Am Not Coping

Checked out the beginning of your painting @Faith-and-Hope I so wish it was possible to see it when it is finished - some things in life just aren't possible though I wish you all the luck in the world with the competition - and I am sure whatever the outcome it will be an amazing piece of work that you can be very proud of

I'll have to see the sunset pics later when they are approved - might bring some light into my life!

I saw my GP today but really could not find the words to talk to her properly.

I'm not really back - just 'stopping by' as I miss a few of you on here. It is a very lonely place being me atm and I have nowhere or no-one else to turn to.

@utopia

@CheerBear

Always here for you @Zoe7 .... in thoughts as much as on the forums themselves .....

I wanted to show you the background colour of the painting. I know it's dark, but the oil paint has a silky effect and with the brush-strokes in it, it is so much like our dog's fur ..... it makes me want to run my hands through it ..... but what a mess that would make !!!

I am going to use the technique of the old masters of the Salon in Paris, where they worked forward from a dark background to "illuminate" the images in colour that they brought forward from the dark background. Whike I love, love, love Impressionism, which is based on the principles of light or "illumination" in the sense of the absence of dark-coloured paints, in this instance I believe the older technique will suit the image the best.

Hi @Zoe7, I'm glad you trust us enough to tell us how you really feel at the moment, and i'm sorry its so hard for you lately. Haven't seen you round much - missed you.

Remember the bigger picture is impossible to see clearly from the valley of shadows. I've been there and it is hard and we do trip up and struggle finding our feet a lot, but keep going, no matter how slow, its still fwd and you'll get through. One day at a time, find one thing worth doing. Here with you 🌸

Today I created a folder in my phone, I called 'myAffirmations' where I store quotes and pictures and any quick reads that give me an inner lift and remind me of how to think. Its amazing how going through it gives me the spark to get up again. There's so muconline now if you want to start a collection of your own.

Big hug💕

Thanks @Former-Member it has been really tough lately - both on forum and irl - so doing what I can to get by atm

@Faith-and-Hope I'm the same here - always thinking happy thoughts of you even when I'm not on here. I sometimes find it both frustrating and sad that the people I am closest to in life I will never have the privilege of meeting and knowing in person. That is difficult to accept sometimes.

I love the fact that you are going 'dark' with your painting and building from that base. I think I told you but will again just in case - I changed the background og my butterfly girl from the dark forest feel to a brighter rainbow coloured background. I did really like the old dark background but I like this one even more. It is progressing but there is still a lot to do!

OH WOW @Former-Member your image just came up - it is really beautiful - thankyou

I find the rainbow colours so uplifting @Zoe7 .... it really is just the depth I need from this painting, in terms of its spatial depth, that is dictating the dark to light movement on the canvas ..... but even this dark background has so much movement in it owing to the mixture of pigments I have used .... sort of like those nail polishes that catch the light with one colour one way, and another colour when the light catches it the other way ..... not quite so dramatically, but it's still there .....

The strong, vivid colours that will go on top will be all the sharper against this gorgeous background colour .... I can't even call it chocolate ..... lol .... cos the Indigo adds an inkyness .....

I can't wait to see your butterfly girl. Maybe she is your light-catcher, with rainbow hues shining around her .....

🤗💜💕

Just caught up on a little of what has been happening for you @utopia I am so sorry that things are so bad for my beautiful friend. I am sorry I haven't been around for you but I wish right now I could embrace you in a huge hug and then transport you with me through the cyber world back here with me. I would take you to the Huon Valley and visit some of our wonderful national parks and we could find solace in each other's company - however messed up we are lol.

Loving you and holding you close to my heart always my friend...

Zoe

@Former-Member image hasn't come through for me here yet .... funny how there is variation in them time-wise .... must be the long trip across the Nullabor .... lol ....

Have the sunset pics come through yet @Zoe7 @utopia .... ?