The White Challenge

Original Photo

We participated in the "The Color of White Challenge" put out by the Daily Paintworks,  organised by Carol Marine

And this was the photo we took ourselves to use as a subject:

Babs' Experience:

Babs Painting 6x6 oil

Carol had decided to have a challenge that would need reflections on a container to paint. After quite a few attempts using different ideas we had a solution with the rainbow plate and white mug, we took photo's and managed the reflections quite nicely, thinking the project would be easy! trying to match the stripes.

For me it turned out to be a sort of nightmare, especially painting wet on wet trying desperately not to bleed one colour into another. It must have been a good day,although frustrating after a fashion it sort of worked.I decided to leave well enough alone, I think Carol must have red ears with a few of my under the breathe comments, she certainly pushes the untrained eye of untrained wanna be's. I find each Challenge an horrendous feat of patience,frustration and determination and think I will give up,but, the next one pops up and off I go again grumbling usually and can't get to the canvas quick enough, saying O.K I'll have one more go!

Jo's Experience

Jo's Painting 6x6 acrylic

When I received the photo from my sister, over the net, I thought it looked simple enough!! A few stripes and  a White mug, how hard could that be? Well, it fair drove me mad - matching up the background, bearing in mind changes in shade and shadow, the mug itself - innocently not noticing  the reflections at first, now their importance dawned on me, and I  realised what the Challenge was all about. Driven by sibling rivalry  I needed to get my painting submitted before my sister and  brother-in-law. Can't now remember who tipped who at the tape,  but it was very pleasurable seeing the three of us displayed on the  Daily Paintwork Challenge.

And Jo got lots of comments full of Praise!

John's Version

The challenge for me was painting with a limited palette, no earth colours, plus I challenged myself to paint with a 1/2 inch wide brush and thick paint. Plus for some reason when I paint on these small panels I have to rush, I actually did it twice in the time the others did one, but each of mine looked the same in the end, I don't know which looked the most attractive the painting (no) or the mess on my face and hands (yes).

John's painting 6x6 oil

I didn't capture the essence of the subject ie the delicate reflections but it was fun and I learned something, Oil paint washes off eventually.

The Daily Paintworks can be found here: Daily Paintworks