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05-19-2002, 01:56 PM

Thank you for the encouragement. I would be more than a little hesitant if I didn't have people like you all around to help me out.

Oh,

I am not a man...all woman. I always get that with my name. I almost got of paying my AEX bill once because of it; they wanted to talk to the 'man' who had the account, after several phones calls and lot of frustration, I told them, 'Fine,I'll let the man pay the bill.' Then they decided to talk to me!

This has been a hard decision, I've made over $100,000 a year for years. It is difficult to realize I won't be able to go to a store and spend a $1000 on art supplies just because I feel like it. The good news is that since I always go into things full-tilt. I have lots of paints and brushes. But, I'm such a beginner...I noticed if I find a technique that I really like, if I can't use it again on another painting within a week or so, I lose it. And due to current work constraints, I take three steps forward and two back.

I have a web site, if I were brave enough I'd ask for some critiques, but I'd like to have my technique and style down better first. I don't want to paint one or two good portraits, then hit a dry spell because I am not yet experienced enough. One thing I must do is practice drawing. I spend hours, days, drawing the same portrait over and over again. After about fourteen tries I get something that is pretty good, then the fifteenth is not as good as the fourteenth.

I'm presuming with time to practice, I can get it down to where I only need one time. And, although the fourteenth is good, it isn't great. I kinda paint around my drawings...make them better while painting them, but sometimes I can't fix it. Like my "Belly Dancer". The right eye is not correct. Oh, that reminds me of a question. I'm using oils, W&N, Mussini, Gamblin and when I make a mistake on the painting, or decide to go a different direction (as with Nature Goddess where I tried to remove a bracelet on the arm), I have not found a way to stop the other part from coming through. OK, I guess I can't tell you about the paintings without having you look at them.

Here is the link: DeVon's Paintings. Remember, I only started painting in Sept last year, and the Nature Goddess is the 7th portrait I have done, all the others are after it.

DeVon

05-19-2002, 01:56 PM	#7
Devon Johnston Guest Posts: n/a	Thank you for the encouragement. I would be more than a little hesitant if I didn't have people like you all around to help me out. Oh, I am not a man...all woman. I always get that with my name. I almost got of paying my AEX bill once because of it; they wanted to talk to the 'man' who had the account, after several phones calls and lot of frustration, I told them, 'Fine,I'll let the man pay the bill.' Then they decided to talk to me! This has been a hard decision, I've made over $100,000 a year for years. It is difficult to realize I won't be able to go to a store and spend a $1000 on art supplies just because I feel like it. The good news is that since I always go into things full-tilt. I have lots of paints and brushes. But, I'm such a beginner...I noticed if I find a technique that I really like, if I can't use it again on another painting within a week or so, I lose it. And due to current work constraints, I take three steps forward and two back. I have a web site, if I were brave enough I'd ask for some critiques, but I'd like to have my technique and style down better first. I don't want to paint one or two good portraits, then hit a dry spell because I am not yet experienced enough. One thing I must do is practice drawing. I spend hours, days, drawing the same portrait over and over again. After about fourteen tries I get something that is pretty good, then the fifteenth is not as good as the fourteenth. I'm presuming with time to practice, I can get it down to where I only need one time. And, although the fourteenth is good, it isn't great. I kinda paint around my drawings...make them better while painting them, but sometimes I can't fix it. Like my "Belly Dancer". The right eye is not correct. Oh, that reminds me of a question. I'm using oils, W&N, Mussini, Gamblin and when I make a mistake on the painting, or decide to go a different direction (as with Nature Goddess where I tried to remove a bracelet on the arm), I have not found a way to stop the other part from coming through. OK, I guess I can't tell you about the paintings without having you look at them. Here is the link: DeVon's Paintings. Remember, I only started painting in Sept last year, and the Nature Goddess is the 7th portrait I have done, all the others are after it. DeVon