Collage of 30/30 Challenge Paintings

Sometimes you just get lucky. That’s what happened to me last weekend.

Fortunately, I was able to finish my Double Yolk Egg Cooking painting on Day 30 and get my post up before the power supply on my desktop computer died on Day 31, aka Collage Day. I was so happy that my computer got me through the Challenge, even though I was frustrated at the lack of closure that I had anticipated from making a collage of my 30 daily paintings. It seemed to me that the collage was a great way to look back and reflect on everything I had accomplished in January.

My computer is still at the Apple Store, along with the images of my 30 paintings from the Challenge. However, tonight Jay thoughtfully offered me his computer so I could finally make the collage.

This was much harder than it looked, like most new tech tasks. It didn’t help that I had to download all the photos off my blog and resize them before I could get started on the collage itself. I got 29 of the 30 paintings but couldn’t figure out which one I missed!

The collage above was a custom collage that I put together online, without using a template. It took me a good hour to figure out how to manipulate the images effectively.  I would like to try this again another day –  it’s very late, there must be an easier way to do this, and I’m not thinking too clearly. I know that because my first attempt below using a template (which was quick and easy) only included 25 of the 30 paintings, and it took me quite a while to realize it…

There is something nice and clean about this version.

The notion of showing 25 paintings seems like a good advertising concept in the future (think April Open Studio). All the images are clearly visible, unlike the 30 painting version (although I am confident I can improve on that with another try). However, I felt this wasn’t complete since 5 paintings were missing.

But maybe less is more. Which collage do you like better?

Even though I did finally get to make a collage, there hasn’t been any time for reflection (broken computer and blinds, with an almost broken TV… among other things). That will come later. I promise. I just can’t say when.