Painting of the Week

Painting of the Week – Hollywood Squares

The Value of Making a FUN Painting – Hollywood Squares – by Fargo Artist Ellen Jean

Hollywood Squares started as a chicken study. I was painting chickens and arranging them to point to other chickens. They have several pointed features: feet, beaks, and tails. In some ways, it was like putting inverted triangles into squares. Shapes that point, direct the eye. So I practiced directing the eye and very subtle background color changes to bring out the subject. Because of the quantity and simplicity of this effort, I learned a lot and it built a creative freedom with this subject. Like “Hollywood Squares”, this became a game for me.

We have all heard of Breaking the Rules…but how about forgetting the rules and just having fun. Fun for who? You! There is such science into what makes a great composition and things you should never do. You can get so bogged down with the rules you can’t even paint. Putting a chicken in a box expanded my creativity with a subject by allowing me to play it many different ways without stress. I truly believe a fun painting is valid, because they give you new ideas about a subject.

If you are stressed out about painting, try something that is just for you, real easy and fun. Don’t worry about the end result. Make it for you as you count the most!

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