Trying to Get Inspired

It's that time again. Time to enter competitions, membership shows, and worst of all, themed shows. Although I don't really dislike themed shows, I know a lot of artists who just HATE to have to paint to a theme. It seems that, rather than being inspirational, show themes are so often more like the piano lid slamming shut on the hands.

"Here's Looking at You, Kid!"



"Here's Looking at You, Kid!" was my first response to a themed show featuring wildlife of the Chihuahuan Desert where I live. An ornate box turtle, or western box turtle, appeared on our patio one day. I was stunned by its RED eyes, had to go "look it up" and enjoyed reading about how only BOY box turtles have red eyes. What fun! I knew right away he would be the subject of my entry into that show. I sketched his mug shot on top of a deeply textured background that I had done earlier, using gauze and liquid watercolors. Of course, the red eyes had to be prominent, so that's why only the head. I painted "negatively" around the shape with dark colors, then added details like the shell border, wrinkles, a beak and RED EYES!

There's no secret here, it's the same thing we've revealed repeatedly in this blog:  paint what you are excited about. Find out what turns you on and paint it. How do you find out what turns you on? Go walking in your world. For me, it's mostly outdoors, wildlife, flowers and landscape. For you, it might be something entirely different. But you can't find out until you go looking.

I think painting to a theme actually has more to do with figuring out how what you love to paint fits into the theme. That's kind of backwards and inside-out thinking, but it works!