Monday, February 25, 2008

Do you ever get to the point...

where you just have to take a step back , give it a good look, and then admit your work has problems?

I worked on this one all day today. There are some things I like, but it has some major composition problems. Probably because I didn't really sketch it out well before I started. I was too excited about the cool background I wanted to try. See the little polka-dots back there? That was created by laying circles punched from contact paper lightly on the surface, and then painting a wash over them. I allowed the paint to seep under the contact paper and it created a very subtle design. I learned this technique while reading a collage book by Claudine Hellmuth, last week when I was sick. I couldn't wait to try it out.



Then I went forth with my painting and 3/4 of the way through realized my bird was floating in mid-air. And not flying either-that would make sense-just sort of aimlessly floating there. So I gave him a branch. And that made the rest of the space look too empty so I added a couple more flowers. Then I only had one leaf in the whole thing, just one little bit of green. This bothered me so I added green polka dots on all of the sides. That was ok, but my branch just ended abruptly at the edge of the canvas, while the flower wraps around. Oh what to do! I could continue to paint the branch around the side, but then the tongues at the top and bottom seem to end abruptly. AAhhh!! So now I am toying with just painting all of the sides black. But should I try to remove the polka dots and the flower wrap around first?
And just now, while looking at photos of my piece, (which is a good way to get another perspective), I am thinking AGAINST painting the sides all black. I think I could wrap the tongues and branch around the sides. I would only have to remove 2 polka-dots. Or maybe collage right over them? Hmmm...I don't know. What would you do?

5 comments:

michelle sylvia said...

Annie,
I say, leave it as it is!! It is wonderful!!! It is whimsical and I don't think that you need composition rules now a days! :0)

I Love it because it is different and unique and it would catch my eye in a heartbeat.

Hugs,
Tink

noodle and lou said...

ooooh...you are being much too hard on yourself! I love it just as it is!! Love the wash and the details on the branch and the yummy polkadots!! Beautiful:) xoxo...jenn

anniebeez said...

Oh thank you my two dears! You know how hard it is to create all alone in the studio with only grumpy husbands and uninterested kids to bounce ideas off of! I know I am a perfectionist, I will try to loosen up and be less critical.Thank you so much for your comments-they mean so much!

Sandy Mastroni said...

Annie Leave this as it is ! You did very well ,,,,, sometimes a painting can be very planned out and sometimes it evolves and changes . I think that is the frustration and the fun of it !
But this little painting is great !
It is whimsical and happy and I agree with everyone else ... it's done .... it's good !!!!!

Sandy Mastroni said...

I wanted to add..... sometimes it's
art-WORK and sometimes it's
art-FUN !