How did you do this week? I feel like everyone is officially 'back from the holidays'. Did you make some progress in 2026 so far? f you have anything specific you need help with, please post in this thread. Thank you 🙏✍️🎨

10 and 20 min watercolors. Had a new model today. Her body type was so interesting. I've never drawn her shape before it was kinda challenging. I did take some nice photographs, so I am improving at that. That's a win for the day 📸

Hi all, I wanted to share a quote that has been attributed to Michelangelo: "The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it." I really like the quote, as he was one of the most exceptional painters of all time, and it gives an insight into his mindset. It's true that we often set ourselves goals that we think are difficult but realistic. Then we do achieve them over time and forget that we actually did. Given this process works, why not aim much higher? It must have taken a lot of courage for Michelangelo to set the bar so high for his painting, as it must have taken him a lot of work to then reach those skills. I'm sure all the greats, Michelangelo, Sargent, Ingres, Bouguereau etc, at some point had to set the bar higher than all their contemporaries, and deal with that very high goal. Some questions for group reflection: 1) What are some goals that you thought were high back in the days but now you reached them without appreciating it much? 2) What are some goals that would aim you "too high", but following Michelangelo's advice maybe you should set for yourself to reach them? I go first 1) "Tough" goals of the past that I reached and forgot that I reached -I wanted to draw realistic portraits and figures and thought that would be almost impossible to do. But actually I've completed a few that are much better than what I thought I'd be capable off. Thanks to Chris not just copied, but also designed. -I exceeded the goal of just drawing realistic portraits and figures by getting into watercolor, oil painting, and the many concepts Chris teaches here in so much more depth than I thought I would. It became a whole part of my life. 2) A goal that feels "too high" but that I want to try: -I would like to do very in-depth master studies (like Chris posted recently), with the specific purpose of creating a "master drawing" myself. Meaning a drawing of a photo I took myself, where I think through every part of the drawing and make conscious decisions about the idea, the story, the look, the composition, the shape/value/form/edge design etc. I want to analyze how other masters made decisions in creating pictures and compare notes on what I like/dislike, and through that create my own "master" drawing. Basically a drawing that's completely my own image, and I consciously designed every single part of it to the best of my ability. I want to follow Sargent's process and actually take a few months to build this, and see what I can draw if I take a few months, not just a few hours, to plan, figure out and execute a drawing.

I wasn't particularly productive in the last couple of days. I can show you all another fude pen and wash experiment that I did. It's a fun medium, but values are incredibly tricky to control. Also I really messed up the proportions on this one.

Had some time where I was just waiting around, so decided to do another colour study. Continuing the theme of women in hats I guess. I did not realise that I was slightly too zoomed in and consequently did not work all the way up to the border. However, the pink undertone as a result shows through in quite a nice way. I think my version is a bit more saturated in general, for example the background is maybe more bright and colourful, but I think overall the relationships are still reflected well. This time the film is Barry Lyndon directed by Kubrick.