conquering my frustrations

"at summer's end" 12"x!4' pastel on Uart 500

I had headed to Gibb's Garden with a friend for a last look at the end of summer perennials. As we  were walking along, there was a shrub that caught my attention. I liked the way the light was illuminating the leaves. I took several photos and saved them to use in my workshop with Karen Margulis.

8"x10" workshop study

I had this image in my head of how the painting would look, but I hadn't quite captured that image. So I decided to another larger painting. I used the study, my reference photo and a value study. I decide to do an alcohol wash with Nupastels for the underpainting.

value study

underpainting

I worked on the painting for an hour, but it was not coming together. Oh how I love Uart sanded paper!. I put the painting in the sink , washed off the pastel with water, blocked the paper and let it dry. I was left with an underpainting which looked more interesting. 

underpainting after the wash

Feeling frustrated with my progress, I decided to put the painting aside and have some play time (using my pastel paper scraps to make little paintings) in my studio to loosen up. I printed off a black and white version of my reference photo.

Black and white reference photo

 With the new underpainting and the black and white photo I went back at the painting and painted the image in my head. I worked on it for about 2 hours  and am much happier with the results.

What do you do with all those small scraps of pastel paper?

4"x10" pastel on Uart 500

I've been working on another painting that has just not been coming together, so I decided I needed to have a play day in my studio to calm my mind. I have all these left over scraps of pastel paper in odd small sizes. Thanks to a recent post by Karen Margulis, I now know what to do with them……PLAY

Last night my sister texted me some sunset photos from where she is visiting and this is what inspired me to start playing!

texted photos from my sister

a perfect image for those 4"x 8"or 11" scraps! So I painted another one. My goal was just loosen up and let go of the frustration I was feeling with the other painting (which I have put aside for now but not given up on!)

8"x10" pastel on Uart 500

We had gone out for dinner last night and drove home a different way. On the way there was a view we passed from a local golf course, that just caught my eye! Painting……. so I went back this morning and took several photos. These would be good for more of those small scraps!.

Golf course photos plus one from Gibbs Garden

More play! I used Nupastels and a piece of foam insulation to rub in the under paintings on all of the small studies.

underpainting samples

I'm feeling so much better. I used mostly Richard McKinley Great American landscape pastels on all of these small paintings. Some will probably be used as studies for larger paintings. These small paintings will also make great little sale items for me at my october and november art and gift shows. (more to follow on that)

4"x4" pastel on Uart 500

4"x8" pastel on Uart 500

4"x4" pastel on Uart 500

painter's block

"pathway back #5" 9"x12"pastel on Uart 500  $80

Every so often, I go through these periods when I'm "stuck " with my painting….painter's block, whatever! It's so frustrating to me because I want to paint everyday. I just have not been connecting with anything….When this happens I sit back and just try to relax and usually spend time going through my pile of "inspirations" - copies of artist's work that I love. I also go through my photos and pull anything that even slightly shows interest to me and do some simple black pen drawings.

reference photos and black pen drawings

I hate to waste a good piece of Uart paper. I had tried several watercolor under paintings and actually got started laying in the pastel - but I just wasn't liking it. So I put the paper in the sink and washed off as much of the underpainting/pastel with water, then blocked and let the paper dry. Back to the drawing board! One reference photo/drawing had some potential. I used that blocked paper and did another watercolor underpainting, you can still see the shadow of the previous underpainting.

reference photo/blk pen drawing

new watercolor underpainting

I sort of had an image in my head of what I wanted to paint. Determined not to give up, I said to myself 

"relax and paint what I feel". Another pathway back…..