I feel bad that you didn't enjoy the feeling if the first painting, I thought it was super beautiful. Sometimes there doesn't need to be a destination, enjoying the process is enough, even if you don't think it turns out.

I absolutely love the first painting. They are both beautiful, but the first one is my favorite of the two.

I think closure is very important in art, which is why (maybe) you didn't get the right feeling from the first painting. People talk a lot about it "being about the journey, and not the ending," but if you think about it, the journey IS the ending in that scenario. Like that's the plan, to wonder around and not come to an official conclusion, so as long as they are wondering around, because that was the plan, they are getting closure. Brains are tricky. Whether the plan has a set course and an ending or the plan is to not have a set course and not have an ending, there is still a plan. Lack of planning is still a plan to not plan. I think it has to do with intention and closure. I really like how pretty and delicate the eyes are in the second painting.

I know it doesn’t really have anything to do with the video but I just wanted to tell you how much your videos mean to me! I’ve been struggling a lot with my mental health but your videos are a safe place for me and a reminder to take care of myself. I love your channel so much and it encourages me as an artist to draw what I feel and what I love! I really don’t have enough words to express how grateful I am for your content 💗

@arleebean

2 жыл бұрын

What an honor, thank you ❤ This means so much to me, and I am extremely grateful for you as well :)

I love the unplanned one! It's such a shame that you didn't enjoy the process because I feel it's a successful painting. Personally, I am trying to enjoy the process of making art more and not having a plan. It's scary! But ultimately I am finding it so liberating and feel it's helping to reveal my own style. Thanks for sharing x

I'm so glad that you chose to share both paintings

I totally thought the first painting was the planned one 😅. But I like them both for different reasons. The second one felt like I was viewing it through a thin veil or fog. So while the first one had more elements and was perhaps a bit more visually striking the other one conveyed a feeling in a better way. This is ofcourse only my opinion.❤ I find that mixing the two approaches work the best for me. I start with something, a concept a message or whatever it is and then I sort of let the rest happen as I paint. I can't really plan too much before as then I tend to get stuck there. And there's a very high risk something won't go as planned. But I think that's part of the fun. So I try to combine.

I actually prefer the first for the colours and the concept, but I like the shape of the face better in the second. Interesting, isn't it! 👍😁

“Wandering” I think that’s a beautiful theme in it of itself. Even though you didn’t really connect to the first piece, I really think the journey was valuable and held its own beauty. Thanks for sharing that with us. 💕

Arlee, I know how you feel. Not knowing where you are in life can definitely put you in a serious art block space. Have you thought about maybe exploring more new mediums ?? I think you would really like to try water soluble wax pastels (crayons) by caran dache! They are so much fun to work with, they’re a lot like gauche, and the ones from caran dache are such high quality. You can’t use a lot of water with them, and you need to use an acrylic brush if your using that as gouache, but you can also scribble with them into your ceramic palette and used them as watercolor! They have this cool look to them, they can make your watercolor paintings almost look like oil ! I would love to hear your thoughts on them, just because I know they have really helped me cut loose.

I find myself tending to wander more often than not while I'm doing art, and just like you said- sometimes it's good to just wander, and to explore without having a specific task in mind. It's definitely a better headspace to be in when you're just working on something to clear your head or when you're just making something for yourself. But especiially for like portfolio work, I've been working on figuring out a goal that's going to be accomplishable in a given amount of time. When I let myself wander when I'm doing art for school or for a commission, it never ends up the way I'd like it- like you said, there's not really a sense of "finishing" a piece when there's no destination in mind. You articulated the difference really beautifully!

I love your loose and bold strokes. The ethereal quality you achieve is lovely. It’s motivated me to try hot pressed paper again!

I know *exactly* what you mean. Knowing where you're going and reaching that destination is the most gratifying feeling. Wandering around with no particular destination in mind kind of feels like eating one chip and the bag is sitting right in front of you. I can't remember a time when my wandering ever produced a good painting but sometimes playing is just what I need and I don't care that nothing came if it. Sometimes I just want to put color on some paper.

