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A few months ago I put a call out for questions, and I plan to answer all of them over time! Here’s one from Tata Roldan:

Q: What about: color? shape? size? surface to paint on? time to paint? time to dedicate to painting? creating? blogging? family? HOW CAN YOU MANAGE EVERYTHING!?!?!?? 

A: I’ll take the questions in groups:

Color?
I have a “dull” color palette; bright colors scare me! But I tend to like aged or worn fabrics better than new ones, and dried up flowers after they’ve died at least as much as when they are in full bloom. I don’t really wear bright clothes… I just try to paint in colors I like!

Shape? Size? Surface to paint on?
I tend to work small. Most drawings or watercolors are about 5″x7″. I like working in the square format as well and always have a 5.5″x5.5″ hand•book sketchbook in my purse for pencil and ink work, mostly. For watercoloring, collage, etc., my go-to paper is Fabriano Artistico #140 hot press, traditional white.

Time to Paint? Time to dedicate to painting?
This is always an issue, and one I don’t really do very well! I do have my office configured so that I can paint a little, spin around and compute a little, then paint a little more after the first layer is dry. For example, I just added the white ink to this just now:

photo

Then, at the end of the day, when I’m “done” with computer-y things, I might take a half hour or so to finish what I started during the day.

If I want to work larger, I need to dedicate an afternoon to it, and that usually happens on odd weekends here and there.

Creating? Blogging? 
When I first started blogging in 2006, it was difficult to post regularly; I just didn’t know what to say! After about six months or so, though, it became a habit and something I “need” to do if I have missed more than a few days.

I think creating is like that also; it’s almost a habit. When I’ve gone a few days without making something new or solving some creative problem, I start to feel “itchy.”

Family?
I love my family! Besides work (which includes drawing and painting), I spend most of the rest of my time with family. My youngest son is 17 and graduating from high school this year, and my oldest son, his wife, and young son live nearby as well, so I spend as much time there as I can (Liam, 16 months, is SO CUTE!).

HOW CAN YOU MANAGE EVERYTHING!?!?!??
Barely! Since I spend most of my time at work or with family, lots of things don’t get done very well — paperwork, housework, reading — these things suffer a lot. For example, the trash only gets put out to the curb an average of 2 out of 4 times a month!

So the answer is, I don’t really! But it’s okay.

😀