INSPIRATION
I chose to paint a starfish because of its capability of regeneration.
Read more at:
9 Fascinating Animals That Have The Ability To Regenerate Body Parts
“12 Surprising Facts About Starfish.”
Why Are Starfish Dying? Threats and How You Can Help Save Them
When planning for this year, I chose this image.
STRATEGY
I didn’t have one, I just plunged in.
CREATION
I did not keep good session logs either. My memory is:
- I had a difficult time drawing these creatures because they weren’t stars. PCA Amber ended up tracing the shapes and cutting them out so I trace down.
- I painted the pink starfish first. Then the red one.
- Painted the dark areas on the starfish and the sea urchin.
- I intended to have the background be sploshier, but when Amber said “I like the strong color” I gave in to peer pressure. I painted tan straight from the container, with a few blobs of green as afterthought.
INSIGHT
- What surprised me?
- How hard it is to remember my intention once I began painting.
- It was hard to paint the shapes because I wanted them to be stars.
- What have I learned?
- Take time to strategize, including breaking away from realism and celebrating the qualities of watercolor paint.
- Remember intentions before starting to paint. Hold your ground.
- What do I want to learn or try?
- Research species info before painting. I might have painted a more threatened species of sea star if I did the research first.
- Thoughts about the theme.
- We humans can’t regenerate, but we can bring self-compassion to our bodies. I doubt starfish can do that. (Not that it’s a competition.)