When it comes to painting shiny things, as many of you know, I’m a total fan. Whether it’s glass or metal, I’m excited to doodlewash it. Since I couldn’t chose which material to paint today, we have a little of both in this shiny cappuccino. Actually, if I drink too much espresso, I too feel a bit shiny in that really buzzed way were you feel deceptively alert and ready to attempt anything. Not a particularly settling feeling really, but always a sure sign I’ve had too much caffeine. My favorite is simply a shot of espresso on its own without anything to dull it down. I think I get this from my mother who always preferred her coffee black. Certainly not from my father who added so much cream and sugar that it turned into a slightly coffee-flavored liquid candy. I can only can assume my father didn’t actually like coffee and was desperately trying to disguise the flavor. I always wondered why he didn’t just opt for something he actually enjoyed instead. Today, if it’s not espresso, I prefer a dark roast coffee. The darker the better really, as I really do enjoy the flavor.
They say that caffeine can cause a spike in blood pressure, but mine has always run notoriously low so this isn’t a problem. It’s since raised to closer to normal readings now, but when I was younger the doctor once took my blood pressure three times just to be sure I wasn’t a vampire. In most cases, visiting a doctor causes stress which can temporarily increase the reading, but this didn’t work for me I guess. It’s not that I don’t experience stress, I just experience it pragmatically rather than emotionally. When things get a little hectic, I figure there’s always a way to get through it so obsessing or worrying seems like a waste of perfectly good energy. And truly, most of the stress I experience in life is self-induced because I wait until absolutely the last moment to do everything. That’s why these posts are a perfect fit for me. The painting you see and the rambles you read were all just made, just barely in time for this evening’s posting. But, I love it that way. There’s no surgical editing to be done or making myself sound amazing or plunking in key words. Just an honest little moment revealing what’s on my mind.
Painting is, after all, a reflection of life. It’s not actual life, but a rough facsimile created via the mind and hand of the artist. My painting style is perfectly messy and quick. This style, if one can call it that, isn’t so much a goal as a side effect. I have a ridiculously short attention span. I can’t spend more than an hour on a painting or I start to get seriously bored. Actually, these are all usually made in under 45 minutes as that’s about the time when I start to get fidgety. I paint in a circular fashion, hoping the last area I touched is somewhat dry before layering more color on top and pushing it around roughly where I think it should go. And then I scan what I made so quickly that it’s often still wet, so for that, I keep a spray bottle nearby to wipe off yesterday’s image first. Revealing all of this now, makes me sound like a madman, but it’s actually how I’ve managed to paint each and every day for over two and a half years. My method is the one that works for me. It’s the one that keeps me coming back each day with enthusiasm because it fits me and the way I approach life. That when you know you’ve found your style. So, for a brief and blissful period, I can simply ignore any stress lurking there from my busy day, and take just a moment to indulge in a shiny cappuccino.
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About the DoodlewashDa Vinci Paint Co.: Nickel Azo Yellow, Terra Cotta, and Cobalt Blue. Lamy Al-Star Safari Fountain Pen with sepia ink in an A5 Hahnemühle Watercolour Book. Want to purchase a print of this doodlewash? Send me a note with a link to this post, and I’ll add it to my shop! |
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Creator of Doodlewash®, founder of World Watercolor Month (July), World Watercolor Group™, and host of the Sketching Stuff Podcast. Sharing daily watercolor illustrations and stories while proudly featuring talented artists from all over the world! If you’d like to be a guest artist on Doodlewash.com, contact me!
coffee… yum. so lovely Charlie! I had to chuckle, ‘no keywords’…. the notion, the worry, the idea of having to add those in as well, as the rest – takes the fun right out. lol anyway, enjoyed your artful take on life, art and coffee this morning! cheers, Debi
Thanks so much, Debi!! 😃💕 Yeah, to heck with keywords! hehe… I’ve been researching things online for work this week and keep getting directed to article that repeat themselves. It’s driving me insane so that’s been on my mind!! So happy you enjoyed this post! Of pure, uncensored rambles!! lol
🙂
Your cappuccino looks lovely, but I’ll take a double expresso, no sugar!
Thanks, Sharon!! 😃💕 A woman after my own heart! hehe… My fave as well!
That cappuccino painting is real enough to get me buzzing – it’s seriously amazing. I need to learn your techniques for getting a painting done in 45 minutes because the daily postcards I do for my husband usually end up taking way too long.
Thanks so much, Sandra! 😃💕 So happy you liked this one! Yeah, I’m not sure what I do is even a technique… but I hope to talk more about it in an upcoming post! And you can be the judge! 😉
What a tasty cappuccino.charlie u r expert in drwoing any thing as well.
