It’s easy to overwork a painting. A common problem for many artists. A painting becomes muddy and loses its natural appeal when you don’t know when to stop with the incessant brush strokes. On the flip-side, a painting can feel unfinished if you stop too soon.
The best approach is to pause at key points.Literally leave the room and do something else. The brain has a way of providing clarity if you give yourself space. You may be struggling with a portion of a painting. When frustration sets in, break and do something else. Your subconscious mind is still thinking about how to resolve that issue. An answer may come to you on a walk, in the shower or while sleeping. The next time you view your painting, you may intuit just what to do for your breakthrough. Here are times when pauses are especially helpful.
- After the block out is complete and before you begin paint application. Come back with fresh eyes. You may need to make adjustments in the drawing which is easier to accomplish before paint is applied to your painting.
- When you feel a special area of the painting doesn’t look quite right. Walk away before you overwork it.
- When you think you are done with your painting. Don’t box yourself into deadlines that miss time between when you think a painting is completed and when you need to send it to a gallery, show or collector. Often, a few days pass and if something isn’t quite right with a painting, the pause of leaving it a few days allows for me to process what is wrong. I may wake up one morning and know how the painting needs to be changed.
The still life below needed a pause even though I originally thought my painting was complete. In the original, the tangerine is directly in front of the gravy bowl causing parallel shadows. In the final version, the added pear creates a better use of empty space, eliminates the parallel shadows and allows for more color reflection in the gravy bowl. I hope you agree the pause that allows me to reflect and know how to change this painting resulted in a more pleasing and successful oil painting.
Gravy Boat with Tangerine and Pears
