It happens now and then; you start a painting that you feel excited about and somewhere along the way the dang thing goes wrong. I don't know about you, but at that point I tend to get worked up and start to over paint. As if that weren't enough, sometimes I start to scrub the paint off as though I can somehow start over. I wish I had a studio elf who would grab me at that point and send me to my room with a bowl of ice cream.
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| Just before I scrubbed all the violet off for the first time. 300 pound paper is very forgiving, but it can only absorb so much paint.. |
When I've really made a mess, I'll finally give up and put the painting away and re-visit it later. Actually, today was my third go round with this painting. I have more incarnations of it in its various forms in my photo files than any others I've done.
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| Where I got frustrated the second time.. |
Today, while digging through the flat file I came across it again and pulled it out. It called me. It tantalized me. I took it to the table and started to wet my paints...
Actually, having a painting that you consider a loss is a chance to work with a real sense of freedom. If it's already ruined, then what do you have to lose? Who knows, you may be able to come up with something wonderful.
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| Today's result. (The color of this photo is the most accurate.) While this is no masterpiece, I wouldn't be ashamed if someone wanted to frame it and hang it up someplace now. Cuba Bluff Watercolor on paper 22" x 30" |
Although I never even started the painting I planned to work on today, I think I may have taken what appeared to be a total waste of paper and made it something I like. Of course, it'll go in the flat file and in a few more weeks I'll know for sure. In the meantime, it was a productive day after all.
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