Progress Photos

First idea: "Belvedere", (c) Lesley Powell 2015

Faithful readers may recall an earlier post about using a camera to preserve the early stages of my favorite paintings. Sometimes I sense that I am onto something good, right from the start--and in that case I often snap a few shots of the work in progress. The idea is to keep a record of what I found exciting and interesting. Later, if I start to over-think and over-work the painting (always a danger!), I refer back to the earlier photo. It helps me recapture the thrill of discovery, and it refreshes my memory about what I loved.

First idea: "Cobbled Together", (c) Lesley Powell 2015

I thought it would be interesting to show a few of these "eureka" photos. The top image is the first touch of ink to canvas for my painting "Belvedere". I was immediately pleased with the pattern of the fields and the sense of the curvature of the earth. Somewhere along the line

I lost the sense of the earth's curvature, but by looking back at this picture, I was able to regain it. You can see the finished product here.

The second shot is my initial conception of the painting that became "Cobbled Together". I loved the energy and geometry of these very first strokes! Here's the finished product.

I conclude with an image of my painting "Last Light, Sablet", in its early stages. This one is further along than the top two. The finished painting is shown last.  And now you know how it all begins...

"Last Light, Sablet"
12 x 16, Oil on Linen (SOLD)
(c) Lesley Powell 2015