Mug Series

As usual I was unable to sleep last night. I'm positive that my schedule has become "delayed" as the moronic sleep specialists like to call it. Before Chris left on his little trip, I was well on my way to fixing it. I was falling asleep at an hour that was decent (for me anyway) and waking up pretty much at the same time every day and it went on like this for about two weeks. Even though I was getting a good 6 hours of sleep a night, it was sleep at a time when my body didn't want it. So I'd roll myself out of bed at 8 or 9. Every muscle in my back tense and stiff. My legs, arms and shoulders screaming with shooting and stabbing pains. Of course, I'd also feel like I'd gotten absolutely no sleep at all. My forehead usually was pounding and I was totally nauseated. I'd drag myself around for most of the day feeling like I had some horrible combination of the flu and food poisoning. If I'd been able to keep it up for a month, it would have started to get better. But then my husband went on one of his helicopter hobby trips. Under normal circumstances I wouldn't have cared. But I knew that him leaving would send me into an emotional tail spin. Not to mention the fact that I can barely dress myself let alone do any sort of household chore. I knew it would be a complete and utter disaster and it was. I was appalled that he'd leave me alone in my state for so long. I can manage two days or while he's at work... but 5? I thought he was acting selfish and inconsiderate and let him know it. My only consolation is that his little 5 day excursion was about as horrible as mine. He decided to drive and was stuck in the car for 13 hours with people he wasn't exactly thrilled about. Plus weather problems at the event itself. I tried to be sympathetic when he got back but he could tell I was faking it.

So anyway, around 5:30 in the morning I gave up on attempting to sleep. I wandered into my little make-shift studio, laid out my paints and started this painting. I have a bunch of mugs and I may do a whole series of them.

PRO
1) I feel I really got the reflections made by the fabric well.
2) The negative space the handle is forming is actually damned near perfect to the model.
3) I managed to place the mug correctly on the canvas. It's exactly where I wanted it.

CON
1) I wish I could have captured the fabric the mug was sitting on better. It's a beautiful quarter yard from my quilting collection. I deliberately simplified it down to a simple stripe because I really wanted the reflection practice.
2) Despite a few measurements, the actual mug is shorter and wider than this mug. Even though I measured the mug's width and height, I still wasn't able to capture the squat look of the original mug.
3) Also the actual mug is white and you'd think this was painted from more of a cream colored subject.
4) The mug's still has some minor drawing issues. The mug itself is not symmetrical which is making it appear taller on the right than the left. The correct left edge is not matching up with the incorrect right edge. The rim is also not symmetrical.

LESSON
Buy better god damned paint. When I made my charge back into oil painting, I did what many beginners do. I cheaped out. I bought student grade paints and brushes and I've been regretting that decision ever since. Cheap brushes are generally the first thing to break down so those have long since been placed. The paint tubes last longer though. I have slowly been replacing them with higher quality paints but some of those tubes are lasting way longer than I thought they would. As usual I need to step backwards more often. I probably really need to start standing up when I paint.

I laid out the painting flat to dry and set up what I'm going to be diving into tomorrow if I'm able to. I really need to organize my studio area. Right now it's serving a dual purpose as cat corral and art studio. My oldest cat, Hannah, had something of a breakdown last year around Thanksgiving and we have kept her separated from the other cats ever since. She is terrified of all the other cats in the house (to the point of spontaneous urination and defecation at the sight of them) and doesn't want to emerge from that room. Behavior therapy and finally medication have not helped her so in her little room she stays. It is getting rather cluttered with items that really should be in other parts of the house.