Hearts abound

I have been busy working on my current art challenge of 100 heartworks by 7/01/2020.  I have about 34 left to go....you can check out what has been completed so far here:  https://heartart2020.blogspot.com/

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I know that after this challenge is completed another one will be started since they help me to stay focused, increase creativity, and help me to get out of my box a little more.  

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* I try my best to have the photos match the original artworks as exactly as possible, but colors may vary from monitor to monitor. * 

** All images on this website are © by Michelle McSpadden, and may not be copied or used in any way without expressed written permission **

2019 Art Challenge Completed

Completing goals can be so nourishing for the spirit...  After finishing up the 2019 heart art challenge, I took some time to reflect on the journey.  Before getting into the details, I wanted to post a few of my favorites:

Here are a few of the takeaways I have from the art challenge:

1.  Use colors that aren't standard on your preferred palette.  I crossed some big hurdles by using green in this challenge.   Green is the color of growth, safety, spring, new birth, etc., but I tend to lean towards teals and not the vibrant green greens.   I like green grass and plants, but that's where it ends.  I don't use green in my artwork, so I did it on purpose during the challenge and it was a stretching exercise for sure.  I needed it.  Will I use more green greens in the future?  Maybe.      : )

2.  Set a particular size for the artworks.  In this challenge I used three different sizes of paper:  2.5 x 3.5, 4 x 6, and 6 x 8
At first I thought it would be good for me, but keeping up with the little ones was hard.  I think using one or two sizes would be best.

3.  Get messy.  I let my lines get messy.  It was fun to let go and not be such a perfectionist.  There were jagged edges, sloppy lines, colors that bled through each other, and colors that escaped the sloppy lines.  Messy can be fun.


Will there be another heart art challenge?  Absolutely!  (Details coming soon)


The artworks for this challenge will not be for sale, but the next ones will be.


To see ALL of the 2019 art challenge pics, please go here: https://heartart2019.blogspot.com/










* I try my best to have the photos match the original artworks as exactly as possible, but colors may vary from monitor to monitor.

** All images on this website are © by Michelle McSpadden, and may not be copied or used in any way without expressed written permission **

Art Challenges are AWESOME!!

I am enjoying this art challenge so much more than I ever thought I would.

More details below, but here a few of my favorites hearts so far:

The current heart art challenge will be done in a couple of weeks and I'm already planning another one for 2020.

These are the highlights for me so far:

1. Getting back into watercolor painting.  I haven't used watercolors in a very long time and need to make them a regular part of my creative process.  
2. Relearning old stuff.... Like how different papers absorb paint.  Some of the paper pads I've been using were bought over the years when they were on sale and put in my art storage boxes, so it's been interesting relearning how to use them and the difference between different poundage of the paper, the different textures of the paper, etc.
3. Working faster and thinking less.  Sometimes it is very easy to over think during the creative process.... it's like trying for perfection, but losing out on the fun of playing with line and color.  I'm experiencing more joy in my creative process now more than ever before.  Freedom and fun.

To see all of the hearts created so far, please go here: https://heartart2019.blogspot.com/








* I try my best to have the photos match the original artworks as exactly as possible, but colors may vary from monitor to monitor.

** All images on this website are © by Michelle McSpadden, and may not be copied or used in any way without expressed written permission **

Loving the art challenge so far....

I am 8 paintings into the 2019 heart art challenge and I'm loving it!!

I have copied a couple of the hearts to this post, but all of them can be viewed together HERE.

As somebody who has been a perfectionist about art things for many years, creating fast has been a lot of fun...and freeing.  The lines aren't perfect, the colors bleed together and sometimes go outside of the lines.  One black marker was running out of ink, but I used it anyway and got some interesting line marks.  I'm hoping that the rest of this journey continues to flow as it is now.   : )







* I try my best to have the photos match the original artworks as exactly as possible, but colors may vary from monitor to monitor.

** All images on this website are © by Michelle McSpadden, and may not be copied or used in any way without expressed written permission **

Art Challenge 2019

I have started my very first art challenge.  61 hearts in 61 days...

I have started a special blog to house these special artworks HERE 

Starting on 11/01/19 with heart #61 and ending on 12/31/19 with heart #1.   I plan to use a variety of media (ink, watercolor, acrylics, pencil, etc.) on paper and/or canvas and will be working on a smaller scale.  My goal is to get looser and more fluid with my imagery by working faster and freer. All artworks will be created within 50 minutes or less.  I may do a few 5 minute paintings to help me get me out of the box even more.


* I try my best to have the photos match the original artworks as exactly as possible, but colors may vary from monitor to monitor.

** All images on this website are © by Michelle McSpadden, and may not be copied or used in any way without expressed written permission **