Reflections on the 30 studies...At the beginning, I approached the thirty studies very methodically--find a photograph that contained

compostional/color elements that intrigued me, do a compositional study (in ink or pencil), then go from that study to a color and shape study...

The more studies I did the more questions arose, escpecially after being challenged to dig

a little deeper and find images that contained more meaning for me.Then I started approaching

theimages in a sense of reallytrying to capture a moment/essence in that place...

My studies broadened then to look into different mediums and painting techniques to create

different effects. This was fun, because I began to discover and research different gels and pastes that I had never used before, which opened up a whole new world of options that I can use to achieve different textures and environments.

I also rediscovered different colors that I don't often use a lot of in my pallette (pthalo blue and hansa yellow), which got me excited about branching ou

t of my little color box a bit. Also, specifically picking

images that had interesting compositions that gave op

portunity for shape br

eak up and color layering kept the studies continuelly interesting for me, since that is how enjoy working. The biggest struggle that I had durring the thirty studies was in analyzing the meaning and purpose behind the images that I

was choosing, which brought up lots of questions over how to approach my paintings.

Questions:

Once I have found an image that has emotional/spiritual significance to me, or a specific essence/feeling that I want to convey, how do I adjust my painting technique (color, mediums, size, line, layering, etc...) to purposfully convey that message (vs. just breaking down abstract elements for the sake of breaking down abstract elements)?

What role does the figure play in my paintings?

Do my paintings have to be limited to just landscapes in order to accomplish what I want to accomplish?

How do I properly paint light?

(Seeing as how light plays such and important role in how we felt in a certain place at a certain time).

Am I trying to convey some deep message, or am I more interested in formal aspects of painting? Will having more emotional purpose to my paintings make them better? (yes.)

***I have already begun to answer some of these questions through my current painting**