The 100-Day Project has been a real mixed-bag of an experience so far. In the positive column, it has encouraged me to use and mix materials that have been hiding in my supply drawers for years. The project also has resulted in me spending much more time with my sketchbook. I think I might even fill a sketchbook by the end of the project, which would also be a major goal for this year. It’s also been really good practice to work observationally several times a week. Finally, completing one sketchbook page in a one to two hour time frame has forced me to work in a looser, more expressionist manner.
The entries in the negative column are more emotionally significant, though. Stylistically, these looser, less-detailed sketches are basically the way I have always sketched. They don’t give that sense of progressing in terms of skill or speed at rendering objects. It’s such a big time commitment—it ought to have a big pay-off at the end. Right now, I am not seeing the kind of growth or results that would make this worth sacrificing time that could be spent on another major project. Basically, if you get good at what you practice, what will this 100-days of practice make me good at?
Late winter and early spring are not great seasons for plein-aire painting in northern New Mexico. Sunny, bluebird days, but with cold temps—and late February through the end of March is juniper pollination season. Fortunately, I found some really good-looking bouquets at the local grocery and health food store a couple of weeks ago, so I’ve been sketching them, using a mix of watercolor, markers, and colored pencils.
Enjoy!
