I Really Do Read The Comments...

...and it means a lot to me that you took the time to read and comment.  I know it can be a pain. 

But, I read all the comments.  And I *love* reading them.  And I try hard to visit the blog of each person who comments (and leaves me a blog url, of course).  Usually I spend a lazy weekend afternoon catching up on the blogs of everyone who comments.  Amazing talent out there, isn't there?  And I try to email people who leave questions.

I do get shy, though.  Silly, right?  And if you ever meet me, you'll be like, "This girl is shy?!"  But, I am.  So I read your blog and I don't always comment.  I'm trying to get better about it though, and stop lurking.

Anyway, the point of all of this - well, there are two points actually - the first point is as follows:

I got an e-mail from a reader who wanted to know why I never respond to any of the comments.

Well, I do.  I just usually e-mail the person who asked the question.  But, it occurred to me that there might be people out there who want to know the answers too or who are interested in the back and forth of some of these e-mails.  So I'm going to try to respond to comments more publicly from now on.  I thought I'd start with two comments from yesterday's post:

Wow, just wow. I'd love to hear more about how you are mixing the watercolors and the gesso...

Posted by: Ally | November 30, 2009 at 12:23 PM

In brief, I coat the blank page with gesso (which really makes the watercolor move around) and then as I paint, I occasionally "white out" parts I don't like or want to make lighter with the gesso.  And then I watercolor on top.  I don't actually mix the paints so much as layer them.

Your faces look awesome. You can really see how much better you got from the first one you showed us. I guess drawing can get better with practice. I always wrote it off for myself, but maybe I should give it a go.

Posted by: Tali | November 30, 2009 at 02:25 PM

I could talk for four hours about this comment.  So, so, so true.  I think most people feel that they can't draw.  But practice really does make perfect.  It's like learning to play a sport or an instrument or anything else.  Yes, innate talent makes it easier.  But hard work really closes the gap.  Listen, I'm never going to be Picasso.  But I do think that practice and educating myself will help me progress and become the best that I can be. 

And the one thing I've learned about success is that you have to be ready to fail.

A gymnast has to be ready to fall in order to let go of one bar and swing to the next one.  If you just keep doing the same thing over and over you don't grow.  I try very hard to embrace the idea of failure.  I tell myself, my students, my actors, the directors I mentor, all to "suck harder" and "fail gloriously."So give it a go.  Whatever it is that you think you stink at.  Give it a try.  You will get better at it with practice.  That's a guarantee.

Onto the second point:

Thank You!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  THANK YOU!

I don't say it enough.

Thank you for reading.
Thank you for commenting.
Thank you for letting me ramble.
Thank you for the love.
Thank you for the questions.
Thank you for sharing with me.
Thank you for the links.
Thank you for the emails.
Thank you for the inspiration.
Thank you for all of it.  I love reading the comments.

And because I can't do a post without a photo, here's a Prima project that I haven't shared before.  It seems appropriate for today's post.

Truth be told, I don't love this layout.  I think I probably should have left off the flowers that are along the edges.  And I do think that I should have painted the black and white "Paintable" paper.  It's too white.  And probably the photo should be more towards the title in the center of the page.  But like I was saying before, you live and you learn.  I figure if I take a risk ten times, nine times I'll fail and once it will be so totally amazing that it will make all the failure worthwhile.

Here are some details:

I chopped up one of Prima's stitched Mulberry papers and used it everywhere!  I really like how the letters turned out covered in the stitched paper.  And you can see how I tried to stitch the paper flowers to match.

 Thank you for stopping by!