Onward and Upward 2013

Onward and Upward
7in x 5in
colored pencil on paper
copyright 2012 Rose Welty

My three goals for 2013 should look familiar. Listed below each goal are some possible ways to achieve each goal - but I'm not going to commit to those. As I did in 2011 and 2012, I'm going to evaluate each step of my journey and see what looks best to shoot for as I go.

1. Develop my work
• improve my eye by working from life (30 starts project, which has begun)
• sketching larger
• more study of eastern painting philosophy - got a few draft posts on this for you
• exploring mark-making
• using varied color as an edge-softening device
• improving my ability to convey texture (e.g. clouds)
2. Share my art
• continue with my biweekly newsletter
• daily facebook studio page updates
• getting involved in area artists association
• entering competition and possible craft fair
3. Build my skillset
• regular photo reference trips
• reading a few photography books - been having fun with PSE 11 already
• origami
• doing portraits more often
• mobile photography - this has begun already too, more later.

At the end of 2013, I hope I can say that I have developed my artwork further, shared my art with more people, and added to my skills, in whatever form those goals are achieved. Let's get down to business...

What will I do in 2012?

Lost in Thought

Last year all of my plans and goals were sidelined when lifestyle changes became medically necessary.

And you know what? I reached two dream goals I had begun to think would never be possible (they'd been on the list for several years):

1. Achieved my "ideal" weight (and have maintained it for several months)
2. Developed a personal style in my artwork.

I did not have big detailed plans for either one.

On day 1, we took the step that seemed best. On day 2, we took the step that looked best then. There was no guilt in not achieving a deadline. There was only simple and regular evaluation of what was working and what wasn't. I tried something - it worked and I kept doing it, it almost worked and I tweaked it and tried again, or it was a failure and I learned something.

And each day I had the freedom to enjoy what the day had to offer.

What does this all mean? Well, it means that I'm going to simply state a few things I'd like to see in the year. I'm not going to plot and plan. I'm going to follow my nose for the steps to achieving what I want. It worked last year and I believe it will work again.

I'm learning less is more.

In 2012, I'd like to:

1. Continue developing my style.
2. Share my art.
3. Build my skillset.

I have ideas for my next steps for each of those and that's as far as I'm going. The steps after that should be apparent when I get there - and at the end of the year, I'm sure I'll be able to evaluate how I did.

Now that I've gotten all the goal stuff out of the way I'm going to focus on enjoying the holidays!

What Have I Done in 2011?

Absorbed
from September 2011

 2011 was not the year I expected, the game changed in January and life was entirely different. So, I'm going to give you my highlights and then, to be transparent, the goals I stated in December 2010.

Princess from Carlin Workshop
July 2011

My highlights from 2011:

• 100 pounds lighter - that's 80 for Professor Incredible and 20 for me
• 5 hours/week devoted to exercise - that's huge for two people who have been largely sedentary in recent years.
• Gluten Free - my diet has had to become GF - I feel better than I have in years, really.
• 1st public showing of my work - one piece in a group show, a great way to start.
• Asked to demonstrate my CP technique to a group of CP artists - a real affirmation that I have developed a personal style that is working for me.
• Entered a juried CP show - didn't get in, but got great feedback.
• Regular Production - in the last quarter of the year I produced at least one new 5x7 piece a week and several larger ones - including two 11x14s.
• Rhythm - I think I am finding a rhythm to how best to run my life with all of my responsibilities, that feels very good.

For A Moment
from November 2011

Below are my 2011 goals, in bold, and then how near or far I came to them.

• 100 blog posts: I hit just over 70.
• 12 Monthly newsletters: I did 3.
• 10 Portfolio pieces: I did 9 pieces that I loved, half of which wouldn't be out of place in a portfolio, the others I love but are only 5x7.
• Build my FB fans to 100: Currently at 64, which is +13.
• Sell 5 packs of notecards: Sold 0.
• Hand out 60 business cards: About 10.
• Join my local CPSA chapter: Done and even gave a demo at a meeting.
• Enter a piece in CPSA competition: No, but I did enter my first group show with my CPSA chapter.

All in all, this year wasn't what I planned for, but now I am very glad that I had the year I did - it was better than what I had planned.

