Being the daughter of an artist can be…well, inspiring, sometimes frustrating. Occasionally you watch him paint and it makes you think “hey, I can do that!”…but you can’t. Nope, you never can. It has given me a healthy appreciation for having art on my walls however.
Now, I’m desperate to find the perfect stunning piece for my high living room wall, something that your eye is drawn to when you enter the room, something that sets the tone, and the pallet just tumbles off of into the rest of the space.
Then I saw this gorgeous painting by Emily Jefford…
…and now no other piece will do! Bummer! I can’t have this specific piece, I can’t afford to commission a piece…uh oh, I feel that artistic pull again, you know what this means. I have fallen back into that fantasy, that somehow I can “do it myself”. So here we go again…
And because I am dedicated to sharing all the details and how-tos, artist or not, fail or succeed, I’m sharing how I created this piece for my living room inspired by Emily’s perfect piece.
My Studio
Just kidding, I don’t have a studio, just my living room. I wanted to paint the piece in the lighting from the room it would hang, so a piece of cardboard atop the coffee table is my station for today. And by the way, you shouldn’t try this at home! When I wield a paint brush or roller, I’m meticulous. Crazy as this sounds, I don’t usually use plastic when I paint walls, I never drip, and I don’t get paint on my clothes unless I intentionally used them as a brush cleaning tool. Accidents can always happen, so I should have at least protected the area from spills, but I confess I didn’t. *shrug* Let’s paint!
We’ve got wall paint, craft paint, and real painters paint half dried up! I’m using paper plates and bowls as my art pallet, and my kids paint brushes from their school art set. Yep, nothing too fancy here!
The most profession items I am using are these leftover gouache paints my dad sent me years ago, most of them were dried up but some were still viable! I read up on gouache paint to make sure it would mix with the other paint types, which they do with the exception of a couple possible colors/brands. If you are afraid your leftover paints won’t react well together, test them before use.
OMG! amazing! you’re so talented.
THANKS for this! I am so doing this! I too LOVE jeffords and am a daughter of an artist, yet…my skillz need some work, so these tips are going to help a ton! I LOVE your painting! You should keep doing this!
How cool! Well aren’t we kindred spirits. 😀
Thank you!! I love this!
I came across your website to check your diamond tufted headboard, and suprisingly I found the painting I owned!
What a coincidence! I like your painting as well!
Lucky lucky lucky you! I love that painting and would trade mine out for that one any day! LOL! Thank you for the compliment! 😉
I’m not an artist artist but I enjoy painting as well and I have to say… I kinda like your painting more than the one that inspired you :o!
Aw, thanks! That’s so nice to say! 😀
Oh my, this person has said exactly what I wanted to say! I loved the inspiration piece and then I saw yours – even better! I love to try to copy (because I have no originality like you). Tell me more of how you did this – it is gorgeous! Stop saying you aren’t an artist. You are indeed! And a very good one!
Thank you so much! You bring a smile to my heart! 🙂
You ARE an artist, Sweetie!! Just look around you at your beautiful home! Not just at the “paintings” you’ve created, but the whole package! Simply gorgeous!
Aw, thank you! That is the sweetest thing you could say! I appreciate that! 😉
this is excellent tips…. i have recently started painting on canvas and have so far painted few abstract based paintings and this one is a welcome addition to my collection. Thanks.
as someone who usually hates landscape paintings (unless i’m painting them myself), i’d like to chime in and say that while the inspiration piece is cool, i find your choice of colors more subtly moody and evocative. rock on.
Oh wow, thank you!
It looks fantastic x
Heather | Of Beauty & Nothingness
Well done and you enjoyed yourself while doing it! That’s a win win in my book. My budget also doesn’t allow for art purchases but I certainly enjoy painting my own. Painting it in the room where it will hang is a good idea!
this is beautiful!
This looks great! I would totally hang this in my own home. I definitely think you’re an artist.
I know what you mean by seeing something and thinking, “Oh, I could do that.” It’s always so much harder than it you think it would be. I think you did a great job!
Thank you! It may not be a real piece by an artist, but it will do for now! 😀
It IS a real piece – by a REAL artist. But you can keep nay
saying your talent if you want. It isn’t polite to toot your own horn – let your admirers do that!
I know that when your father sees this he will have a very BIG smile and say “Karen, look at this! Our creative geans live on in another.” 🙂 Nice work Ursala. You sure are creative. Where do you find the time? Not only for your GREAT projects,but then for your masterfull post discribing them in minute detail. Your are AMAZING. ��
Aw, thank you! I appreciate all the support and encouragement! 🙂
Holy cow, what was I drinking? Creative geans? I meant CREATIVE GENES. Egads. I should proof read closer.