Reworking old painting - success or disaster

I prefer the reworked one Dawn. It's softer and the colours are more harmonious. I often rework old paintings, sometimes I paint over them, leaving a bit of colour here and there which adds interest to the new one. Sometimes I turn them upside down and start from there, it can be fun.

I don't re-work - if a painting really hasn't worked, I'd much rather put my fist through it or break it over my knee .... I've rarely done that, only twice so far as I remember; but I think I should probably have done it more often.... At least with an acrylic, though, you CAN re-work it; you can even re-work watercolour, though nothing like so easily; and oil, provided you're careful not to invite cracking later on. But acrylic is easy to alter - which is one reason why I usually varnish acrylics quite soon after finishing them - it reduces the temptation to fiddle about with them; because while I say I don't re-work, I have done in the past ..... and very rarely did I improve anything. Better to keep your old paintings, paint a fresh one from scratch, and over time compare your old stuff and the new: with any luck, you'll see a big improvement. With the two paintings under discussion - well, to start with I agree with Sylvia; it doesn't matter if someone else hates it, if you like it that's what matters; so rather than change your original and perhaps disappoint yourself, do another version instead. I think the second version is rather better painted than the first, but of course you've toned down a lot of the colour as well - so there have been gains and losses. I think what you need to do is paint, paint, and paint some more - look at videos, read books, go out with your camera and/or sketch-book and get plenty of ideas. Dizzy your friends and family with so many paintings that they haven't the time to make adverse comments and as you improve won't feel they need to, either. I know I'm repeating myself, and repeating Sylvia, but it's important - don't just do a tiny number of paintings and then worry at them and change them in response to criticism: leave 'em be, and start another. Of course you can take on board what people say if the advice seems sensible, but non-painters are generally not the ones from whom you should take advice (big generalization there, I know, and sometimes they are); they don't understand the process, the difficulties, the technical issues, and few of them see the world as painters do. Work on your drawing, paint more pictures, please yourself first and foremost, and don't get disheartened by criticism.

I have reworked several of my unfinished or old watercolour painting, which at the time I thought were ok, but looking at them now ,I think rubbish.... but with the help of all my different coloured pencils I enhance them and the more I do the better they look. so I am quite happy with the outcome ,. but of course if it doesn't work I can erase the pencil marks. it does help with improving the painting and I learn from these exercises, some turn out really well and others are still for file 13. Tao

Hi Dawn, I used to sometimes be tempted to do the same thing, but looking back I know it was never worth it. Usually the result was no better, or often worse than the original. The thing is, if you're at a point when you're having trouble with some aspect (colors, composition, drawing, etc.), any reworking will just perpetuate those problems until you move forward. Personally, I prefer your original version - it looks sunny, and gives a feeling of summer warmth. I would say that in future, if you're not happy with a work, just put it aside and move on, but only after having figured out why it didn't work. Then put in alot of intensive practice on that aspect that gave you trouble. Then, years down the road when you look back you'll be happy to see how much progress you've made!