Palette block...as opposed to painter's block

So, the palette I bought came with a bunch of mini mixing cups and a few slanted wells for mixing the paint.  And yes, I managed to create the "masterpiece"....it's a piece all right....from the last blog entry using that palette.  However, I quickly realized that the brushes and painting knives I bought barely fit in the cups, and the slanted wells won't hold enough paint to allow me to mix the paint on the palette.  I made due, because I was hell bent on painting something!  I already delayed myself 10 days since purchasing the supplies...and about 15 years from when I wanted to try all this in the first place.

Luckily, the store was amazing and let me return it.  I found my new palette and tomorrow, I plan to purchase it...much to the grief of my husband.  Apparently, he's running out of gift ideas for me for Christmas.  I simply convinced him that I returned 1 palette and will be purchasing another...so I'm not buying anything extraaaa.  It's a wash.  He bought it.  Phew!  ;)

At the store, while browsing for new palettes (that I couldn't buy because I forgot my 50% off coupon at home!!!...hence why I'm going back tomorrow on my day off) I discovered even more about the type of paint I've been using.  The tubes I have don't necessarily call themselves "Heavy Body" on the tube, but they go on very thick.  It's like squeezing toothpaste.  I found some "flow" acrylic paint that seems much thinner.  I really need to teach myself more about reading the paint tubes.  I still don't know how to read the viscosity.  I'm so concerned about my skills, that I'm overlooking details.  I'll learn...I'm getting there.  It's not even 2 weeks on this journey yet.

Project 1: Become an artist

I began with a starter set of acrylic paints, as shown to the right. There are some basic tools and canvas boards included, so I simply purchased some additional Bob Ross-worthy brushes and painting knives...and spent days overthinking. I went with acrylics, because the online forums seemed to agree that acrylics are the easiest cleanup and the fastest instant gratification method of painting over other forms (oil, watercolor, etc). After several evenings online with the experienced painters of the world, absorbing advice...I decided that I was ready. I also had some new-found confidence after a recent photo-copy in pencil of my husband's wedding portrait.

Conditions: No easel, no clips, no skill set, no artistic ability, and no patience for myself. In other words, like most conditions I start major projects under.

Lest I forget...I also watched approximately 45 minutes of Bob Ross painting clips on YouTube which motivated me to open the paints for the first time since I purchased them over 10 days ago.

 
This was my result......................

After a few surprise mountains and happy little trees and wistful shrubbery....not to mention the poorly lit sky and physically challenged proportions and scaling....ta-da!

What thoughts have you? I know mine. Be nice. It's the first. Mind you, this "art" work is more work than art. It's for me as I uncover the new Suzanne.

Note: Because I am such a fine budding artist, my display easel (for the time being) is my laptop.  Please pardon the row of F1 keys at the bottom of the photo.  Classy.