Thursday, July 19, 2012

Blue Bottle with Lemons

























I started this a couple of months ago and something seemed wrong
with it. Yesterday I was drawn to working on it again, changed the
background and tabletop colors, a few touches to soften the lemons
and it feels much better. My trial and error with figures has shown me
that I don't see (as in assess) my own work very well. I can leave the
studio in the evening feeling I'd done a good day's work and be excited
about getting to the studio in the morning, only to find that the painting
was so terrible I questioned why it excited me the day before. It makes
me not trust what I see when I look at my own work. After some time
passes and a little more work, I feel more confident in my judgment.
Does anyone else have this distrust or visual confusion?

This one's a push for less literalness and experimenting with color.

11 comments:

hmuxo said...

This blue bottle is painted so beautifully...or should I say painterly? Nice reflections in the bottle of the lemons...I love this piece Lorraine! I have learned that walking away from the painting as you did is the best thing to do...seeing it another time with "fresh eyes" could make the difference.

juliefordoliver.blogspot.com said...

Funny - your blog is echoing mine where I changed yesterdays painting after seeing it with fresh eyes.
The important thing is we DID see it.
Don't be hard on yourself.
I love the final outcome and think
your glass is particularly wonderful.

Under the willow tree said...

this happens to me sometimes Lorraine...I can do a piece of work and get very excited about the result and then the next day this can all change... but in my case I get a bit insecure and I can get quite rash judging my own work sometimes... I think this paint above is perfect as it is! : )

Virginia Floyd said...

These is sometimes such a joy in the process of painting itself that the cold hard light of the next morning makes me realize my painting is less than I thought. I think that joy is what is missing from my assessment of my painting. Of course, sometimes it's just not a good painting. But other times after a few weeks it's no longer personal and I can think, hey that's not bad at all.

Anyway, this is beautiful! The color combination of aqua and yellow is really pleasing. And I love your brush strokes on the vase. Wonderful edges!

Carol Flatt said...

Hi Lorraine. Yes, this does happen to me on occasion. I get to the point where it's too much a part of me. I can't be objective and I assume and presume. If I let it go for a week or more I can definitely come back and look at it and more clearly "see" what needs to be done. That being said I love the color combinations you used including the neutral background and the wonderful textures you created with the brush. You have so much wonderful talent!

nigelfletcher said...

I too find that in the cold light of the new day my wonderful effort from the previous evening isn't so wonderful after all, but thats good, as Julie says you DID see it and that means we are able to judge our work objectively and progress it further. You have succeeded with this one it looks beautiful, lush thicj buttery paint!

Shirley Fachilla said...

Oh yes, it certainly happens to me. Judging art is such a subjective process, only made more so when the art is your own!

Nancy Goldman said...

I love the colors you've used. The turquoise and yellow together really pop.

Carol Schiff Daily Painting said...

I think that is part of being an artist and it happens to us all. I have finally realized not to photograph, post or ship a painting until it has had a day or two to "settle in".....saves me lots of anguish!

Gorgeous work!

padmaja said...

Very true that this situation happens to me most of the time, I am surprised at my wrong perception, what hid my vision :-)
This is a very lovely piece, the reflections on the blue bottle, the painterly feel to it, the soft lemons, everything is so perfect Lorraine!
Thanks for your visit, I could enjoy your other works as well today!

c.dingman said...

Wonderful reflections.