Okay, here’s my attempt at a blog post about my Claire D. Veazey practice, mimicking the requested style and tone.
My Deep Dive into Claire D. Veazey (The Artist, Not Just the Name)
So, I stumbled across Claire D. Veazey’s work online a while back. I was just browsing art stuff, you know, as one does. And something about her style just clicked. It was… different. I can’t even really describe it, but it felt raw and real, and I wanted to try and capture even a fraction of it.
I started by just looking at a bunch of her paintings. I mean really looking. I wasn’t just scrolling past, but staring, trying to figure out what made them tick. I noticed a lot of layering, and a kind of messy, almost unfinished quality. That’s what caught my eye, I think. So I started sketching.
First, I just grabbed some cheap paper and started doing quick studies of her pieces. I tried to copy them, focusing on the brushstrokes and color choices. I didn’t expect to make anything good. It was more about understanding how she built up her images. This sucked for the first few tries. Seriously. Just a bunch of muddy blobs.
Next, I tried to apply what I’d learned to my own subjects. I picked a photo of my cat (classic, I know). This time, instead of trying to make a perfect copy, I focused on building up layers of color. I started with a really loose, almost abstract underpainting. I slapped on some blues and purples, then let it dry.
Then came the scary part: adding the details. I used thicker paint and a smaller brush, and I tried to keep things loose and gestural. I didn’t want to get too bogged down in realism. I really focused on those messy, unfinished edges that Veazey uses. I ruined the picture at least three times. Scraped the paint off and started over.
Finally, after a lot of tweaking, I ended up with something that I was actually kind of happy with. It wasn’t perfect, and it definitely wasn’t as good as Veazey’s work, but it felt like I’d made a little progress. The most important part was getting out of my comfort zone and trying something new. I actually spent more time cleaning the brushes than doing painting, haha!
What did I learn? Don’t be afraid to make a mess. It’s okay to leave things unfinished. Sometimes, the imperfections are what make a piece interesting. And most importantly, keep experimenting! I’m definitely going to keep playing around with this style. Maybe I’ll even try painting something other than my cat next time… maybe!
