Working Large And Loving It!

Hi everyone!

A couple of weeks ago I was due to demonstrate how I create my artwork at my local Hobbycraft store. I have demonstrated there a few times in the past and has always been interesting to talk to other people while I am working as this isn't something that I normally get to do that often.
Well, this time when I arrived I was given a HUGE canvas as a challenge to create a piece that would be displayed in the store.

So out of my comfort zone.

And what made it worse was that I only had about 4 hours to do it. Truth be told, I didn't get it finished on time. I just couldn't get my head around the challenge at the time. I am not used to having challenges sprung on me and so I am still learning to deal with them. I was a bit disappointed that I didn't manage to get it finished within the time but I just don't work that way. In the past, when I have worked on a large substrate, I took time to prepare myself, find inspiration, do sketches or art journal pages, and then figure out how that will work on a larger scale.

I hadn't done any of this!

Luckily, I was allowed to take the canvas home to work on it further. Phew! I was relieved with that because I did really want to complete the piece. To prove it to myself more so.

So, this was my challenge:

I'm not sure if you can see the true size of the canvas but if you use the paintbrushes as a scale you might be able to get a sense of how large it was compared to the size I usually work on.

Unfortunately, I didn't take any photos of the canvas when I had reached the 4 hour mark. Probably because I was unhappy with it and knew I wasn't finished with it. We threw it in the back seat of the car and spent the rest of our Saturday doing the things people do on Saturdays! Lunch, shopping, pottering about, watching movies etc. I didn't think any more about it until about a week later. I took me that long because everytime I went to pick it up and try to do some work on it I just felt like it was a chore. I wasn't inspired and no matter how hard I tried I couldn't get inspired.
But then eventually, I decided to tackle it. It was starting to become the thorn in my side and I knew the only way to start it was to...start it! Sometimes you have to just dive in.

So I started to just mess and play around at first. I covered up the bits that I really disliked, tried to get it back to the colourful, crazy, fun backgrounds I am used to working with. Eventually I got there and then I chalked in a few lotus inspired flower images. When I was happy with the placement I then used black paint to mark them in.

It was only then that I started to get excited about this project. It was started to come together and look good! I was starting to feel really happy with it so I paused for a few minutes to do a little happy dance in the kitchen (I often dance while painting lol!)
I finished the rest of the painting with ease, confidence and joy! It all fell into place for me, with every brush stroke I fell more and more in love with it. So much so, that when it was time to give it to Hobbycraft I felt sad. Like giving one of children away (or what I imagine that is like, I don't have kids)

Here is the completed piece. I'm thrilled with how it turned out in the end and I am also really excited that it not only helped me to discover my true style a bit better but it also showed me that I LOVE to work on a larger scale now. I don't know why I was so against working large before..... It is so much better, the freedom that comes along with it is fantastic!

So, keep your eyes peeled for more large paintings. I am already working on two more at present, one is nearly finished.

This piece is now hanging in Hobbycraft, Sheffield if you would like to view it.

Thanks for stopping by. Hope you are having a great weekend!

Ciara x