Kim's 26 Brush Stroke Challenge

You've risen to the challenge magnificently Thea, I would find it impossible to produce a recognisable portrait, or anything for that matter, in 26 brush strokes! A good idea though to have more of these informal challenges on the gallery and who knows, I may actually attempt one!

Wow, great brush strokes Thea

Thanks Christine and Glennis - fancy having a go?? You just have to steel yourself and go for it - it helps if you have been well lubricated, lol!

Like the simplicity of this. Very gentle.and sweet.

I'm often quite well lubricated...... and I'm not sure I wouldn't lose count of the brushstrokes before I got to 26. But you've done well, and I agree -- a few challenges on the Forum might be helpful to many of us, to break through a block, to get us thinking: I know a challenge I'd like to set some watercolourists: paint a picture using no masking fluid or white gouache...... Cruel, but one has to be cruel to be kind. Or just to be cruel ...

Of course, one good trick here would be to take your biggest mop brush or Hake, charge it with colour, and make a massive, but single, stroke which told much of the story of the painting in one go; then any other strokes would be a bonus.....

Painted I'm assuming quite quickly and what a satisfying result. I know that painting like this is great fun, the difficult part is keeping track of the number of brush strokes, especially when a little lubricated!

Wow, this is a fantastic portrait, Thea. I would like some informal challenges on the POL-site. As Robert says: to brake through a block. Good idea!!!

Thank you very much Sylvia, Robert, Louise and Mia. Robert, I have never used masking fluid so wouldn't know what to do with it I confess. I have used white gouache as I like doing the ropes on boats with it just to add an unexpected touch as dark ropes can be a tad boring. Otherwise, I don't use anything other than pure watercolour (mainly because I don't have the expertise to doing anything else, lol!). I would love to see some light-hearted challenges on the gallery for those who fancy a bit of light relief and fun. Does anyone remember the Bete Noire challenge where we all had input about what we hate painting and we ended up doing a painting incorporating all of them. I seem to remember coming up with a nude man, holding a still life plate of fruit in one hand and a broom in the other hand, with his foot in a bucket!!!! That made an interesting painting and gave everyone a giggle.

Wonderful. This really makes me aware of what true artists can achieve. I'm sure that I couldn't do anything in 26 - or 126 - brush strokes, that would be worth looking at. Regarding Robert's suggestion, what about a watercolour using only one colour, but with masking fluid (or possibly wax resist) compulsory!!

Thank you very much, Bill, and I am sure that someone of your talent is more than capable of producing something really great with limited brushstrokes. I would definitely find painting using just one colour a huge challenge, being a colourist at heart. Never used wax resist, so that would also be a tricky one for me too. The idea of challenges is great though, isn't it.

I've been feeling quite guilty about throwing down this gauntlet. Partly because it's caused many headaches and also because I've yet to rise to it! (will do today - see later). But as often happens, challenges can be as liberating as they are inhibiting. Life throws them at us in continuation. On an important ontological level, the mere acceptance of them is tantamount to winning. Conversely, not rising to them is always failing them. So hey, there's nothing to lose. Thea's done it spectacularly, allocating strokes not only to apply paint with, but also to soften (a true luxury: once you get to the x, y and zs of the alphabet of strokes, each is worth its weight in gold). Would you have changed something had you had an extra 5? Discuss! Bravissima.

Thank you, Kim! I, like you, relied on linking areas with a single brushstroke and allowing a bit of gravity to spread the paint - all legit I presume? I love a challenge and can never resist as I do feel if I have failed if I don't even pick up the baton let alone run with it. If I had an extra 5 brushstrokes (although I took an extra 4 over the 26), I think I would have been tempted to go back and adjust some areas and that would not have enhanced what I had already done, so I think the limit was just about right - achievable, but not too easily.

I'm gearing myself up for the challenge!!! What a nice painting can be achieved in such a small number of strokes is pretty amazing!

Good on yer and great result - I'm too weak to go for this challenge

Beautiful.