Rose Welty

Goals for 2010

My First White Christmas

We had a big snow on Christmas Eve. So we enjoyed our first white Christmas ever. Fun times for our boys. It even stuck around for a few days - and then snowed again!

So....a look to 2010...

This year I have a few vague notions about what I'd like to accomplish:

1. Improve my photography (better references and better pics of my work).
2. Mature my work (improvements in execution)
3. Build a body of work (having a professional portfolio)

I've been having trouble specifying some measurable goals for the year. So, I've got a short list of goals. My plan is to start with these and then add more as I have ideas.

For 2010:

1. Experiment with some new supplies and ideas - the goal here being to loosen up and let the ideas flow.
2. Work through 2 photography books (Kelby and Miotke).
3. Work through 1 drawing book (Rendering in Pencil by Guptill).
4. Continue sketchercising!
5. Complete 6 pieces for the portfolio.

In order to accomplish these goals, I need to simplify and focus. So I made a stack of 4 books to learn from - as I plan for most of my learning time to be happening with pencil or brush in hand. I made one other stack of 7 books and magazines - artwork that always inspires me. I plan for those to keep me on track as I work out where and how my work is going. (The rest of my studio library has been moved out of the studio - just for now, to simplify.)

So with my 3 vague notions, 2 stacks, and 5 goals - I head into 2010.
(And for the record, I didn't plan that, it just happened to  equal 10.)

Seems a good start to the year already...

Great Article by Lynne Chapman

I've got several blog posts in the pipeline for you, including a 2010 goals post, but I need to get to a few things around the house. So, I thought I'd just show you my latest sketch, visually amped up  with some tricks I learned from Lynne Chapman.

She wrote a great post on how she enhances her (already) amazing sketches.

Another test

Sorry again for the test. This sketch was done on my iPod with the free version of a sketchbook program. The sketch is just of my watch.

Test

Sorry to bother you dear reader. I am conducting a test. This test is to see if I can publish from my iPod.

Review of 2009

It's THAT time of year again, time to pull out the goals from the beginning of the year and see how I did.

This year I made two lists of ten - a "to -do" list and a "dream" list. Here are the lists with a few words on how I did, sprinkled with some images from the year.

   

How I did on my top ten to do in 2009:

1. 50 paintings - Done, 39 done in acrylics, the rest various media. (Not all polished and complete.)
2. 100 sketches - Done, a few times over.
3. 10 drawings - Done, portrait drawings, flower sketchbook, and more.
4. Create Business Images - Done, I designed business cards, a few blog redesigns, and learned more about my camera.
5. Make cards available - Done.
6. Writing Project - Done, I wrote several articles for Empty Easel.
7. Complete my booklist - Done, I got through most of each of the six books I listed.
8. Make X dollars from my artwork - Done, actually made 2X.
9. Marketing Advancement - I dipped my toe into twitter and facebook and improved my SEO.
10. Do 12 portraits - Done, not all with the portrait group, but I did do at least 12 portraits over the year.

 

  

How I did on my top ten dreams in 2009:

1. Enter a Competition - Done! I'm actually still thinking through the experience and everything I learned.
2. Make y dollars this year - Not quite, but I certainly did better than I hoped.
3. Submit an article to Art Calendar - No.
4. Drawing from Memory Log - Maybe a dozen times.
5. Win a portrait commission - Almost.
6. Paint something to hang in the living room - No, but I did put up several of my own small pieces.
7. Make a calendar - No.
8. Meet a cyber chum - No.

So, what kind of year was it?

I did get alot of things done. I did stick with a plan. My experience in drawing and painting increased. So, overall, a good year I think. I have some ideas for the new year...I'll share those soon.

Today

The plan for today...finish painting the kitchen. Feeling much stronger today - good thing, there is alot to do!

Christmas Photo

I'm about to go address Christmas cards, so I thought I'd send one to my virtual friends. Merry Christmas from the Welty House!

And since it's free, I'll show a few runner's up on the Christmas photo...

This one is nice, but not very Christmassy.

This one, perhaps, reveals another side of our home...constant wrestling.

This one shows you what happens when you ask the little one to smile nicely.

I wanted to send this one out to give the gift of laughter...

A Sketch At Last

As I've come down with something, I just had to sit down last night on the couch and leave things undone. So, I decided to sketch this Lego man.

Before you go, I have to give a shout out to Jeanette. She is having a sale at her etsy shop. I bought a necklace for my mom from her - it is gorgeous and she loves it. So, by all means, go check out the sale.

I'm so sorry...

So sorry that I tried the Gingerbread Cake Mix...it's really good - good like in the running for my all-time favorite dessert. I don't think anyone else in the family even likes it...this is bad, I am going to lose all the headway I made in weight loss this year in the final weeks of the year!

(And yes, it would be better if I had taken a photo of a slice of it on a plate with a fork in the foreground...but I knew that once I cut it, I'd forget all about taking a photo. I just barely talked myself out of having a piece now, at 9 in the morning, so I could take a photo for you. :-)

Gingerbread House

Grandma Welty sent a Gingerbread House set...good times!