The first two timed paintings I did were lots of fun and I actually finished before the timer went off. For those small ones, I had it set for 30 minutes. I was working on 5 x 7 masonite panels.
Today, however, I was praying for the timer to go off already and get me out of my misery! I was using acrylics on a 9 x 12 canvas panel left-over from many years ago. I hated painting on those things back then and my feelings toward them have most definitely NOT improved as of this morning!
You cannot imagine how I dread actually posting the picture of the mess I made! But, I'm going to 'cause I said I would.
Here it is.
YUCK!!!!
OK...so now what? I need to look at this and reflect on what I was doing during this pitiful attempt and see what I can learn from it.
By the way, I welcome critiques from any artist out there who can help me identify and solve my, ahem, 'issues.'
Starting from the top:
I like the sky just fine. I see no real problems there.
The distant mountains are too close in value and color to the sky, so they simply don't show up.
The rock outcropping looks more like a...a....big blob of nothing. There's no solidity to it...no depth...no real shape. I didn't get my darks in there at all.
There's no 'distance' between those pine trees and the bush in the foreground.
The foreground bush is nothing more than a shapeless smear. There is absolutely no 'life' to it at all. And none anywhere else in this rendition from hell.
I could go on...but I won't. What I will do is ask myself why I did what I did or didn't do what I didn't do.
Didja get that?
That's where the learning will happen, hopefully.
I didn't have the right size brushes for this larger canvas. I used a nice big one for the sky but it was a tad too big to use on the rest of it. The brushes I used are too small. I need some more brushes. I have the right sized ones for my oils, but need more to use for acrylics. Little brushes lead to piddling.
Since it took me too long to get the paint applied with the little brushes, my paint started drying on my palette. Instead of working fast, I started working frantically. For the same reason, I started being careless with color and came up with mostly a muddy mess....not enough color variation or value changes, either.
It is possible that I got a tad cocky. Me?
Is it possible that I got a little worried about actually having to post this on my blog?
Is it possible that after doing the same picture twice, I'm bored with it already?
It occurs to me that it really might be mostly the size of the brushes that led to this. A 9 x 12 is over 3 times larger than a 5 x 7. I guess it would be like using a shovel to dig a big field instead of a little flower bed.
I also occurs to me that it would take a lot longer to dig that field with a shovel. Perhaps, I should have allowed myself more time on this, since I had only smallish brushes to use. AHA!
I am going to think about this some more.
But right now, I'm going to go eat breakfast.
************
So........
I found a bigger, better brush and I gave myself a little more time to do the job.
Not so yucky.
Big lessons learned?
1. The right tools make the job go better.
2. Allow enough time to get the job done.
I am grateful for lessons...even painful ones!
And one more thing.
In the not too distant past, I would have allowed all those critical demons to jump out and yell at me that it turned out bad because I am inherently incompetent. And, unfortunately, I would have believed it. But because I committed to doing...and sharing... this excercise on my blog, I was forced to really utilize the experience to learn something instead of just accepting the lies....and immediately going into submissive victim posture and feeling all sorry for myself! What a crock!
What I found out was so liberating! It's not that I'm incompetent, at all. It's simply that I haven't yet learned all I want to learn.
That's all.
And that's just cool!
Thank you guys for 'being there.'
I'm grateful for you.
8 comments:
Yes Sharon, the right tools get the job done better....such is life. I just recently told someone if you have not had the right tools given to you early on, you have to find them for yourself to make for a smoother road. It is amazing what tools I am finding. Thanks for confirming.
actually, i thought the first one was kind of cool. it looked like there was a fog in the air blurring the outlines of everything :~D it's great that you figured out that you needed a bigger brush for the bigger canvas. you're right, the proper tool makes all the difference!
Dawn,
The only thing is that there is hardly ever fog in the desert, as you well know! LOL
And the whole point of this is to learn to paint what is there...not to just wind up with something...even if it's pleasant to look at. ;)
Donna, Yeppers! We all need the right tools for everything we do...including living. ;) Some of us...I'm raising my hand....just take a bit longer to figure that out. LOL
Beautiful painting ... and a lesson to boot! I mean, a life lesson!
Allowing the critical voices to have their say, and then not letting that knock you off of your creative task is really inspiring!
Nice job all around - and thanks SO much for letting me in on your process!
Cindy,
I figure other artists will not be bored by my timed painting exercises. But I admit, I'm a little worried about everybody else. But as my friend, Lori pointed out, it's my blog and I'll paint if I want to! ;)
I'll try this AGAIN.. dang fingers.. hit wrong buttons I guess.. It was a really good comment too.. he he
I thought the first painting was of a cliff overlooking the ocean. All in the eye of the beholder.. seeing I'm from Maine and all.
then you said desert.. omg.. I see..
second one straightened that out for my eye.. I love both. larger brush? good advise..
Now.There is a new song.."It's my blog and I'll blog if I want to" does that date me?
he he he
loving all of this.. and you. MOST GRATEFUL tonight.. gini x
gini...doggone it! Don't you hate it when that happens! Glad you figured out that it wasn't a seascape! LOL
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