My Little Adventure with “Artistry by Jennifer”
So, the other day, I was scrolling around, you know, looking for something to do. My brain felt like mush. I stumbled upon this thing called “Artistry by Jennifer.” Sounded kinda fancy, but the pictures looked achievable, not like those super pro things that just make you feel bad about yourself. Jennifer, whoever she is, seemed to have a knack for breaking things down. I thought, “Okay, why not? Let’s give this a whirl.”
Getting My Ducks in a Row
First things first, I watched one of her beginner videos – I think it was a simple “Sunset Silhouette” tutorial. Looked easy enough. Jennifer listed out all the stuff I’d need. So, I had to actually get up and check my old art supplies. Some were okay, but a few paints were totally dried out, like rocks. Typical.
I made a quick list:
- A small canvas (she recommended an 8×10, I found one)
- Acrylic paints: specific shades of orange, yellow, a deep red, and black. Had to buy a new yellow.
- A couple of different sized brushes – a flat one and a smaller pointy one.
- A palette (an old plate worked for me, haha)
- A jar of water and some paper towels.
Once I gathered everything, I cleared a space on my kitchen table. Put down some newspaper too, because knowing me, paint would end up everywhere.
Diving In: The Actual Painting Part
Alright, so I propped up my tablet with Jennifer’s video playing. I hit play. She started with the background, the sunset. She was all calm, “Just blend these colors smoothly…” Easier said than done, Jennifer!
I squeezed out the yellow, orange, and red onto my plate. Then, I grabbed the flat brush, dipped it in a bit of water like she said, and started dabbing the yellow at the bottom of where the sun would be. Then I moved to the orange, trying to blend it into the yellow. My first attempt at blending was… well, it looked more like stripes than a smooth gradient. Jennifer made it look so effortless. I paused the video, wiped some paint off, and tried again. A bit better this time. I kept going, adding the red towards the top, working the colors into each other while they were still wet. It was messy, but kinda fun.
Next up was letting that dry a bit. Jennifer said it was important. So, I waited. Impatiently. Cleaned my brushes while I was at it.
Once it felt mostly dry, it was time for the silhouette. This was the part I was most nervous about. She used black for some simple tree and hill shapes. I switched to the smaller, pointy brush. I took a deep breath and started painting a wavy line for the hills at the bottom. Then, I attempted a tree. My hand was a bit shaky. My first tree looked more like a blob with sticks coming out of it. I laughed. Seriously, Jennifer’s trees looked like actual trees. Mine? Abstract, let’s call it abstract.
I kept at it, though. Added a couple more “trees” and filled in the silhouette. I tried to follow her shapes, but mostly just went with what felt right for my blobs. Jennifer also added a few little bird silhouettes in the sky. I decided to skip those. Didn’t want to push my luck.
The Grand Finale (Sort Of)
So, I stepped back and looked at my creation. It definitely wasn’t going to win any awards. It didn’t look exactly like Jennifer’s, not even close in some parts. But you know what? It wasn’t terrible! It was recognizably a sunset silhouette. I actually made something. From scratch. Following instructions, sure, but my hands did the work.
Honestly, it was a pretty chill afternoon. Focusing on the colors and trying to get the brush to do what I wanted was surprisingly absorbing. It wasn’t about making a masterpiece. It was about the process, about trying something new. And “Artistry by Jennifer,” well, she made it accessible. I might actually try another one of her tutorials. Maybe something without trees next time.
