Sometimes, in spite of feeling highly unqualified, I show a few of my drawing students what I know about oil painting. I’ve been oil painting since March 8, 2006, and yet I feel green as grass.

But, they want to learn and practice, and I want to share what I know.

This year they all worked on a poinsettia. I provided a stack of different photos, and every participant chose the same photo. What??

The flower shape was a bit confounding, although mostly forgivable. After all, who cares exactly how many petals (which are actually leaves, but who cares about that either?) are on a poinsettia?

I thought this would be an easy-ish subject because we worked mostly in shades of red. Because, who cares if the color is exactly the same as the photo or if it is a red that the painter finds more pleasing?

Nothing is easy when you are new to painting (or drawing or knitting or driving or playing golf or playing a flute . . .)

Wow. That session went quickly. Tune in tomorrow to see the process and the results of day 2.