Looking Back
from May 2011

Next time, my plans for 2012.

Goals for 2011

Boxing Day at my house

In 2011 I plan to focus on production. For a few years now I've said that I wanted to build a body of work, but it just doesn't seem to happen. As I begin 2011 I have a clearer vision of what that body of work is going to be and what it will take me to get it done. So, on with the show...

Goals for 2011:

• Published blog posts: 100 (roughly 2 per week)
• Monthly newsletters: 12 (once a month, you can subscribe in the sidebar)
• Portfolio pieces: 10
• Build my FB fans to 100
• Sell 5 packs of notecards
• Hand out 60 business cards (roughly 5 per month)
• Join my local CPSA chapter
• Enter a piece in CPSA competition

I've got all of the due dates set up in my organizer, so I should be able to stay on track. At least I won't be able to say that I forgot I said I'd do that. It would be more of a "I neglected to do that." But, let's hope it's not that kind of year! I do have a few other "dream" goals, but I'll only reveal them if dreams come true this year. :D

And so may we all greet the new year with joy and a sense of adventure! I'd love to hear what you plan for your year...

My January and My February

This post reviews my January and looks at my February.

January:

• 4 paintings - done and more
  
• 10 sketches - close, 8 or 9
  
• 1 self-portrait - done
  
• Participate in the VSD - done
• Book review - done (and I've finished two books from "my list")
  
• Experiment with Twitter and Facebook - Twitter, not really. Facebook yes.
• Two new things on the camera - I used it a ton and became familiar with it, read a few pages of the manual. But, no, not really two new things.
• Optional:some blog/website redesign - yes, a did a major redesign at the beginning of the month and here at the end I've added navigation buttons across the top and modified the header image

February:

• 4 paintings
• 10 sketches
• 1 portrait
• Participate in the VSD
• Book review
• Learn two new things on the camera
• Write and research for articles
• Optional: Start new project

Thanks dear reader for persevering this far through my laundry list. It really helps me to publish these posts - it makes me feel like I've got a contract out there that I must fulfill - in short, you readers always push me to be a better artist, thank you, it means so much to me.

How are you doing on the goals you set for the year?

January 2009 Goals

Quick Sketch during Story Time

My goals for the month:

• Complete 4 paintings.
• Complete 10 sketches.
• Complete 1 self-portrait (for the portrait group).
• Participate in the VSD.
• Write a review of Harold Speed's Oil Painting Book (yeah! one book from the list!)
• Experiment with Twitter and Facebook.
• Learn two new things on the camera.

I may also throw in some blog/website rethink/redesign.

Top Ten Dreams for 2009

Self Portrait
(this is how the self-portrait finished...a fun ending to 2008)

This is my third post on goals for 2009. (See part 1, part 2.) This is the fun one...the one where I dream about what would make me feel like I had an amazing year if I accomplished a few of them.It should be noted that I am not committing myself to doing all of these this year. These are like a wish list, some challenges to throw at myself to keep it interesting. If some of these seem out of my reach, well, they probably are, but I like to aim high!

Top Ten Dreams for 2009 (actually 8, but I'm saving space for new dreams! :D)

1. Enter a competition. (I actually did enter a friendly competition in 2008 - it was a challenge to myself and one that I really benefited from.) As I am working on some new mediums I am not sure that I can really deliver on entering a serious competition this year, but it's here on the wish list.
   
2. Make y dollars this year. I'll tell you that y > x (see here.) Another "push me".
3. Submit an article to Art Calendar.
4. Keep a drawing from memory log. I'd love to do what Jeanette Jobson does, sketch a memory from the day each evening for a few minutes.
5. Win a portrait commission. I'm working on my portraiture skills this year, I'd love to get good enough that someone wants to buy one...
   
6. Paint something to hang in my living room over the couch. There is a big blank space over my couch, everyone always asks about it. The answer is that I want to put something I am really proud of there.
   
7. Make a calendar for 2010.
8. Meet one of my cyber chums. I'd love to do a face-to-face with someone this year. (Jo, I had this written before you mentioned it...I think we should do it!)
   
9. ?
10. ?
    

Top Ten To Dos for 2009

Delicate Beauty,
7in x 5in,
open acrylic on Gessobord

(Purchasing information to follow.)