@wonderland4515

2 жыл бұрын

Absolutely agree, I dont think I've ever made a piece I was satisfied with whenever I'm feeling lost artistically, however it is a good time to experiment and just go crazy. I've discovered some color combinations I liked simply because I wasnt worried on making a perfect piece and just putting down colours sporadically. Sometimes it's good to be lost and explore new ways you havent gone before, its part of the journey

@ChristinaTodd1970

2 жыл бұрын

@@wonderland4515 I totally agree.

It's quite different for me. I almost never really plan my paintings. Planning it out is really tedious to me and it usually kills my creativity. In the end I am dissatisfied with my well-planned paintings. I don't need a destination to get to a good place. Sure sometimes I end up hating my spur-of-the-moment painting, but the other times I surprise myself with something I would have never thought I would come up with.

I am struggling a little bit with feeling lost and without a concrete goal even though when I describe my life it sounds like I have all the right pieces... I wanted to watch painting to help me relax and I immediately felt drawn to your channel and picked this video for no particular reason. When I was watching you paint the first piece and you started adding the tree feature, I actually started crying. I felt something unclog watching that process, I think I'm going to try painting something before I go to bed, even though I need to get up early tomorrow. Thank you.

I resonate deeply with that wandering feeling. I've been very disconnected from life for a while now, and I can see it in my art. Every painting feels empty, even when they're pretty. Which I suppose is a reflection of my mindset. Just wandering around in a dimly lit room trying to feel my way to a door. Any door will do. I really miss the feeling of creativity 😅. I tell myself it just went out for coffee and will be back soon. Anywho, I find your art really inspiring and I appreciate that you share your process with us. You've helped me to stay with it and not lose hope in my own journey. I hope you and everyone else who sees this is doing well! 💚

There are things I really like about the first painting. I love the trees, and the face reminds me of the Pharaoh Akhenaten, with the shape of the jaw, lips and nose, and the deep lines on the face. But I can totally understand feeling disappointed/unimpressed with a piece of your own.

Something you said around 4:47 really hopped out and grabbed me. If this were to ever unfortunately happen again, or if you still have paintings that felt “lost” in the past, I think it would be really interesting to see those “lost paintings” all together. Like even though they didn’t have meaning when you were making them, and left you feeling unfulfilled, we can see that that experience has meaning in itself. I’m so glad you uploaded this. I think talking about this stuff is so important as artists and as people (same thing imo hehe). ♥️

first painting i seen as a wandering, painful mind guised as beauty second painting gives me feelings of a warm resolve, a sense of determination and relaxed power both are very beautiful and speak to me. id say theyre successful

I have to plan things out or else I get lost, but if I plan too many details then I get bored. So I try to have a clear sketch to begin with, value studies, and an idea of the colors, but my sketch won’t be super detailed so that I can make things up as I go

Both are beautiful in own way...1st one I love the mood and the feeling of tension while the 2nd one I love the textures. I create various things...while painting portraits I almost restrict myself with pre planning and while it comes out as I imagined it sometimes it feels a bit stiff...second theme are trees and those I allow myself to literally flow on canvas and there is so much freedom within them. I am attempting to combine those worlds yet not managed. Thank you for another soothing video. Hugs