I also learned making glass from you. thanks.
Aww that’s so wonderful to hear, Snehlata! 😃💕 Love that!!
Beautiful limited palette.
Thanks so much, Miguel! 😃💕
Lovely cappuccino – and since I’m reading this in the morning, I might just make myself one now. It won’t be as fun and shiny as your painting, but at least I’ll be able to drink it! It’s also so fun to learn bits about your process. We always guessed that there was some wet paint lurking, but you’ve confirmed it. ( :
Thanks, Ellie! 😃💕Hope you had that cappuccino! And yep… all wet paint… hehe… zero patience… and still lots of fun! That’s how I make a doodlewash!
Super job on capturing all the reflections on the metal and making the glass transparent. You definitely like a challenge!
Thanks so much, Laure! 😃💕 hehe… yeah, I love painting glass and shiny objects, even though half way in I’m thinking, “what have I done? I don’t have time for this!” But I think that’s what makes it so fun!
If it weren’t for the challenges and ridiculously scary moments, I don’t think many of us would stick with it!
That’s so true!!
I love the dark coffee too! And you can’t go wrong with a cappuccino. Impatient and procrastination are my buzz words too. Why do today what you can put off until tomorrow when a short deadline is so much more invigorating!! 😀😀😀
Thanks, Lisa! 😃💕 I agree!! I actually love short deadlines… they add a little zing like espresso to the mix. I’ve learned they’re also pretty much the only way I can get anything done. 😊
Fascinating hearing about your approach Charlie, and a huge well done on managing to paint every day, – respect! Your paintings always look so fresh, and reading about how you do them, quickly without too much thinking time, I can understand a bit more how you keep them so alive, inspiring stuff 😊
Aww thanks so much, Phil! 😃💕 Glad you liked this! I’m going to delve a bit more into my process in a future post, so stay tuned! But yep… it’s fast and messy and yet always fun and satisfying!
You don´t sound like a mad man at all to me! I also prefer to paint rather quickly – if a painting takes more than an hour and a half or two hours I start to get nervous and might even ruin the piece, so I stop and work on it further the next day. Your shiny cappuccino is just awesome! I love how you paint all those shiny surfaces! And incidentally, I started drinking coffee just the way your father prefers it – liquid candy. 😉 Nowadays though I also go for dark roasts! <3
Thanks, Sarah! 😃💕Yay that I don’t sounds like a mad man…. sometimes it feels like it as I sort of plunk paint around rapidly. hehe… I envy those with patience to spend hours on a painting. Perhaps one day I’ll be able to do so as well. And yay for ditching the liquid candy and switching to dark roasts! hehe
To be honest, I feel like a mad woman sometimes! 😉 I’m thinking so often about how to paint certain things and even dream of it… one could rightly call it an obsession! I wonder sometimes if others do this too? Have a happy Sunday, Charlie! 😊💕
hehe… I know I do it! But then again… I’m a madman… lol Hope you have a great Sunday as well, Sarah! 😃💕
Love your work! I love doing animals, flowers, nature. I feel inspired by you so much. Unable to pick a favorite. But the coffee was amazing, love the light reflected!
Thanks so much, Nancy!! 😃💕 I’m so thrilled you enjoy my work! And yeah… I can’t pick a favorite either so I just bounce around from subject to subject. It’s fun that way!
Love that shine Charlie! You do it so well.
Aww thanks so much, Susan! 😃💕
Lol, I can totally see you putting a wet painting on your scanner. And dark coffee is the best way to get all shiny for me too.
hehe….thanks!! 😃💕 Yeah… I have zero patience and I paint super fast. But it’s all really fun!
I love that you have found what works for you, keeping you coming back each day to paint again.
Thanks, Delores! 😃💕 Yeah, as long as I just stick to my messy crazy style, I’m happy! hehe… I may try something else one day, but I’m good with this for now.
Now I’m craving Cappuccino!
“There’s no surgical editing to be done or making myself sound amazing or plunking in key words. Just an honest little moment revealing what’s on my mind.” I do believe you’ve found the secret to success.
Awww thanks so much! 😃💕 It gets a bit daunting sometimes while blogging when you realize you’re doing everything wrong and not following the “rules”. But I’m happy to be just me and hope people who enjoy that sort of thing will eventually show up!
I beg you, do not change a thing. I consider Doodlewash a national treasure.
You my friend are incredible. I cannot thank you enough for the constant encouragement! 😃💕