As of right now!
I am struggling to get the crazy shapes and lines of his little chapel painted correctly. I am also having strong visions of him, laughing maniacally, from his grave.
The turkey!
I have probably done at least twenty paintings of this place. This time, however, I am determined to be a tad more accurate in my portrayal. And the perspective I chose, makes it imperative that I get it right. You see, there's this one part that is really odd. There are no straight lines...some really weird curves...and if you don't have this right, you just aren't 'getting' the chapel.
Ths is why, in the past, I've always painted something to try to hide that one really crazy looking part. I've always used a well-placed cactus or tree to disguise my inability to 'get it right.' Heck! I even think that there were times that I just invented my own shape for this particular part of the chapel! Who needs accuracy?
Also, there's these funky little 'holes' in the chapel walls. Every time I try to paint them, they wind up looking like bullet holes. Not exactly the 'mood' I'm after. So, I usually just leave them out.
Sigh.
Here's the real thing.
Here's my pitiable initial lay-in of it.
Again, I say, "Ted, You turkey!"
And again, I hear him laugh from his grave!
I don't know why this seems to be so difficult for me. I have seen many paintings of this chapel which are quite good likenesses and don't seem to have any trouble at all with that buttress on the left side of the building.
I just don't know what my problem is.
It doesn't help that my reference photo is devoid of interesting light and shadow.
It would help, if I would just drive the few miles to this place and take a picture in the more dramatic evening hours.
Why don't I do that?
I don't know.
Perhaps I have even more emotional dysfunctions than an imaginary love affair with a crazy, dead artist.
I am grateful for any vestige of sanity.
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