Girl Reading
16"X20" Oil on board
I am still in a creative slump so I thought I would pull one from the archives again. This is only a couple of years old and is a rare attempts by me to paint solely from a sketch. The likeness is abysmal and I was so unhappy with the head that I painted over it several times. I am pretty sure that this painting no longer exists in this form. I started out thinking that I could do something Modiglianiesque, but somehow when it came to the face I just got all literal (without actually getting it right). The result is that it looks pasted on.
I have so many old paintings that I am not happy with, some from my Daily Painting days and some from before. I am wondering if I should start a new project, try to resolve some of these issues, go back and kick the can again? I need to do something different because I seem to have run up against a brick wall. I am boring myself to distraction.
Every single time when I look at an old painting of mine I spot something not right or I can think of a better way to do it. I wouldnt worry too much about it, its a good sign because we are learning.
ReplyDeleteIm sorry you dont feel motivated at the minute, i wish I could help. Perhaps reading may help, I often take a little inspiration from other artists. I have recently read a book about Monet. I dont like his paintings in all honesty but its hard for me not to appreciate the colour he gets, and this does get me thinking about my own work, although I doubt I
will start painting water lillys:O)
I think it's a nice painting but it you wanted to try something different why not abstract and simplify the face into the kind of sweeping rhythmic forms that you did on the legs; or maybe just blank out the face and just put a few shadows in. It seems the painting is more about the figure as a design or pattern then about a specific person. This is just a suggestion.
ReplyDeleteThanks for both your comments.
ReplyDeleteStephen, yes, that was exactly my original intention, but somehow it got away from me, I don't know how.
Sam, I am in a reading phase right now, it is just one of the ways that I try to distract myself when I can't paint (another is going out and buying art supplies, not much available round here though). I am sure I will get over it, I just need to press on.