On Friday, I posted my general plan for 2009. Today I am going to flesh it out a bit with my top ten "to dos" for the year.

I will still be doing my monthly goals. They will be drawn from this list and anything else that comes up. At the end of each item, I'll name the area of investment it's attached to. This list of ten gives me some measurable goals to achieve, without overwhelming myself. If I finish all ten early on in the year, I'll add to it! :D

Top Ten To Dos for 2009

1. 50 Paintings - Fairly straight forward, I'd like to average one painting a week. They need not all be finished to the same degree. The idea here is to be painting frequently. Reading about painting only gets you so far. (painting)
   
2. 100 Sketches - Sketching is a joy for me and so I put this in here as an easy goal. (drawing)
3. 10 Drawings - These are more polished drawings than a sketch. I imagine that most of these will be my VSD entries. (drawing)
   
4. Create Business Images - This year I want to expand my image manipulation skills - both so that I can create references for myself and so that I can design my business images. So, I will be scheduling time with PS Elements and my new camera. "Get better" isn't a good goal, I'll choose to create new business images (a measurable goal). (business)
   
5. Make prints and/or cards available. (business)
6. Writing project - I hope this comes through. If not, I'll replace this item with a similar writing goal. (writing)
7. Complete my book list - I have an embarrassingly big stack of books on my night table of books half finished. I'd like to finish them before I start any new books. They are: Capturing Radiant Light and Color, Practice and Science of Drawing, Oil Painting Techniques and Materials, Portraits from Life, Paint People in Acrylics, Art of Pencil Drawing. Other possible additions to this list are Elements of Drawing and Creative Perspective for Artists and Illustrators. (drawing, painting)
   
8. Make X dollars from my artwork - a measurable goal. (business)
   
9. Marketing Advancement - If I'm going to sell online, I need to know how to do it well. So, some sort of advancement is in order. I need to do some SEO work (labels and image tags). Also, I'd like to give Twitter and Facebook a go. (business)
   
10. Do 12 portraits - this is the item for my portrait group. I've emailed around a few folks and gathered a great group of people to do some portraits with this year. We'll work once a month from the same reference and then offer critiques for each other. The blog is private because we think that will help with the critiquing. We are keeping the group small. (drawing, painting)
    

Investments for 2009

My Christmas Bouquet
(I so can't wait to get painting!)

I decided to revise how I set goals for the coming year. Last year I had each month planned out. It worked well, as long as I allowed myself to revise each month as I went along. But this year I'm going to run it a little differently.

I'm calling this year an "investment year". I have 5 areas I want to invest my time and energy in. As opportunities arise I can make decisions based on how the proposed project fits in with these 5 essential things. And, to make sure that there is some measurable stuff in there I have two top ten lists - a top ten "to-do" list and a top ten "dreams" list.

The to-do list should provide measurable goals I can put into each month, while still leaving me with room to change things as the year progresses. The "dream" list should give me a few extra challenges to shoot for. (Last year I did better on the challenges than the to-do list. :D)

This post is about my 5 investments. The "top ten" lists will be posted on the 29th and 30th.

Investing in Business
I began selling my artwork online in 2008. Like any responsible business owner, I need to invest in that business. This will include things like marketing (researching SEO, website improvement, using new technology), technical skills (using PSE, manipulating images, getting the best images of my work online), and image/brand-building.

Investing in Drawing
I want to keep my drawing skills sharp and strengthen what needs improvement. This will involve some regular drawing assignments. I'll be investing through participation in VSDs, drawing regularly with my portrait group, researching, and regular sketching. I am very excited to be a part of a portrait group. A gracious group of talented artists has agreed to be in a private group for purposes of critique and growth.

Investing in Painting
In 2008, I picked up the brush and I just can't put it down! So, I want to invest in painting skills - reading, researching, and lots of painting.

Investing in Writing
I'd like to expand my participation in the art world through writing. I have a project I hope will come to fruition. If that doesn't happen, I will do things like write some articles for publication. As well, I'll be doing my usual art history research.

