messing up in paint

Sometimes you just get it horribly wrong.

This is another sketch from the all-nighter in Fondi. It started like this, about three summers ago. A group of us painted on all four sides of the ArtCube. It is pretty much "first in best spot", so I take the top panels and leave bending to the ground to the younger ones.

This particular night I had to drive a lot further because a truck had jack-knifed, blocking the road. I didn't want to be finding my way home over unknown hills at 3 or 4am so I left at 1am, leaving the sketches on the cube. They were finally delivered to me many months later, long after any inspiration had flown. And so they stayed. Until now. 

Today I attacked this one: 

Mistake number one had been not adapting what I had in mind to paint, the interior of a walled court-yard seen through the entrance arch, something I had spotted and liked in another hilltop village. It is hard enough to keep up with conversation, paint with an audience, and deal with the less than comfortable conditions without having to focus on what to paint as well. So without thinking it through I painted what I could remember from the other town. 

Obviously, I needed a portrait canvas, not a landscape one. Think, plan, adapt, DON'T rush in just because you feel you need to start! 

Today it has ended up looking like this (or would if I were to crop it, which I could do if I like it after tomorrow's effort on it). 

I'm beginning to think I could do something with it. Maybe. 

These photos show you how I got to what you see above, including all the mistakes I made along the way. Why didn't I simply paint out the image and start all over again with the canvas, now released from the cube, turned to the way I wanted it? Sigh... 

Who knows what tomorrow will bring? I might be inspired to really do something with it. Or... not!

(Wonders if the neighbour's bougainvillea might just hold the key...)

And later this evening: 

OK, It's never going to make the grade. But at least, as all creative mentors urge, I have painted today, and no doubt I will keep daubing away at it until I do run out of paint completely (now down to five acrylic colours and white).  It's so overly chocolate-boxy I'm tempted to add a cat... or three ;)

Waiting for inspiration doesn't cut it when painting is your day job and even with lesser paintings you keep learning - what NOT to do!  And once I have "dealt with" all these canvases that have been languishing, I can go back to my beloved watercolours. YES! That's where I really want to be :) 

Today I am grateful for four-legged company in the studio.