It’s been an interesting week. I’m not afraid to admit that I have been a bit challenged with this next portion of the Chicken painting.
Meet Henrietta. Now, Henrietta’s feathers are a lot more defined then either Sally’s or Berta’s.
Oh! Excuse me!
Sally is the one peering over Henrietta’s shoulder and Berta is the red head in the lower right hand corner.
Yes, I’ve given my chickens names…
Doesn’t everybody?
Back to Henrietta..
Not only are her feathers more defined, but they are also either tipped in black or the black feathers are in the undercoat. My reference photo is a little on the fuzzy side so I’m not sure which, but either way…I’ve re-done them several times.
I will not give up and I will not settle. I’ll keep trying until I’m satisfied. I’ve always felt that painting was not about the struggle, but about the magic. I still believe that to be true, but I sometimes need a fair amount of experimentation to get it right or at least to ‘get it right’ in my eyes. Every failure (and I hesitate to even use that term) is an opportunity to learn.
As a beginning Artist, I often worried of failing. As a more seasoned and practiced Artist, I have learned there really is no failure in Art. It is a matter of my own expectations, my frustrations, and my inner ego telling me that I have failed. When in reality, I have only tried and not yet achieved the desired results.
I’ve learned to take the time to take a deep breath and walk away. Just let it be for a bit. Come back fresh…with fresh eyes and a new perspective. Many times that’s all it takes and I realize my painting just needs a little tweaking.
But on those occasions when a complete overhaul is required, it is usually a simple process to return to that blank slate.
Have a look for yourself. In this short video, I demonstrate my technique for ‘starting over’.