Investing in the Artist
These are more of a personal nature, but I tend to stick to the goals I publish on this blog, so I want to put these here. I hope that these goals will help me feel better more of the time as well as strengthen my body for all that I put it through. We're talking regular exercise (3 times a week), cut down caffeine intake, cut down sugar intake, increase fruit and vegetable intake.

That's an overview of how I plan to spend my 2009. My next two posts, Monday the 29th and Tuesday the 30th will have some more specifics for you. Until then, enjoy your holidays.

December 2008 Goals

Sketch of my mom reading
(Usual difficulty with photographing in bad light!)

I'm back from my vacation. I had a great time visiting with my parents and enjoying the holiday season. Above you see one of a few sketches I did. Happily, this one does rather look like my mom.

Here we are at December. It doesn't seem that long ago that we were beginning the year...December seemed so far way.

I began the year with big plans for each month. Then in March, I revised things.

I'll do an assessment of the year later, but I do have a few final goals for the year.

For December:

• Participate in this month's VSD
• Draw one portrait in graphite
• Add a few works to the sales blog
• Send out December newsletter
  
• Continue some reading projects
• Organize my reference photo library
• Organize my artwork folders - archive 2008 and prepare for 2009
• Make regular backups (Friday afternoons)
  

November 2008 Goals

This post outlines my plans for November...at least as they stand now. November can be a busy month, company is coming...you know the drill.

Business:

• Add to sales blog every Monday, Wednesday Friday.
• Revise article draft.
• Start newsletter.
  

Artwork:

• Daily Inks - 5 per week.
• Oils/Acrylics - 2 paintings.
  

Research:

• Finish book on color in painting.
• Write a review.
  

October 2008 Goals

Daily Ink Number 6

This post details my goals for October.

Business

• Write draft of article for online submission.
  

Artwork

• Oils - 3 paintings a week
• Daily Inks - 1 per week day
• Sketching - 10 sketches in the sketchbook
  

Research

• Paint 1 copy of a Degas pastel.
  
• Study some Degas work and focus on his composition.
  

September Goals

This post lists my goals for September.

Business

• Donate piece of artwork. Have sticker label on back with web addresses on it
• Write an article for online submission
• Update website
• Consider uses of new sticker labels and business cards
  

Research

• Finish Oil Painting for Serious Beginners
• Begin Joseph Albers' Interaction of Color
  

Artwork

• Oil Painting - 3 paintings a week
• Finish a second graphite piece for card collection.

July/August Goals

Since I've been on break for most of July, I'm combining my July and August goals.

Business

• Do some thinking about what goals I need to set to be happy with my progress in this area at the end of the year.

Research

• Pick up my color study again.
• Reading about something.
  

Artwork

• Do a CP piece on claybord with normal technique
• Do a CP piece on claybord with broadstroke technique
• Continue sketching as much as possible
• Continue practicing a slow process...refining drawings, doing color and value studies and taking my time on the final support.
  

Digital Mums and Goals Review

I've been playing around with the digital tablet again...the completely erasable medium...how fun can it get?

The green flower is a spider mum, I think the purple ones are just regular mums.

May Goals Review (as listed here)

Business

• Update website - done
  
• New work - progressing
• Sort out my filing system - done
• Backup Routine - in place and functioning
  

Research

• Applied research - did lots of digital exploration
  
• Reading - done
  

Artwork

• Sketches for the new work - done and to client
  
• Brush and ink experiments - did several
  
• Sketching on the spot - yes, some of the family and neighborhood done
  
• Virtual Sketch Date - loved it!
  
• My Day challenge - did not do (I did attempt it a few times, not my strength!)
  
• CP piece - did one and started another
  

June Goals

Business

• Update website
  
• Update blogroll and "about me" sections of blog
  
• New work - meet with client and continue progress

Research

• Continue reading, especially on botanical illustration

Artwork

• Work for client
• Continue ink experiments
• Continue digital experiments
• Virtual Sketch Date (June 13th is the next one!)

This month is fairly light goal-wise - to make way for summer fun!

Thanks for enduring my little monthly goal reviews, it does help keep me motivated and focused.

I hope everyone has a good weekend!

April Goals Review and May Goals

This is a review of how I met my goals in April and a look ahead to May.

April Goals:
Business

• finish still life commission - done with good results!
• update website - done and to be done again in a few days.
  

