Hmmm....it took only three days to find out that I was correct..... off to a very good start only to find out that this painting began to disintegrate before my eyes the more I painted on it. Lesson learned? Do not use a canvas that has all the life sucked out of it from repeated layers of gesso....do not use reference material that does not have enough information in it...paint from life more often and most of all have a good clear picture in ones head before beginning a painting! Now remember I did mention these things in an earlier post. I just thought I could work around them! You'd think I would know these simple things by now (most times I do).....but alas...old age has set in...I have become forgetful...along with over confidant!I include the shameful progressions here for everyone to see. On coming close to the final product....it has the peculiar resemblance of a paint by number. Thus the name of this blog. LOL!
Actually there are a few things I do like in this painting...a very few....which parts do you like if any? For me it is the transparent red oxide sketch (earlier post)....some of the shapes in the trees, some of the color and the way one tower is executed. But...wait!!! After this failure....which I chose not to hide or wipe off...I will simply take the canvas off the stretcher bars and place the old canvas in the waste bin or the burn pile....where naughty paintings and old lovers go(not Max...never Max!). Recycle the stretcher bars with a brand new canvas and begin something else that will either fail or succeed. Yesterday was a VERY successful painting to my eyes but for now you will have to wait till tomorrow to see it! One last note here.....every failed painting, every misstep with the brush, every decision in simplification or overworking, every choice of color and painterly execution or lack thereof....every mistake...is an opportunity to learn....if one chooses to see it. And as we all know...that not only applies to painting....but, indeed to the rest of life!
Loving the process......still!
Theresa
10 comments:
Hi Theresa,
Am I crazy to love this painting?
Quit knocking yourself woman! And you are not old and forgetting things -- that's how people get old, by saying that. We've all forgotten things all of our lives.
So I love your writing, and agree with your conclusion. We are always learning -- but we also don't always
know whether our work is good.
Yours is.
Take care,
xoxoxo
Barbara
Like the man said, "the answers to the problems of the next painting lay in the last one". That's what this painting business is all about. Thank God we can learn from our missteps. I'm with you, I love that beginning. You know what I do when I'm not crazy about a piece. :)
EW
No Barbara you are not crazy...you are, of course, entitled to love any painting here...and I am certainly glad you do! It just wasn't up to my standards and in person in looked very flat and dead. I really don't believe I am old and forgetful...and probably never will...just joking here in the blogosphere, sweetie!
P.S. Barbara....if it wasn't for regular supporters such as you I would often not know whether I was hitting the mark in the writing department! Thanks again!
Yes Eldon....exactly right "the answers to the problems of the next painting lay in the last one"...and I listed them and will remember them!
Yes ! know what you do with a piece that is not up to your liking! Thank you for your support!
Eldon...yes the beginning was great! Thanks again!
It's weird how a painting can simply melt down before your eyes. Yours actually doesn't come close to the disasters that I have managed to create. You hit the reason spot on - the lack of a clear picture in your head of what you want to say in a painting. Something like starting a conversation and finding yourself rambling. Just floating random phrases in the air in search of a real thought.
Thanks for the courage to share and reminding me that it doesn't happen only to me.
Thank you Michael...I know I'm not the only one that has this happen...but sometimes it sure feels like it! I hope you come back to the next post and check out the success!
I had to look carefully, I thought it was the church in Old Town Albq (San Francisco de Neri) where I got married in my first marriage. Thanks for the journey and your tireless willingness to impart your vast wisdom and talent!
You are welcome, Erika...if I can share the good I can share the bad..:)
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