The frenzy of cranking out a lot of art

Beverly Claridge
July 31, 2025
Creating Art Around Life
Abundance

Cranking out a lot of art

Can you really benefit from cranking out a lot of art?

Furthermore, what happens when you are working on a lot of work, arguably making too much art, at the same time?

A lot of art-The Onset

The onset of creativity began for me as I finished ‘Prance and Skip’ and ‘Leap and Bound’ the mid-sized canvasses, from my ‘Moving On’ group. Made with oil-based printing ink and other mediums, they proved to be incredibly time-consuming and messy. Read more and watch my video about creating the ‘Moving On’ works by clicking here.

Consequently, meeting my original target of 52 works in 52 weeks, by 31 May 2024, seemed unrealistic at this point. Nonetheless, I still needed to get a move on to create a lot of art. Click here to learn more and watch a video about my 52 in 52 challenge.

First, Pinky Derivative

First up, Pinky Derivative, inspired by my earlier ‘In the Pink’ collection, marked my return to oil painting, albeit, on small panels rather than canvas sheets. You can read about and watch the video about making early days of making “Pinky Derivative” by clicking here.

Next, RD1 and rd2

A few days later I began blocking in shapes on my newest medium-sized stretched canvas oil paintings inspired by ‘Hoo Hah’ and ‘Ruckus’, from my Hurly Burly series. Click here to read, “Hurly Burley – An Experimental Adventure” to learn more about creating the inspiring works.

The working titles for these, RD1 and RD2.

Then, Mountain works

Furthermore, I laid out designs on the Mountain works two days after. Soon I was laying undercoat layers on RD1 and 2, as well as the Mountain works.

Checkerboard On Pinky

Soon, pallete knife scrapes manifested into a checkerboard motif on Pinky works. A similar checkerboard motif debuted on the pieces, too.

A similar pattern had emerged on three Hurly Burly works. Consequently, the pattern spread widely over the both works in a couple of days. I used it as a device to add direction and movement.

New Blue Playground

Still, a day or so later I began the Blue Playground Derivative group, working title BP, on six small panels similar to Pinky.

Start Red Playground XL

Next, I embarked on making Red Playground XL, with the working title, RPXL. RPXL was a large canvas the same size as the Mountain pieces. It served as a reinterpretation of the earlier ‘Can Red Come Out to Play’, set 2. Moreover, I planned to develop block-like motifs on that.

Weaving on RD

Soon, the checkerboard evolved into a weaving motif at the top of RD2, a few days later. Henceforth, it spread over the majority of the work.

Snippety Mountains

By the end of May, curved stripes that added direction and movement had overtaken RD1, and the Mountain works. Thus there was no going back.

However, I did not like the snippety mountains on RD1.

Coloured Bands

By a fortnight, bands of colour covered the snippety mountains I so disliked. Nonetheless, they still peaked through, much to my chagrin.

Consequently I fill the sky with alternating coloured bands with punches from bright stripes and the mountain area with light yellow weave.

Thick and thin colour bands soon found their way on to RD2 by the middle of June. Both Mountain works were fully engulfed in stripes, too.

Stripes for BP, Pinky, and RD2

Blue Playground once again arrived on my art table, and received its own set of interpretive stripes. Thereupon, checkerboard, weavings, and stripes intensified on Pinky

Early July, purple bands debuted on RD2.

Start Ball and Ribbon

Yet, I started yet another collection, Ball and Ribbon. Thus, I’d get to play with stripes at the outset on the four hollow board panels.

Zig-Zags and cross hatch on RD2

The red zig zag creations at the bottom left of RD2 became more dimensional. Then, a few days later I broadened the yellow ribbon design at the centre across the rest of the composition.

Days later I added mint green cross hatching over the fore ‘Mountain’ of RD1. Next, slightly lightened sap green stripes curved along the bottom.

Red stripes for BP

Returning to BP the following week, I added more red stripes. Further, I used the same red on a figure on RD1. Afterwards, I added the red to the middle and neighbouring shape.

Weaving RD1 shapes

Now sky blue criss-crossed lines, woven golden ribbons along with red and orange ribbons festooned the dominate shapes within RD1. Consequently, I enjoyed the direction the piece was going. However I felt it lacked something.

