Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Jazz Apples on Pink

























I spent all day yesterday obsessed with painting this and wiped it
off three times, then gave up for the day. I notice I'm in an irritable mood
when paintings don't work out. I get anxious watching my tube of
permanent Alizarin get smaller and on the verge of psychosis as more
cad red goes onto the palette just to get scraped and wiped off the panel.
But I couldn't give up altogether. Part of the challenge of these variegated
apples is trying to keep value and color straight. Started fresh this morning
and told myself to slow down, step back with each stroke and assess. Because
I tend toward swashbuckling strokes, I often obliterate good strokes/values/colors
and end up with muck. My other weakness is that I don't notice quickly what
I've done well for the painting and compulsively paint over it. I'm learning
that I can wield the brush in different ways and it doesn't have to be rapid
to be loose. And, I am actually capable of putting a stroke down and leaving
it alone.

13 comments:

Maria Baluis said...

I love the end result, it was well worth the effort. As always, it is inspiring to read about your painting process and struggle - thanks for sharing.

Sheriart said...

I'm glad you stuck with it. Your painting is gorgeous.

suzannepaints said...

Beautiful. Jazzy. A win!

martinealison said...

On en croquerait de vos pommes ma chère... l'ensemble de cette belle harmonie de roses qui les enveloppe semblable à du papier de soie est sublime et crée un grand contraste... Tout simplement très beau...
Gros bisous.

Ps : tout comme vous lorsque je me sens dans une impasse, je suis irritable...

LARA HYE COH said...

Congrats to you making this painting
works. Looking very fresh and spontaneous!
Let's say each other, " I know your pain" and laugh together.
I am doing exactly same as you. That's the reason I can't post a painting on my blog everyday, even I am painting everyday. I am just hoping that we are learning through the process.

Jane said...

This is beautiful, I love how you made two colors ,that you normally don't put together, look so great together, and the shadow is great !
Luckily we learn all the time, and I do exactly like you, sometimes I don't realize in time that a stroke is perfect, and I paint it over.

carol morgan carmichael said...

Gorgeous Lorraine! Just wonderful in every way!
I definitely share your sentiment on the wasted paint. Boy, did I waste some paint last week.

mary maxam said...

Oh wow! The color and brushwork here are so lovely! It certainly doesn't have the look of a struggle!

Shirley Fachilla said...

I think you greatly succeeded in keeping color and value straight. This just glows.

Carol Horzempa said...

Wow, this is one painting I have a hard time taking my eyes off of...love your colors!

Thanks for sharing your struggles, I can certainly relate to that!

Carol Schiff Daily Painting said...

Gorgeous! In response to your remark about "loose and rapid". Qiang's paintings look very loose, but he is very deliberate with each stroke. He backs off from the canvas after each stroke and studies the canvas, sometimes for a minute or two, before applying the next stroke.

Stephanie Berry said...

This painting rocks! It jumped off the screen for me--awesome!

Shelley Whiting's art said...

Wow this painting is gorgeous. The colors are lush and jewel like. The reflections and shadows are nicely done.