But somewhere during the process I thought, what the hey, why not give the plaid a go? (I was painting with acrylics so I knew I could always paint over it if I didn’t like it. That took a little of the pressure off.) I’m so glad I made the attempt at the plaid. Now I know how much fun it is! 

Here’s my challenge to you artists: 

This week paint something that you’ve always thought was too difficult to attempt, be it an object, a pattern, a texture, a material (wood, glass, etc.), an animal, a person, an eye … whatever. Just let it turn out however it turns out.

Who knows? You may just surprise yourself!