Favourite Virtual Paintout locations from 2017

Plaza Naciones Unidas - Floralis generica, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Temple of the Jaguar, Tikal, Guatemala

St. Peter’s Cathedral Basilica, Kumasi, Ghana

 'Serpentinata caribeña,' sculpture by Guy Rougemont, Univesidad de Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico 

   

  

Virtual Inspiration

The most recognizable harbour in the world

watercolour

©2016 Charlene Brown

I'm participating in a 21 day challenge on Instagram which began January 2. The instruction for Day 8 was to illustrate 'Inspiration' and I used Google Streetview.

I first heard about painting locations found on Google Steetview on a blog called Virtual Paintout, which ran from 2009 to 2018. This is one of the paintings I painted on the Virtual Paintout when the area in which to find a view to paint was the Australian state of New South Wales. Participants were required to provide the link to the location chosen. In this case Streetviewfrom Milson Road on Cremorne Point. 

Google Streetview came in handy during the pandemic, when we weren't able to travel much, and I again referred to it for inspiration. And I used it last summer, describing it as the Ultimate Multi-viewpoint Presentation

Next week I'll post a few of my favourite Virtual Paintout locations from 2017. Maybe in the future (not the near future but when I'm about ninety-five) I'll be using it instead of air travel for all my location painting...

Decluttering art and art supplies

Cannibalized picture file

(very) mixed media

©2009 – 2015 Charlene Brown

Last week, I listed my Plans for 2025.  One was "Decluttering computer and hardcopy files"

I’ve just come across the following in Plans for 2015:

“What to let go of to start the year anew?  

Old projects that never got past the background info-gathering stage, or what’s left of those that have been excerpted for better projects." 

At the time I mentioned that would be a lot of paper to be recycled out of binders and files, and a lot of MBs of computer memory to be cleared.  

In my Review of 2015 a year later, decluttering wasn’t even mentioned. And it’s quite possible I could have a GB of jpegs I can get rid of by now.  Plus dozens more works on paper...  

However, I have now begun the project. The cannibalized picture file above contains some of the remnants (now deleted) of the files I used in my book, The Fine Art of Physics.  And I’ve made a small start on cutting or tearing up watercolour paintings and sketches for cards or collage…

The Plan for 1150 Words in 2025

Front cover: Visualization of the Anthropocene

                        Crowfoot Glacier, Canadian Rockies (1910, 1960, 2010)
watercolour, Photoshop™ and InDesign™
©2023 Charlene Brown

1. Visualization of the Anthropocene: I will complete this series of essays and illustrations of the increasingly drastic climate effects of the Anthropocene, with emphasis on Arctic warming. 
2. Travel painting: I have two painting trips planned, one to an artist colony, and the other to see my great-grandchildren.  Neither will include the Seattle airport.

3. Decluttering computer and hardcopy files.  And art supplies. 

4. AI Training – learning more about the AI capabilities on my computer, as well as training that AI to understand my way of thinking in order to refine my ideas and, possibly, my paintings.  (Apparently this can be done!)