Research

• Taschen book - didn't read another page
• another book - didn't find one
• Degas reading - did finish book on Degas in New Orleans
  

Artwork

• Mendelowitz book - did a few more pages
• Sketching people - happened a few times, not enough to be effective
• CP sketching - yes, this happened
• Digital sketching - yes, this happened

A Look to May:
Business

• Update website
• New work (more on that later)
• Sort out my filing system - with the new computer, I might as well organize the areas that have fallen into disarray. Oh, and get a backup routine running smoothly.
  

Research

• Applied research this month - I am hoping to accomplish the "new work" stated above digitally. Therefore, I am going to be spending my research time this month getting good and comfortable with my tablet and PS Elements.
• There will also be reading, perhaps some reading on drawing the figure.
  

Artwork

• Sketches for the "new work"
• Brush and ink experiments - one from the photo above, clippings from my garden.
  
• Sketching on the spot, hopefully people
• Virtual Sketch Date
  
• My Day challenge - possibly
• I'd like to do a CP piece, but I'm not confident enough that there will be time to do one, so it's a maybe.

That's how my month is shaping up, how about yours?

Have a good weekend everyone!

March Goals Review: Rethinking the Plan

Pear Blossoms
brush and ink, 5 in x 7 in
copyright Rose Welty 2008

At the end of last year, I spent lots of time mulling over goals for 2008. I tried very hard to set myself an achievable challenge. Enough to feel like a stretch, but not too much to necessarily fail.

I did well in January, began to fall a bit behind in February, and now in March, I've achieved very little of what I planned for this month. So I'm having a bit of a rethink. Part of this results from the changing needs of my family and my recognition that I want to enjoy them and not always feel like they are taking away valuable art time! :D

What I Really Enjoy

• digital painting and sketching on the Nintendo DS
• experimenting with CPs
• historical reading of artists, their lives and their techniques
• brush and ink drawing
  

Areas I Want to Concentrate On (for now)

• basics of drawing - seems to me that sometimes I commit obvious errors and that a study of drawing would really help my confidence (and help me to see better)
• figure drawing - people fascinate me and I really want to incorporate them more into my work, but I need practice and greater knowledge

The above two lists have not significantly changed from the end of last year, but I think my implementation of them will have to change. I would still like to get through the Mendelowitz drawing book, explore color, and participate in some research projects. I had some other goals of starting paintings, entering a competition, and doing some polished works. Those are the goals that may have to take a back seat.

So, here is a revised look at April.

Business

• Finish still life commission. (I've done one and a half of three in the series.)
• Update website. (This will remain something I do at least once a month.)
  

Research

• Finish Taschen book on Japanese prints.
• Try and find another book on ukiyo-e
• Keep up Degas reading. (He was so influenced by the prints that I allowed myself to start reading about him this month, but now I've found a few great books and I just can't stop and wait until later in the year. This is partly what has slowed the ukiyo-e progress.)

Artwork

• Work through some of the Mendelowitz book.
• Sketch people, both from life and from references.
• Sketch with colored pencils, working on my use of color.
• Sketch digitally.

Above you see a brush and ink drawing I did this weekend. A couple of weeks ago the bradford pear tree in my front yard bloomed - truly a beautiful sight. The blossoms don't last long, but they are stunning when the neighborhood is filled with them. I took a bunch of pictures, knowing I would have to pick up the brush again.

Goals for 2008 - Month by Month

When I set goals, I want to achieve them. When I miss my goals, I get grumpy, and nobody likes a grump. To help me achieve them, I try to define them in time. So, here's a look at my 2008, art-wise, month by month. (And of course, I reserve the right to change plans! :D) If you can't get through the whole list - you'll see more art history, research into technique, and book reviews this year!

The image in this post is a CP work - based on a "start" on the Nintendo Digital Sketchbook :D.

