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| "Ile de la Cite" 10 x 17, oil on linen (c) Lesley Powell 2104 (SOLD) |
Like many people in the creative world, I spend the vast majority of my time alone, working away. Sometimes I am lucky enough to benefit from the input of a small "critique group" of fellow painters. Or better yet, I may get advice from a trusted mentor. But more often than not, I am left to my own devices to work through the problems of painting.
On occasion, I finish a painting and immediately know that it's a success. That was the case with the top painting in this post. Far more often, I "finish" a painting and I am not sure whether it is good or bad. Sometimes I am dissatisfied with it in some way. Maybe it looks chalky. Or it is just not convincing. That's when the Inner Critic must emerge. I try to bring my best judgment into play, and ask myself
a series of questions to determine what needs to be fixed. Are the values correct--in other words, are the darks dark enough, and the lights light enough? Are the color relationships right? Is the composition satisfying? Is the drawing correct?
Sometimes I just can't figure it out right away. As Maggie Siner once told me, it's best not to judge every painting as it comes off the easel. Rather, one should JUST PAINT. Just paint, and set the paintings aside, and come back to them later to decide the merits (or demerits!) of each. The painting directly above is one that I was not too keen on when I brought it in from the field. But after a month or so, when I pulled out all of my paintings from the trip, it really did sing. It was a sleeper! I'm so glad I didn't leave it behind.
Just above is another painting from the same trip. This is one that I knew right away was a strong painting. Wish it were always so clear.
It's an ongoing effort to improve my ability to judge my own paintings objectively. Fortunately, time is an ally. Putting the paintings aside and coming back to them later is immensely helpful. For that reason, I am resolved not to rush the paintings into frames. Far better to let them "gel" for a while, and look at them thoughtfully over time, after the original impulses subside, before rushing to judgment. As always, I believe there is a life lesson in this painting solution!
On occasion, I finish a painting and immediately know that it's a success. That was the case with the top painting in this post. Far more often, I "finish" a painting and I am not sure whether it is good or bad. Sometimes I am dissatisfied with it in some way. Maybe it looks chalky. Or it is just not convincing. That's when the Inner Critic must emerge. I try to bring my best judgment into play, and ask myself
a series of questions to determine what needs to be fixed. Are the values correct--in other words, are the darks dark enough, and the lights light enough? Are the color relationships right? Is the composition satisfying? Is the drawing correct?
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| "Fields near Les Lombards" 8 x 12, oil on canvas (c) Lesley Powell 2014 |
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| "Doorway, Les Bassacs" 8 x 8, oil on linen (c) Lesley Powell 2014 (SOLD) |
It's an ongoing effort to improve my ability to judge my own paintings objectively. Fortunately, time is an ally. Putting the paintings aside and coming back to them later is immensely helpful. For that reason, I am resolved not to rush the paintings into frames. Far better to let them "gel" for a while, and look at them thoughtfully over time, after the original impulses subside, before rushing to judgment. As always, I believe there is a life lesson in this painting solution!
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