Struggles and Failures When a painting doesn't happen

 

This is another 8" X 8" painting that I planned on painting but the painting is not happening. Since I get to write about successes I feel that I should write about  failures. Any working artist out there will tell you that they happen. But we all handle it differently. If I am not failing ...it means I'm not trying new things.

Back story: I was inspired to paint another back lit peony. I started it. It rained. I lost my subject. I have a photo but it's not really doing it for me so I tried to recapture the subject through memory. That's not working. So I tried to go back to basics (three values only) and that is not working. 

So what will I do? Well I might just give up, put it aside until next year when the peonies are back and hope that I can get the information that I want from the 2013 peonies to recapture the moment. I could throw it out. I could keep spinning my wheels until I am exhausted and then throw it out. I could still keep working on it as different ideas occur to me to try and something might work.

Hmmm...... I think I will paint out the bud. That will only leave one flower to work on. That might help. Just looking at the painting on the screen is giving me other ideas to try. ...all having to do with values. I find myself asking are my darks in the flower dark enough? Maybe not.  OK...so it looks like I'm going to beat myself up working on it some more. It will be an experience. Experience is what you have when you don't get what you want.