January

• Composition research (book reviews, info gathering)
  
• Anatomy of the head (daily sketching, sketching from memory)
  
• Mendelowitz drawing exercises
• 3 starts
• 1 planned, executed, finished piece
• update website
  

February

• Composition research (book reviews, info gathering, piece based on research)
• Rib Cage Anatomy (daily sketching, sketching from memory)
• Mendelowitz drawing exercises
• 3 starts
• 1 polished piece
• update website

March

• ukiyo-e research (book on Japanese prints, internet research, contemporary practitioners)
• Arm Anatomy (daily, from memory)
• Mendelowitz exercises
• 4 starts
• 1 polished piece
• update website

April

• ukiyo-e research (more research, research in action - project)
• Hand Anatomy
• book from reading list
• 3 starts
• 1 polished piece
• update website

May

• Color research
  
• Pelvis Anatomy
• book from reading list
• 4 starts
• 2 polished pieces
• update website

June

• Color research
• Leg Anatomy
• book from reading list
• 4 starts
• 2 polished pieces
• enter one art competition by end of June
• update website

July

• Degas research
• Foot Anatomy
• 4 starts
• 2 polished pieces
• update website

August

• Degas research
• Perspective study
• 4 starts
• 2 polished pieces
• update website

September

• Research on a master
• Perspective study (2nd month)
  
• 4 starts
• 2 polished pieces
• update website

October

• Research on a master (2nd month)
• Focus on interiors
• 4 starts
• 2 polished pieces
• update website

November

• Research on a master
• Focus on exteriors
• 4 starts
• 1 polished piece
• update website

December

• Research on a master
• Focus on landscapes
• 4 starts
• update website

Looking at 2008

I’ve begun looking at 2008 and where I’d like to go artistically. I was going to save this post until later, but I've been in a funk and decided that I just wanted to get started on some of these new projects. So, there you go, I guess I'm ready for the new year (in some ways at least :-)!

Essentially, what I plan to do falls into four general categories: research, technique, just for me, and challenges.

Research – will continue as has been my pattern, looking at artists, aspects, and movements in art history. Most of this will be done in conjunction with Katherine Tyrrell and others. These will be two month projects. Topics include:

• composition - I've wanted to do this for a while.
  
• Japanese art (ukiyo-e) - to better understand the influence on many that we studied in 2007, as an aside maybe throwing in a little look at Franklin Booth (who did woodcut-looking pen and ink work).
  
• color - use of color in various approaches
  
• Degas - a favorite
  
• Turner - a favorite
  
• Rembrandt - perhaps my all-time favorite
  

Technique – this will be addressing areas where I’d like to improve my artwork, focusing on the figure and perspective. These areas should also help me improve my "drawing from memory" skills. I'd really like to capture more of what I can see in my mind on paper.

• Anatomy - I’ve realized that the figure is very important to me in art. People fascinate me and capturing that in artwork drives me like no other subject. So, I’ll be looking at various sections of the human anatomy, each for a month in duration.
  
• Perspective - The remaining months of the year, I plan to spend looking at perspective in landscapes, interiors, and exteriors.
  
• Recently I picked up Mendelowitz’s Guide to Drawing and I've begun working through that.
  

Just for me – in 2007, I had a goal of filling a sketchbook, just to be in the habit of sketching. Some of these sketches I posted, some I didn’t. Mostly, they were just for me. I had no goal with them other than to be putting pencil/pen to paper. I definitely need to have something regular where the result is unimportant. I can get very discouraged with my art not meeting my expectations so I need an activity without expectations. As drawing will be more result-oriented for me in 2008, I’d like painting to be where I can just play around and enjoy myself.

• 50 starts - For this I’m going to take an idea I recently came across on Drawing the Motmot (a blog and artist I really enjoy and admire). I’m going to try and do 50 “starts” over the year. Simply put, just begin 50 paintings. I may make them all still lifes, from life, but I need to see how the “composition” research goes to know if I can create successful still lifes. Whatever form it becomes, the goal will be to make 50 starts over the year, not necessarily finishes, perhaps an hour in duration - roughly one a week.
  

Challenges - pushing myself out of my comfort zone:

• art competitions - one or two in 2008. (This will involve me researching to find them and then producing something to enter.)
  
• website - I’d also like to expand my website. I recently put it up, but I’d like to work on it more.
  
• business - Finally, and this perhaps is more of a long-term goal, but I’d like to work more towards the business end of art. Whether that is seeking more portrait commissions, or creating a print gallery, or some other option, remains to be seen.

We'll see how the year progresses, but this is how it looks now.