{"id":22731,"date":"2025-03-05T10:52:23","date_gmt":"2025-03-05T16:52:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beardogco.com\/theroadhome\/?p=22731"},"modified":"2025-03-05T10:52:24","modified_gmt":"2025-03-05T16:52:24","slug":"two-mini-art-projects-for-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beardogco.com\/theroadhome\/2025\/03\/two-mini-art-projects-for-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Two mini art projects for 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I had been documenting my art journey on Instagram &#8230; specifically my watercolor and sketching.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some of my art story I have told on this blog &#8230; just a few posts back (the PleinAirpril posts), but the real start was mid-November 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After PleinAirpril, I took a break and then it seemed like there was one home\/rv project after another and I didn&#8217;t paint much until December when I started one of my favorite YouTube artists daily Advent Calendar painting. Since then I have been painting and drawing nearly every day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There have been several art challenges with the 100 in a year theme.  I started one for 100 3&#215;3 inch paintings in a year and finished 27 so far:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">1-9 &#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"906\" src=\"https:\/\/www.beardogco.com\/theroadhome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Mini1_8796.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-22733\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.beardogco.com\/theroadhome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Mini1_8796.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.beardogco.com\/theroadhome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Mini1_8796-298x300.jpg 298w, https:\/\/www.beardogco.com\/theroadhome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Mini1_8796-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.beardogco.com\/theroadhome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Mini1_8796-768x773.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.beardogco.com\/theroadhome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Mini1_8796-40x40.jpg 40w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">10-18<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"898\" src=\"https:\/\/www.beardogco.com\/theroadhome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Mini2_8797.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-22734\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.beardogco.com\/theroadhome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Mini2_8797.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.beardogco.com\/theroadhome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Mini2_8797-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.beardogco.com\/theroadhome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Mini2_8797-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.beardogco.com\/theroadhome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Mini2_8797-768x766.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.beardogco.com\/theroadhome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Mini2_8797-40x40.jpg 40w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">19-27<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"895\" src=\"https:\/\/www.beardogco.com\/theroadhome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Mini3_8798.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-22735\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.beardogco.com\/theroadhome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Mini3_8798.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.beardogco.com\/theroadhome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Mini3_8798-300x298.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.beardogco.com\/theroadhome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Mini3_8798-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.beardogco.com\/theroadhome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Mini3_8798-768x764.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.beardogco.com\/theroadhome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Mini3_8798-40x40.jpg 40w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No masterpieces :) !! But some I liked, all I enjoyed creating and learning something new along the way. The minis are fun as they are generally quick to complete &#8230; still layers and drying time, but also the variety of techniques tends to be fewer so they give me a chance to practice in a simpler way than when doing something larger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/www.beardogco.com\/theroadhome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Albums_8799.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-22736\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.beardogco.com\/theroadhome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Albums_8799.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.beardogco.com\/theroadhome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Albums_8799-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.beardogco.com\/theroadhome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Albums_8799-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.beardogco.com\/theroadhome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Albums_8799-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.beardogco.com\/theroadhome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Albums_8799-40x40.jpg 40w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I have been alternating between painting on cut sheets of paper and the cute mini-sketchbooks I found.   All are done on 100% cotton, cold-press watercolor paper.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">(Mini-sketchbooks from <a target=\"Just Journal It\" href=\"https:\/\/www.etsy.com\/shop\/JUSTJOURNALIT?ref=shop-header-name&amp;listing_id=1398346559&amp;from_page=listing\"><font color=\"#424ff1\">Just Journal It<\/font><\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Recently, I watched the below video. In addition to another 100 small paintings, Leslie Stroz starts (at 1:00) with &#8220;What happens to your brain when you make art&#8221;. She shares scientific studies that show some positive things that happen when you make art &#8230; art including any creative endeavor. I found it is all true for me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"100 Tiny Paintings in a Year-- Are You in?\" width=\"658\" height=\"370\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/U5CrhP8LNBY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While the other challenges tended to be specific in size and format, Leslie encouraged any artist participating to choose their own size, medium, subject matter &#8230; what each artist prefers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I will continue with the 3&#215;3. But I have some of the mini-paper and a tin like what she is using.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So, I am doing this second challenge in the super-mini size which is 1.25&#215;2 inches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/www.beardogco.com\/theroadhome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Paint_8789-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-22743\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.beardogco.com\/theroadhome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Paint_8789-1.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.beardogco.com\/theroadhome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Paint_8789-1-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.beardogco.com\/theroadhome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Paint_8789-1-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.beardogco.com\/theroadhome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Paint_8789-1-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.beardogco.com\/theroadhome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Paint_8789-1-40x40.jpg 40w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">My first 4:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/www.beardogco.com\/theroadhome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/SuperMini_8795-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-22744\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.beardogco.com\/theroadhome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/SuperMini_8795-1.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.beardogco.com\/theroadhome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/SuperMini_8795-1-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.beardogco.com\/theroadhome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/SuperMini_8795-1-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.beardogco.com\/theroadhome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/SuperMini_8795-1-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.beardogco.com\/theroadhome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/SuperMini_8795-1-40x40.jpg 40w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">#2 (lower left), I tried ink and wash.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lots to learn in scaling down! <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I will paint larger along with these minis and hopefully some Plein Air as well. I have my SUV (traded Jeep for a large SUV) set up to allow me to sit and paint from inside as well as make a hot drink and enjoy a snack while waiting for layers to dry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When I was working my &#8220;day job&#8221; from my home office with all of the home distractions, I worked from a schedule with general time slots for working, getting outside, baking, etc. Since retiring from that work, I have kept with a schedule &#8230; more flexible, but a plan for the day. As the news swirls, I set myself 1-1.5 hours to read or watch news and send letters\/emails to my government reps. I have time slots for photography, videography, writing, chores, playing and walking outside with Emmett and Oscar, painting and drawing &#8230; my days are full but balanced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I usually paint in the evening and find it is very helpful to me in turning off the noise of the day. After painting as I clean up, turn out lights, take Emmett out in the fresh air &#8230; I find I am prepared for my night rest and sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hope anyone reading also has a creative activity that they love as well as opportunity to get outside!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I had been documenting my art journey on Instagram &#8230; specifically my watercolor and sketching. Some of my art story I have told on this blog &#8230; just a few posts back (the PleinAirpril posts), but the real start was mid-November 2023. After PleinAirpril, I took a break and then it seemed like there was [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22731","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-front-porch-musings"],"post_mailing_queue_ids":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beardogco.com\/theroadhome\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22731","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beardogco.com\/theroadhome\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beardogco.com\/theroadhome\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beardogco.com\/theroadhome\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beardogco.com\/theroadhome\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22731"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.beardogco.com\/theroadhome\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22731\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22747,"href":"https:\/\/www.beardogco.com\/theroadhome\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22731\/revisions\/22747"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beardogco.com\/theroadhome\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22731"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beardogco.com\/theroadhome\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22731"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beardogco.com\/theroadhome\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22731"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}