Who Dares To Challenge The Rabbit? : Daily Art Practice
My son, the day we brought home his baby bunny, Leia 2019
Couch Talk
I have mentioned before that I am very goal oriented, but I struggle to complete my goals because I completely forget about them for the middle 6 months of the year. After taking inventory of last year’s goals and finding out that I only completed 3 out of my 7 goals, I found some of my issues:
- Goals need to be measurable
- Goals need to be realistic
- Goals need to be worked into my daily routine
I also tend to make general goals and because they aren’t specific, I never know if I actually reach them. So, I am going to list my 2023 art goals here, not for your sake but for mine. This way I can be accountable, and I will update my progress.
- Journal consistently- make 1 painting, weekly
- Join Recipe Swap
- Study 2 Art Books on Fundamentals
- Complete 3 Domestika classes
- Complete Shopfront Sketchbook
- Complete 2 personal projects
Daily Art Practice: Challenge Myself
I didn’t write this goal down, but I am incorporating it into whatever art I make this year: Challenge Myself. I always take the easy way out and my art is not getting better because of it. I don’t like to tackle what is hard, I stick with what is comfortable. I have been challenged about this a lot recently, whether it be my art or my relationship with Jesus Christ. Nothing grows or gets better if we do the same old thing. We need to try something different if what we are doing isn’t working.
The first page in my new watercolor sketchbook, (I bought 6 of these because they were $6 each!) is a painting of my son’s previous pet bunny, Leia. She was loved dearly by our family but we had to pass her on to another household, where she eventually died from a parasite. When I thought about the year of the Rabbit, I instantly thought about Leia. I haven’t painted many animals so this was my first challenge of the year.
To make it even more challenging, I had my son choose a random color palette from my new book, The Complete Color Harmony Pantone Edition. I bought it with some of my Christmas money after seeing it on another artist’s Instagram and I am loving it! It is helping me choose colors that go well together, colors I would not normally pick and limiting my palette to only 3 colors! That is HARD.
The little swatch of paper sticking out of the book has the color palette I used for the rabbit. I added red to make it a bit more Chinese. The lanterns were an afterthought and could have been planned better but sometimes that how things work out.
Tea Day
I am joining the Tea Day ladies, hosted by Elizabeth and Bleubeard. My hot drink today is not tea, but Grove Square Cappuccino Pods French Vanilla . We enjoy this sometimes in the evening, as it is a special treat. I try to limit my sugar intake but recently I have been struggling. All that candy leftover from Christmas really tempts my sweet tooth. I do make an exception though for one of these drinks, they really are good.
What is one goal you have for 2023? If you don’t make goals, what is a way you want to challenge yourself?
Happy Tea Day,
Kate
It seems like your son was so happy when he received his bunny. A cute and adorable bunny and he is beautiful in your painting. I am sorry to hear about what happened to Leia lately. This cappuccino sounds delicious!
Thanks for the share, Happy T Day!
think sometimes we are too hard on ourselves especially since you are raising your family right now too. I enjoy seeing your art every week, thanks about the book will check it out
Happy T
That is an absolutely adorable photo of your son Kate. and the bunny is pretty cute too. I am also a goal person,. Having goals gets me moving and trying to do something that I want to do. Especially for something I might not try to get to otherwise. I never limit myself to only having a year to complete a goal., and I feel it is OK to revise a goal to make it more realistic. That’s what works for me, and may not work for everyone. I hope you have a great T day Kate. And happy start to february too. hugs-Erika
That looks like a great book. For four summers. I joined a Summer of Color Challenge, where we had three colors we had to use to create something each week for six weeks. Some combinations were easy, some were not. I applaud you and the colors you used for the rabbit. BTW, Happy Year of the Water Rabbit.
Your cappuccino looks like it s something I would enjoy. Thanks for sharing your darling painting, the color book, and your cappuccino with us for T this Tuesday, dear Kate.
Your art is beautiful. I find making lists very helpful, to achieve my tasks / goals. The rabbit looks great.
A great tribute to Leia! Wonderful. Perfect eye.
Quite a challenge with the colors.
Challenge… guess you´ll laugh. It´s still watercolors.
I´m back to 10-hour work days with so much new stuff to learn I struggle with this!
The three weeks holidays I was sick and could do nothing, somehow maybe watercolors simply don´t want me…
But I enjoy yours, happy T-Day
Good luck with the goals. They do sound manageable and worthwhile. I don’t know if your art is changing, but I admire it very much.
best… mae at maefood.blogspot.com
Your son is a handsome young man. I’m sure he has grown a lot since this photo. Love the rabbit and the rabbit art. As for goals in art. I don’t make them because my brain is always so busy with different ideas that a goal would hinder me. With that said I can see how goals on a short term would be benificial. In any case, I love seeing your art and am always very impressed what you create. Have a lovely day today.
You are ambitious! I trust you’ll meet all your carefully planned goals 🙂 What a sweet bunny! Happy T Tuesday
Going out of your comfort zone is a good thing every now and then. Your watercolor is a beautiful homage to Leia. Happy T Day
I hope you manage to complete your goals! I don’t see goals as this stresses me, but I still do art every day. The rabbit 🐇🐇 is lovely! Valerie
haha I had to laugh when I saw “complete 3 Domestika classes” on your list as I bought three classes last year in a sale and have done NOTHING with them. I do have the tab open on my browser still but that’s it. (I’m curious as to what classes you bought? or have you not bought them yet?) I also have a few or maybe that should be several, more classes that are not done, I sense a pattern here… As for goals, yes they need to be SMART goals don’t they. I love your rabbit painting, the real rabbit is cute also, a shame what happened to her 😦 There was a watercolour lesson on last year’s Wanderlust course that used only three colours, two that you chose yourself and then the third was created by mixing the first two. I actually really enjoyed the result of that one though I didn’t expect to, like you say, three colour limit is hard and I didn’t “like” my colours but it turned out nice. The French Vanilla sounds delish but I am on a cleanse so no coffee for me! Happy T Day! Elle/EOTC xx
Ooh! I perked up (no pun intended) when I saw the Cappuccino- sounds yummy…..but obviously too sweet for me to have regularly. I do make lists and plans but only short term. I’m sure I would lose track f anything long term. Love your art Kate – love rabbits too. Happy T Day, hugs, Chrisx
Hi Kate, thanks for listing your courses, I’m going to look at them now. I just logged in to look at my THREE only to discover I also have SIX lol all unfinished! Worse than I thought!
Here are mine:
Online Portfolio for Children’s Book Illustrators
Illustration Techniques to Unlock your Creativity
Animal Characters in Watercolor for Children’s Books
Gouache Techniques for Illustration
Modern Watercolor Techniques – Ana Victoria Calderon (I got this as I have a couple of her books)
Illustrating Nature: A Creative Exploration
I will post this on your blog also in case you don’t see this 🙂