I am still working on this Sonatina by Kuhlau. At this point, I can play the whole thing from memory. YAY! I can also recover after making mistakes. YAY again! HOWEVER, my tempo is still hella inconsistent, sometimes my sixteenth notes sound like soup, sometimes my sixteenth notes don’t sound like soup but I missContinue reading “Progress Report II: Sonatine”
Tag Archives: fundamentals
Watercolor Within the Lines
Here’s some pictures I painted this week! You’ll remember these perhaps from my geometrical drawings post, and I figured these were the perfect canvases to work on some very basic watercolor skills: painting within the lines and practicing some of my new-found color knowledge from last week My chosen color palette didn’t come out quiteContinue reading “Watercolor Within the Lines”
Back to the Basics: Color Theory
I have a confession to make: Even though I’ve been painting for over a year now, last week if I’d been asked to name the primary colors I’d have needed to puzzle it out. See, when I started watercolors I did the very thing most experts recommend beginners NOT do: I bought a large setContinue reading “Back to the Basics: Color Theory”
Dip Pen Calligraphy
I had a tsunami of work projects swamp me this week, so my time for creativity was way limited. I did however manage to stumble further into the world of calligraphy. In my previous post on this topic I shared the Beth Style Worksheet I’d purchased from The Postman’s Knock. While this is a greatContinue reading “Dip Pen Calligraphy”
Faux Calligraphy
Since I’ve committed this year to only sending out cards that I hand-make, I felt that it was time to tackle some calligraphy. While my handwriting isn’t lamentable, it also isn’t anything to write home about, so developing a fancy version of writing for fancy occasions has always been a creative goal. This development ofContinue reading “Faux Calligraphy”
Beginning Again . . . Part II
So, the other back-to-basics thing I have been doing DILIGENT work on is practicing my scales. A scale is an “organized sequence of notes,” or, for the willy-nilly musicians among us, boring shit that you don’t feel like practicing. HOWEVER, scales improve finger strength and dexterity, help with hand coordination, and improve intonation. They areContinue reading “Beginning Again . . . Part II”
Beginning Again . . . Part I
Music theory is, according to Wikipedia, the study of “the practices and possibilities of music.” I love how they put this! Anyway, because music theory is essentially the language and rules of music, it is vital for any musician that gives AF. During the past couple years of playing piano, I haven’t moved much beyondContinue reading “Beginning Again . . . Part I”
Watercolor Exercises: Flex Those Brushes
I’ve been playing around with watercolor for a few months now, but I’ve never taken the time to try to understand how this medium really works. While it seems simple on the surface, let me assure you, watercolor is not easy. Yes, there are only four main components: paint, water, brushes, and paper. But theContinue reading “Watercolor Exercises: Flex Those Brushes”
Keys To Drawing Project: Ugly Feet (and Other Sketches)
In the hopes of improving my sketchy drawing skills, I’ve placed myself in the hands of Bert Dodson and his highly recommended book Keys to Drawing. I’ll be going through each of the 48 exercises in the book and sharing some of the results and learning here. To begin with, I thought I’d show someContinue reading “Keys To Drawing Project: Ugly Feet (and Other Sketches)”
The Basics of Graphite Grading
I just found out yesterday that pencils have different levels graphite grading (resist your urge to ridicule, please), and this is what makes some pencils have harder lines and some softer. Previously, I thought a pencil was a pencil, and maybe just the size of the tip was what made a difference. I almost always used mechanicalContinue reading “The Basics of Graphite Grading”
Compulsive Creation 