WRESTLING ALLIGATORS

WHEW!!! 

I am tired!!!!

I can’t remember when…or if…it’s ever taken me so very long to finish one tiny painting. 

But, finally, I think it’s done!

And I’m worn out.

I thought  it was going to be an easy painting to do.

Ha!

To begin with, it’s a very special painting of and for a very special person.

You can read all about the trip to the Grand Canyon with grandson, Michael here. 

I didn’t take into account the fact that this is basically an aerial perspective…not a viewpoint I’m familiar with.

It needs to have an enormous sense of distance. 

It must ‘read’ Grand Canyon, in spite of the haziness which calls for very little detail in those far off buttes. 

And even though the figure out on that rock is tiny, it needed to be the very reason for the painting.

Since there really is a very small amount of detail, what in the heck took me so long, you might ask.

Well….’cause I forgot. 

I forgot to keep things simple. 

I forgot to remember that I was NOT trying to duplicate a reference photo. 

I forgot to sneak up on some very subtle value and color changes instead of going too far too fast with them.

I forgot to let my left brain lead the way and got way too right brained in the process.

By the time I got my head screwed on right again, I’d been at it for a very, VERY long time.  Once I accomplished that, things sure did go a lot faster!

I am grateful for that!

STANDING AMAZED

8 X 10

NOT WHAT I INTENDED

Recently, I got permission to paint from a photo posted by a friend on facebook.  Yesterday, I decided I was ready to take a break from a large, difficult painting I'm working on and have a go at the wintery night time scene instead.

I got out an 8 x 10 canvas panel on which I'd already begun something long ago.  It had an orange and crimson sky.  I mixed a dark, velvety, purple-ish blue with which I intended to paint the new sky.  Unfortunately, I made my mixture too wet and so the paint wasn't covering the old color well, at all.  Being my usual impatient self, I kept trying to put on more paint which just resulted in lifting off the just applied blue paint.  Good grief!!!  Will I ever learn?

Suddenly, I saw how absolutely gorgeous those oranges and crimsons were peeking through the deep purple sky and I laughed.

And I changed directions.  Instead of fighting my paints, I jumped right into the flow and let them take me merrily down the creative stream.

This is the result.

Maybe some day I will learn  to use those complimentary colors deliberately in an underpainting 'cause they create something magical.

I'm grateful for the fun I had doing this little painting.