One of my New Year's resolutions (sure to go flying by like
all the others) is to work on unfinished paintings, revisit ideas and sketches,
and if need be, send hopeless starts to the great art trash bin in the sky.
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| Painting on site |
This painting is one I worked on during one of Tower Hill BotanicalGarden's "Arts Weekends" in October, 2014. It was the time of fall
color, but they day turned out gray, then misty, then rain. Still, found a spot
under a tree, and at least the acrylics didn't dry too fast like they usually
do.
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| In its first state |
The painting looked OK while I was outdoors, and one visitor
from Charleston wanted to buy it (I never heard from her, so I assume she came
to her senses). Since I wasn't excited by it, I put it away since I knew there
was something wrong, but couldn't put my finger (or paint) on it. I then
realized that while the foliage was brilliant on that maple tree, it looked out
of place because the staff keeps the grounds so clean that there were no leaves
on the ground. I also felt it needed softening, but with a few more bits of
color, so I added the figure with the umbrella.
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| Enhanced version |
It was still looking rather uninteresting, so I tried the
old artist's trick of putting it in a frame to see a more finished effect.
Surprisingly, this is all it took to give it a lift. Still may need more
tweaking, but now it doesn't seem so hopeless.
Now on to the rest of that lifetime supply of unfinished
work....
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| A frame seems to help |
I'll have to try that trick. It just needed a home :)
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