Another workout for my trusty shadow box.
I'm getting closer to thinking about the detail. But the darks need to be a little more crisp or sharper.
click picture to enlarge imageUnfinished 9"x12" oil on canvas panel
Did you ever have a piece where you just sit back and say to yourself. WHY? Why go on. That is exactly what happened to me with this piece. I lost interest. Don't get me wrong, I'm not feeling bad about my efforts here. It is just that this painting was like sitting through a movie that makes no sense. I could sit and analyze it but that is not what I really wanted to do. I just wanted to paint something else.
So the lesson of the day:
There is no art law that punishes you for not finishing...as long as you get back to work and start on another piece. Don't look back. I had to remind myself that not every piece needs to go to Ebay and sell. (a good lesson in itself) EBAY is not why I paint. The most important thing KEEP PAINTING....and while I am at it, be grateful.
My real lesson of the day: Gratitude moves all things forward.
6 comments:
Don't see why you wouldn't finish this one...it's looking good so far. But, I know the feeling of wondering "Where am I going with this."
Leave it alone for awhile and come back to it. I worked on a piece for two years off and on one. When it was finally finished I was finally happy.
Darren is right. I often put a work aside to rethink elements of it...maybe in time you could even find another object/s to include that will excite you and make it work for you.
I think what is important - and different - about your blog Peter is that by demonstrating your process, you live up to the title of your blog: "Daily Painting Practice". You also remind yourself and us of lessons learned. It is the consciousness of learning isn't it that moves us forward? Painting is part strategy, part technique and part intuition but without learning we will not progress.
Thank you for that,
Sheila V
Thank you Louis, Darren, Vivienne and Sheila,
Your comments are very welcome and inspiring. Daily painting doesn't mean give up when the bell rings. I will put this one away and take it out sometime in the future, and who knows, maybe turn it into one of my favorites.
Wow! I, personally, like the painting. Get back to it later, as the others suggest.
But mostly I LOVE your comments and pictures of your progress. VERY educational. And your comments here were sobering-that ebay isn't the reason you paint. I imagine that could be something you lose sight of. I'm thinking of joining the "One a Day" painting bloggers myself... but need to remember, "It's the ART, stupid!", and not the selling that's important. Thanks for the powerful reminder.
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