100 Paintings Challenge- #1 " Evening in Paris"

I just started the 100 Paintings Challenge, and am so excited to be a part of it! I paint most days anyway, but I think with a number as a specific goal, I will really keep at it. Only 99 more paintings to go! The way I understand the challenge, it isn't about masterpieces. It is about working on your skills and, for me, making painting even more of a priority. I think if I paint even more than I already do, I will definitely improve- practice makes perfect, right? I am already doing The Twenty Minute Challenge, and love how it makes me work on prioritizing the details in my paintings since the clock is ticking away. I have a tendency to keep working and reworking my paintings until SOMETIMES I go too far and no longer like the painting. Even I can't overwork a painting in 20 minutes!

I chose this Paris street scene as the first of my 100 for many reasons. My main reason is that I love this street- Rue St. Dominique in the 7th Arrondissement of Paris. We stayed in a hotel on this street and the location was perfect. Rue Cler, the beautiful Seine and Pont Alexandre, La Tour Eiffel - all VERY nearby. Most of my photos of the street were daytime and I really wanted to try a night scene. My night photos were all very dark except for the bright lights. I used one of the day photos (actually, as I often do, I used several photos) and tried to turn it into a night scene. That is one of my other reasons for choosing this painting- it is my FIRST attempt at a night painting. What better way for me to learn, than to try something very different for me? I am sure that if I keep working on night scenes and the different use of color, lighting, sky, etc,- I will improve. I do have a photo of a beautiful night view of San Francisco from Treasure Island. Maybe next time....

Thanks for looking!

Sheryl