The border of waves needs to be about twice as big as it is, so I'll try it again on some really big Stonehenge paper I have--not as good as Arches, but plenty fine.
Does anyone else make these kinds of mistakes?
Sunday, November 2, 2014
My "work in progress" goes kaput
There will be no more work on this piece. The problem with taking an idea to good paper--expensive, beautiful paper--is that it's really hard to admit that you have a made a foundational mistake. I kept seeing that the water and the trees were out of scale, but I kept hoping that I could fix it with color, which is embarrassingly stupid. I was deceiving myself, almost. I actually knew it wasn't working before I got onto the good paper, but I didn't want to admit it. I think I need to grow in courage to face the pain of letting go of something irretrievably flawed and to persevere until the problem is solved. This seems very different from being a perfectionist.
The border of waves needs to be about twice as big as it is, so I'll try it again on some really big Stonehenge paper I have--not as good as Arches, but plenty fine.
Does anyone else make these kinds of mistakes?
The border of waves needs to be about twice as big as it is, so I'll try it again on some really big Stonehenge paper I have--not as good as Arches, but plenty fine.
Does anyone else make these kinds of mistakes?
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It seems to me that if you add more color to the border, it would be a beautiful bold piece. What are you going to do with this "failure?" :) Love, MB
ReplyDeleteSave it and see if I change my mind. If I finish it I will add layers of color and it will look different. But I think it also looks better in the photo than it does in real life on its own. But maybe you are right, and Janice too. Maybe finishing the border strongly and leaving white space around the trees--which I had planned to fill in will make it work. Ha. Maybe I was wrong and I can fix it with color.
DeleteI say, finish this failure and do it quickly, don't worry so much about perfection. And then, if you still feel that it needs a different proportion, begin a new piece. Don't give up. Keep going. Put it away in a drawer after you finish it and don't look at it for 6 months. When you do pull it out again, you will be surprises by how much you actually like it. Yes, go ahead, add more color to the border and keep the interior part simpler in color. Sounds good.
ReplyDeleteJanice, I will take your advice. It will be much different than I wanted it to be, but as I look at it now I think you are right about it. Well. I'm glad I posted and got some good advice! I do still want to do a larger version--but I want to do a series of trees in circles with waves or other stuff, anyway. Woohoo! I'm happy now!
DeleteI agree with Janice. I think you might be too close to the piece to be objective. Been there done that with ignoring my inner voice on a piece and fighting myself through the finish. And yet, sometimes I go back and look at one of my "failures" and really like it later -- or really hate it. Hey, it's all a learning process! I'm sure I'm not seeing this drawing the same way you are. I'd like to see it finished plus the alternate proportions.
ReplyDeleteIts actually really nice to hear that you also fight the inner voice. Is it universal? It probably is, but I imagine other artists as being smarter than me and not doing that. But, yes, I'm going to finish it now. The problem of scale is complicated because it not only has to do with the size of the waves and the size of the trees, but how thick I want the outlines to be.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I feel nicely affirmed and encouraged by your and other's comments. I wasn't expecting such helpful and encouraging responses, though I probably should have asked for the advice in the first place. Thanks!
I will try to solve that scale problem by doing a larger piece.
ReplyDelete