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And start again

I’ve been working on the erotic couple in the living flame style of painting all week, solidly. It took me ages to find a pose I was happy with, and then I drew it out, and checked that I was happy with the drawing. Started the painting……………. was happy with the way it was going, worked long hours on it, and then when it was almost done, I took a break, stood back………….. and started seeing the things I wasn’t happy with……….. the woman’s arm was too thick, the colours were too strong, her head wasn’t right, the hair was too dark, his hand didn’t look right, his bum didn’t look right. There were some good bits, but too many bad bits for me to work around. Nothing else for it…………….I’d have to start again. Sigh.

So, again I started looking at other images, but there was nothing I liked as much as the image I’d got. Ok, then. Start again with the image and make it so that you DO like it, before starting the painting. And that’s what I did. And made sure I was happy with it before starting the painting. And made sure the colours started off pale so that they could build up in the subtle way that they are supposed to. And you know what? It looks SOOOoooo much better than the original one, already! But that’s the way it goes sometimes – that the first painting has the thought processes in it, but the second one is the better one, the one that has the problems dealt with, so all I need to think about is the painting. So much better!!!! its flowing….. and that’s how it should be………………………F………….L………………….O……………………………………………………………W

6 thoughts on “And start again”

  1. Spiky Zora Jones

    jackie…*thumbs up*

    You're right. Sometimes I write for days and then I read to edit. Oh noes…this isn't where this should be going. The flow isn't right…I keep in mind the parts I liked and maybe the clever things written…then delete it and start again. The second is better because I did what you did…stand back and take another look at it.

    you rock honey.

  2. Jackie Adshead

    Indigo – if you mean the one I'm not happy with, I'm not showing it as its not good enough to show anyone as a serious piece of art. If you mean the one I'm working on, its not finished, but when it is, I'll show it to you……..

  3. Jackie Adshead

    Spiky – Yeh, that's the way it works, I'm really interested that you as a writer get it too – it's obviously how the creative streak runs in us…. how we get the flow…

  4. One of my professors told me to turn the picture/painting upside down and then look at it from a distance. That way you could see what wasn't fitting. Sometimes it worked. Art, like writing, is a never ending editing process. We think we have it perfect then look again and see something to change. I'll be looking forward to seeing the finished piece.

  5. Jackie Adshead

    Nitebyrd – Mmm… yes I know that trick of turning the epicture upside down – and it might work with the technical details but not with the "feel" of a painting, for me.

    And I shall look forward to showing you when its done….

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