I have only done two paintings since I returned from my course with Charles Reid. One was a copy of one of his demo paintings, so doesn't really count as a painting per se and one was a portrait done very much in his style. The portrait was rubbish as I lost control of the washes when doing the skin tones, so I will turn the paper over and try something better on the other side. I find I have to get myself into a mood of being able to really concentrate on what I am doing (which I find hard after a break) to actually produce anything half decent. A couple of days ago, I gave myself a stern talking to about staying 'on task' and decided to choose one of my favourite subjects (yep - boats) to try a painting very much in my style, but trying to incorporate what I learned on the course. I recently thought that I should try some different subjects from my normal ones of boats, race horses, still life and portraits (with the occasional lighthouse thrown into the mix) as I felt I was getting a bit stale. However, when I was talking to Charles one day, I asked him if he had ever lost interest in some of the subjects he paints (as he must have painted so many in his 50+ years of painting) and found it hard to find a fresh subject. 'Oh, no' he replied straight away, 'because every painting is a new challenge and I try to paint it as if it is the first time'. Wow - that got to me and made me think. So I have come to the conclusion that I should stick with the subjects that inspire me but approach them as Charles does and treat every one as a new challenge and as if I had never painted anything like it before. Armed with this new resolve, I am working on a painting of two boats. The challenge with this one is that both boats are white and how is best to portray that whiteness. I can't just leave the white as white paper, so must come up with some tone to apply to the hulls. I have also had to do what Charles demonstrated, and get the dark negative shapes in first to show the lighter boats in front. I normally am very wary of using darks like this, but I tried it and I think it works well. A lesson learned. I have also followed Charles's example and left any mistakes without trying to correct them or fiddle with them. His view is that a painting needs mistakes as this is what gives it character. As I make quite a lot of mistakes I am happy to buy into that logic! I have now completed the boats, the negative shapes of the land behind the boats and the small bit of sea that is visible. I have also put in part of the sky, adding it as I was going along to tie it to what was happening near it. I have the tangle of ropes from each boat to do now and the foreground. I am a total wimp with foregrounds so that is going to take a bit of thinking about and a not inconsiderable dash of bravery. I hope this painting works out as it will be a testament to the fact that I was paying attention when Charles was teaching and that all his advice will eventually improve my work. We'll see........