I had a feeling going into this video I was going to like the one you didn't.. and that was the case. I think it's lovely. There is a freshness about it and it has that magical aura of transition or morphing of one thing into another. I also think the value shift and color is far superior to the other. Personally I started with acrylic (and still do paint in it) and my work was very tight.. a very specific plan, base drawing, color choices, countless numbers of strokes (I tend to paint in an impressionist style with a realistic result using mostly visual blending), and a long work period until every single inch is "right" (I'm talking weeks to months). Mostly large format.. up to 2x3 feet in some cases. When I began watercolor I tried that, and hated everything that came out of my brush. I started experimenting with my materials.. trying to get to know the medium almost like it was a person with it's own personality, preferences, and set of skills to bring to a project. Along the way I found it really is a completely different situation, watercolor is a partner vs an employee.. I don't direct it, I give it suggestions and it comes up with something on it's own. I tend to "sort" my work.. trash, consideration (gets put up in view with a simple piece of tape), and success (framed and matted). My "trash" pile is huge, my "consideration" smaller, and "successes" are a very minor percentage. That was something I had to learn to accept. 90% of the time my successes are almost entirely spontaneous. They are also much smaller scale (5x7 to 8x10) and are almost always completed in a couple of hours. I have many that started with zero intention of creating "something" but just me messing around.. they are not perfect but they have "life" and there is something in there I couldn't have done if I'd tried... it just happened. There is one in particular that began as a first attempt with a new paper.. it was literally a simple line drawing of some mushrooms from a coloring page I transferred and started tossing paint at.. I was using new paint, a new ink, and added gouache for the first time...there is even a nasty unintentional cauliflower in one area.. it should have been a disaster, and not only do I adore it, it gets complements every time someone else sees it. For me watercolor is like a thunderstorm.. you know it's coming but can only just watch it happen... and sometimes you wind up with a tree through your roof and others you get the most gorgeous sunset you have ever seen.

So interesting thoughts on this video! Made me think pretty much. I guess I'm more of the painting with no plan side of the spectrum, and maybe that is why it takes me a lot of time to keep a consistent art production. However, I also stand for it, as i believe it is the way i enjoy the most, by the wonderings and thoughts through out the journey! I guess it is matter of finding balance. Amazing video! really enjoyed it!

I know that goals like speed and efficiency are drilled into our heads by our capitalist overlords, but there is value in the no plan painting. It looks like it brought out your creativity. I like the first painting 10 times more than the first one.

Honestly love both !!! 🥰🥰🥰

wonderful painting. thanks for your video 🥰

Really really enjoyed watching this

No matter what your videos are about, they never fail to inspire me so so much. I really appreciate you, your videos are a source of calmness for me!

I hope one day i can get one of your talented pieces, would be such a dream to me!

I love them both! Thank you for sharing!!

Beautiful paintings as always

First! Love ya Arleesha! You’re an awesome artist!

@ghibbles6200

2 жыл бұрын

Yassss!😘😘

So pretty!!!!!

So amazing. I love all your videos ❤❤❤

This is absolutely beautiful and an amazing artwork!! Such a pleasure to watch❤️it’s really incredible beautiful! Thank you for this beautiful presentation! Thank you for this sharing greetings from canada 🇨🇦

i was going to say i love the abstract painting on the side, lmao, it was your paint palette, i do love your paintings though

Maybe the first painting is saying "Hey, I'm not that deep, I don't need to mean anything" And maybe a finished painting wasn't the goal with that one? Maybe the journey and what you learned along the way was? I love the first painting, but everyone sees something different in every piece of art! Edit: But that's not to say I don't like the second! I do love the second one too. It gives me Ali Cavanaugh vibes in how you let the edges the watercolors formed work with you instead of fighting against them and it ends up not looking like edges have been formed, but that facial shapes and features in there. Good Lord I am NOT explaining myself coherently, LOL! But if you have seen Ali Cavanaugh pieces then I think you know what at least what I am trying to say :D

Arleesha, what do you think of Paul Rubins cotton hot pressed paper? Also, how do you feel about it compared to other hot pressed papers? Thanks.

If I plan things out I tend to get defeated really easily and end up hating my work or get super anxious over it. I stopped planning out how I wanted things to go and use more vague goals like what pallet I want to use or what character, or what medium. I tend to prefer wandering because can say its done when I am ready to be done. My best pieces tend to be vague ideas or even a sudden thought than a laid value study, thumb nail, color study. I tend to be really hard on myself and I don’t want to turn something that has been an anchor for me into a source of frustration because a piece didn’t go as well as I planned it. So I keep things vague as possible with limited and very fluid ideas.

Is it weird that the first one(before the hair) reminds me of a Caucasian Obama head? 😂

@dragonli1y

2 жыл бұрын

Get that out of my head

@kathyhackney7950

2 жыл бұрын

@@dragonli1y Dude, I know. It's all I can see now 🙈😂

I think you are being "too hard" on yourself...I really like the first painting more than the second!!!