2013!

 

It's 2013, and even though it's not really my thing I've actually made new year's resolutions. Not that they're completely new.

One of them seems to be a continously failing project; that is to update my website regularly and blog more often - as well as  my eternal promise to use my sketchbook more instead of letting ideas slip away the second after they appear.

I won't try to make excuses ....ok, maybe I will.

In august 2012 I began my first semester of the master program in art history. I had no idea what I was getting myself into, and I spent a lot of time trying to decide what to write about (I didn't even know at the time that you could choose whatever topic you wanted, not restricted to course related material). I think I've gone through 4 or 5 different topics or angles at this point and I'm still not certain I've made the right decision. To add to my frustration, the first presentation of my project outline went straight to hell and the panel of professors wanted me to reconsider the idea altogether - so I had to start over from scratch when a lot of the others already had the green light to start working, which honestly felt like a slap in the face (which I probably needed, in retrospect). I'm now waiting for my green light - if I have to rewrite it again I still (theoretically) have a chance of completing my degree on time, but I certainly hope my outline will make the cut this time around.

On that occasion, in addition to reflections on painting, the blog will now also include some perspectives on writing and how the master project is developing (I can't guarantee it will be the most interesting read ever though).

As for painting, I'm planning to enter the new year by trying out a new brand of paints - I know I told myself I wouldn't go back after I tried cobra water soluble oils, but I've noticed how the sticky slow-drying (or should I say never-drying) surface tends to attract dust at a rate I can't keep up with, and it gets more and more inconvenient - both in terms of storage and aesthetic qualities. Add to that the impossibiity of improving the fluency of the paint without affecting opacity, and it should be understandable that I want to try something new. The paint shop where I usually go recommended Golden Open, which is a slow drying acrylic paint that allows you to adjust the drying time further with different mediums, and it is said to be in general more popular and suit the purpose better than cobra paints. So I'll probably go on a mad paint shopping spree on Thursday - as mad as my already slender wallet will allow - and I promise to blog again with my "review" once I've tried them.

Happy New Year!