A PAINTER’S PROGRESS
Another attempt of the previous painting using the same photo. I felt I abandoned it too soon, so I am having another go. This time not splitting the painting in two vertically, I think that was the problem and it made the painting awkward to view. All in acrylic so far, so a little unsubtle, but this time I think the painting will work.
Two birds at the end of day 1
I am clearly struggling to paint at the moment. One half of this painting, I cannot get to work, so I am calling this finished and retaining just the left half. As a fragment of a painting it works, just a little disappointing that I had to do this.
Blue bird in the landscape
No news today, meaning no pandemic news. I have been feeling myself sinking lower and lower in recent weeks and its time to turn the news off. The pandemic will run its course whether I know about it or not. The target is no more news for 2020, surely that can only be a good thing?.
Anyway, managed to drag myself to the easel for an afternoon. As my mood lifts hopefully my enthusiasm to paint will return. Painting is progressing.
Two birds. At the end of day 2.
Dramatic title but its true. I am still at the start of a ‘transformation’. What I know about art that interests me is not what is depicted but how it is depicted. So its not the subject that’s at fault if the paintings are dull. I am going through this ‘pain barrier’ at the moment. The easiest thing to do would be to throw in the towel and try some other subject matter, but you will just come up against the same problem.
So for this painting, firstly I have started it in acrylic, a first, and I have not used these seriously for about 30 years!. Also, its 2 birds, another first, and the dimensions have almost doubled in size. Also, I am not trying to create a naturalistic setting, its more abstracted.
Two birds. At the end of day 1.
Yesterdays late evening painting session left me a little exhausted and this morning I hadn’t properly recovered. Today however I had the determination to finish it, and I think it is now finished.
Yellow bird. At the end of Day 4.
Today was not meant to be a painting day. I had other things to do and tomorrow I was going to start again. So what happens? At 7.30pm I decide just to add a leaf to the painting and this turns into a 3 hour painting session finishing at 10.30!
It was a bit frantic but I think the painting has advanced. I think it will be a case of assessing the damage tomorrow before continuing again.
Yellow bird. At the end of Day 3.
The bird now has a tail, and looks a lot better for it. The body of the bird is clearly distorted, triangular, but this seems to fit the picture. The bird still needs work but is improving, and I am introducing more light into the picture.
Yellow bird at the end of Day 2.
I know there is a way of painting these pictures, and I have come very close to making them in this way. If I was to describe it, its a Paul Klee but done in a more naturalistic style. Its a case of painting a lot and seeing which ones I think are successful and coming close. I think this is one of them. I also think that at some point these paintings will need to go much bigger in order to maximize a decorative style. For now though I need to crystalize the style I am searching for, and painting small makes more sense at the moment.
Yellow bird. At the end of Day 1.
Another earlier painting
Another earlier painting.
An early painting I wanted to add to the site.
A strong first day has meant another 3 day turn around. I am becoming more efficient though that isn’t an appropriate approach to art. I am not turning out tins of beans.
Anyway, I am very pleased with the painting. I was intending to move away from this subject but it has a strange attraction for me. If I do expand my horizons it will only be a short walk into the garden, I think there is a lot of potential there.
The painting is finished.
Bird in the landscape. At the end of Day 3.
A more decisive title and a clearer frame of mind, all very positive. The stripes had to go as did some of the more graphic elements. Although I have been working through a sea of mud the picture has improved.
There is always that bit of apprehension when you compare todays photo with yesterdays and its always a relief when your days efforts have not been for nothing.
Progressing well.
Bird in a landscape. At the end of day 2.
I am certainly keeping my options open with such a vague title. Not quite sure where this one is going, it is quite illustrative and decorative and I think that is where this painting is heading.
Bird. At the end of Day 1.
It’s only day 3, I shouldn’t be finished and yet I think I am. My only doubt would be I was intending to put more detail in the bird, but I am not sure it needs it.
I almost omitted the bird altogether. I can see there is a possibility of making paintings using my garden as a starting point so maybe in the next one I should try.
Anyway, this painting is finished.
Moonlit garden. At the end of Day 3.
The first 90% of todays painting was an uninspired struggle. I think it was a combination of lockdown fatigue and a gloomy day of constant rain that dampened my mood. However, things slowly turned around and I now think I have sorted out most of the difficulties in this painting. It still has some way to go but I am pleased how it is progressing.
Moonlit garden. At the end of Day 2.
That’s always a good place to start. This picture is intriguing, notably because birds don’t come out at night! A good start for Day 1, its already giving me a good indication of how its going to develop.
Moonlit garden. At the end of Day 1.
This almost feels like a new painting. It even has a new title. I felt that the painting could be rescued but it would need a radical turn of events to pull it round. Anyway, I was determined to see it through and I am now very pleased I did. A well spent Sunday afternoon, the painting is now finished.
Garden with stepping stones. At the end of Day 5.
Felt the need to make a bigger effort today to move the painting forward. The light and the form of the leaves makes a bit more sense and overall the painting is coming together.
You can tell if your losing a grip of a painting if you allude to a particular time of the day and it doesn’t ring true. I still think the ‘early morning’ title still holds.
Garden, early morning. At the end of Day 3.
This is not a good time of the year for painting. It is now Tour de France and we are into the final week, the mountain stages.
I will use this as an excuse until Sunday. After that I will come up with another excuse to explain my low productivity.
Garden, early morning. At the end of Day 2