Pear Trees Dog Running Watercolor Illustration
By Charlie

Silly Fun

Written by Charlie O'Shields

As I mentioned yesterday, I inadvertently published two different prompt lists that had the first two prompts of Puppy and Pear in different orders. So, I decided to do both for these first couple of days. Since, yesterday’s post was mostly puppy, today’s is mostly pear. I didn’t have much time to sketch today, so this one was just a bit of quick silly fun. It’s a rather ridiculous scene, to be sure, but having a bit of play without taking things too seriously is a wonderful exercise in itself. I think all puppies would agree, though I’m not sure pears have much to offer on the subject. In truth, I consider my sketching habit mostly play. Though I do try to learn new techniques and keep trying to improve, it’s really just super enjoyable frolicking with lines and color. I want to make marks on paper, make things appear there, and then color them with glee! And instead of showing up for mastery each day, I just show up like a happy little puppy eager to do whatever comes to mind that day. This likely doesn’t make me a “serious artist,” but that’s just fine with me. I don’t think I could ever be terribly serious as I my inner child just likes playing too much.

Today, we went to a show at the theatre with friends and it was amazing. I love going to the theatre more than watching television. There’s something so wonderfully visceral and alive in a stage production. It’s so immediate and if anything goes wrong, it just goes wrong and the show must go on. Philippe and I, of course, enjoy some shows more than others, but each is wonderful in its own way. As someone who used to be an actor on stage, I have the upmost respect for all of the actors. It’s not easy to deliver a compelling performance each and every day. Some days are just better than others and it’s impossible to fully explain why. Perhaps the audience was a little flat and wasn’t returning the energy, or perhaps something happened that day that made the actor a bit distracted. I remember being told by someone in charge of lighting on one particular evening that my performance was exceptional one night. I asked her why, eager to learn and hold on to whatever magic had just happened. But, she just shrugged and said, “I don’t know. It just felt more tonight.”

At the time, I was perplexed and wondered what the heck I had done so well. But, later, as I continued to perform more, I realized, that effect was happening for different people on different nights. This was even more confounding as how was I supposed to improve when I couldn’t seem to please everyone at once. I gave up acting, and moved on to others things, still never having solved that mystery. Today, I realize that the answer was so ridiculously simple. And that’s the fact that we simply can’t please everyone at once. It’s not actually possible, nor should it be the goal. Thinking back to the night of that one performance where I received those kind words, I actually still remember that night and now realize the difference. I just “felt more” in that moment as well. I thought I was performing for an audience, but the reality was I should have been performing for myself. I needed to feel more and loose myself in the character I was creating. If that happened, then it gave the audience a chance to feel more as well. So, today, I don’t show up to sketch the most amazing thing I can imagine. Instead, I simply show up to share what I’m feeling each day and the resulting visual that came with it, even when it’s just silly fun.

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About the Doodlewash

Da Vinci Paint Co.: Aureolin, Gold Ochre, Vermilion, Cobalt Turquoise, Ultramarine (Green Shade), and Leaf Green. Lamy Al-Star Safari Fountain Pen (Broad Nib) with black 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!
 Pear Trees Dog Running Watercolor Illustration Sketchbook Detail

 

Charlie O'Shields

Creator of Doodlewash, founder of World Watercolor Month (July), World Watercolor Group, and host of the Sketching Stuff Podcast. Sharing watercolor illustrations and stories while proudly featuring talented artists from all over the world!

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21 thoughts on “Silly Fun”

  1. Love those pears and cute dog too. Takes a long time to finally realize you can’t please everyone and when you make that discovery AND believe that it’s true life becomes much more enjoyable. Good post, Charlie!

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  2. Great doodle, Charlie! I’m glad that you got to go to the theater with friends today. I got to go to a meet and greet at a gallery downtown. The gentleman was a weaver who has been a photographer and a painter. I was the first one there and we talked for almost an hour before the gallery owner told him that he had to go talk with others. It was do great to talk with another creative. I am so inspired to paint and maybe dust off my loom this winter.

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  5. Writing is sort of like that too. My best poems were those that delighted me. I liked to slip in little jokes and word play that might go unnoticed by a reader, but if just one reader got it, that would be worth it. And if I was the only one, so be it.

    Yesterday, I kind of wanted a puppy for xmas. Today I want pears for no reason at all but pears.

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  8. The attack of the killer pears! Lol, well done! And you know, you can’t please everyone all the time. But all that matters, is if you are pleased with yourself!

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  9. Charlie says, “Instead, I simply show up to share what I’m feeling each day and the resulting visual that came with it…”

    I think that’s why DOodlewash is such a huge success. It is not contrived, it radiates real talent and a joy of sharing it.

    Is that Phineas with the pears?

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