I wove an orange ribbon through the sky blue grid on the far right figure in RD1. Then, I added more red and orange lines to the far right shape.

RD1 and RD2 break

On RD2 I Intensified the orange in the bottom right quadrant, and then sprinkled the vibrant colour throughout the composition to add spark and direction.

RD1 and RD2 were developed as much as possible for now. Indeed, I needed a brain break from them.

a lot of art: RPXL, Ball and Ribbon, Pinky, and Mountain

So, I focussed on RPXL, Ball and Ribbon, Pinky, and the Mountain collections. That’s a lot of art without RD!

Moreover, it’s clear to see the influence these pieces had on each other, however, none is more surprising than the effect on RPXL.

Back to RD1 and RD2

Early September, I re-engaged with RD works. I continued deepening the ribbon colours on Rhema Derivative Squared2.

RPXL was fully engaged with stripes and weaves and, meanwhile, I worked occasionally on Ball and Ribbon.

Most of RPXL was now painted and I thereby added to Ball and Ribbon until the end of September.

Closing the studio for the year

Next, I stacked RPXL and the Mountain canvasses on my studio shelves on the 1 October, and leaned Rhema Derivative Squared against opposite studio shelves. Hence, I continued Ball and Ribbon panels until I closed the studio on 1st November.

Accordingly, I’d focus on completing the interior surfaces in two rooms in my home before Bill concluded teaching duties in time for our summer Christmas break.

New year in the studio

Mid February I returned to tidy up and reset my studio for the new year. Consequently, I felt invigorated by a relaxing summer and ready to get started with fresh eyes.

First, RPXL

First up, RPXL1. I finished it by adding a bit more dimensionality to the outer circle and the square around it. Further, I strengthened some of the outer strokes.

Change of view

Days later, after relaxing during another one of the local bush walks we had begun that summer, I decided to hang all my large works in our newly remodelled hallway walls. I wanted to live and breathe around them in a non-studio setting. Next day, I realised RPXL looked better upside down. Done!

Three large works finished

Then, I added a richer shade of red to Rahab’s thread to Mountain work number 2 and, boom, I had created 3 large artworks. You can click here to read my blog post and watch my video, ‘How to create a really distinct but cohesive style’ to learn more about making the Mountain pieces.

The RD Dilemma

Now, it was time to squarely face the RD works again. First, I added more thin red stripes to the figures in RD1. Next day, I outlined the far right figure in a dull orange followed by adding a rich red line a week later.

Then I pushed colour and values on RD2, as well. I was confident that by continually pushing colour, contrast, and value I’d eventually have a work I liked.

Albeit, I remained truly puzzled about how I’d bring RD1 to fruition.

‘Go Bold or Go Home’ mark

Mid-March, I finally mustered the nerve to make another “go bold” mark.

Even so, I was unsure if I had ruined the work or not, I returned to face my daring move after enjoying a relaxing and thought-clearing bush walk over the weekend.

Next day, I wove a dark earthy purple into the previous design. Then, frames with windows showcasing prior layers were fashioned. Besides, I liked giving a nod to the earlier layers that created the work. Moreover, this really improved the work. Yet, it remained unfinished.

During the next session I added outlines to the central shapes, which helped considerably.

Head-clearing bravery

Then after another head-clearing weekend bush walk, I returned with the moxie to add the other two bright red lines I had been considering when I laid the first one. RD1 was complete.

Likewise, on RD2, my scheme to continually intensify colours, contrast, and values gave me a work I really liked.

The consequences of making a lot of art over the year

You may wonder what surprised me about cranking out a lot of art at the same time throughout the year?

Original singular ways

Originally, I intended on working on each group of works on their own, as I had done at the beginning of my 52 in 52 pursuit. That was the way I created my earlier narrative series. (Read the blogpost and watch the video from the beginning of my 52 in 52 works by clicking here.)

Furthermore, that was the way I created my principal narrative series as well.

Adapting to many at a time

Nonetheless, cranking out a lot of art along side each other offered a new way to play in the studio.

Fast-tracked a new style

Additionally, it helped fast-track the development of my new style. In the end, this was the result I was looking for. I’m now imagining the ways I will finish the remaining works in my challenge.