Thank you for your report!
We have received your report and it is currently under investigation by a forum moderator.
And sometimes, I don't love what I do at all...
Welcome to the forum.
Here you can discuss all things art with like-minded artists, join regular painting challenges, ask questions, buy and sell art materials and much more.
Make sure you sign in or register to join the discussions.
Hang on Studio Wall
This is a Studio member-only feature!
Join our Studio membership and save your favourite Painters Online content, from gallery artwork to step-by-step guides, to your own online mood boards. Create your go-to place for inspiration and learning. Plus, members can also enjoy a range of exciting features including monthly art videos and a digital magazine library.
If you are already a Studio member, simply login to your account.
Not a Studio member? Why not try our free 30-day trial - no commitment, no credit card required
Message
Posted
I was not happy with my most recent oil: not only did I post a dire photograph - Mr Bickley, Sage of POL, accurately called it "foggy" - but a sharper focus would not have redeemed it. So what to do? Well, guess - the wrong thing, that's what I did. I tried to "improve" it. How many times have I advised others that if a painting hasn't worked, put it away, and start afresh? I worked on it again today - coincidentally or otherwise, I also tripped over my own feet, and dropped a full teapot on the floor (happily, it's a metal one: I don't trust myself with ceramics). I hadn't slept well, so i've been sluggish all day. And STILL I thought I could improve my painting if I just worked on it some more....
Profit from my experience. If you've painted a dud, it probably IS a dud - it will always be a dud, even if you gaze at it fondly through rose-tinted spectacles. Put it away - just put the blessed thing away, pull out a new canvas, clean off your palette, wash your brushes, and either start something else, or - keeping our options open - don't. Give it a few days. I know you want to paint: so did I - but there's no point in just depressing yourself by making everything worse.
Some painters CAN improve on an otherwise unhappy event: I've just watched Andrew Barrowman on YouTube do just that. I can do it, sometimes. Just not this time - I should have put some space and time between me and it. Go thou and do likewise - do not rush to correct, refine, improve. Even Rembrandt painted the occasional stinker.
Possibly.
Oh, and the other bit of advice: don't leave your teapot standing at the edge of your worktop; and if you do, don't waddle about in a wide-sleeved smock. I'm going to bed now. Tomorrow can only be better.
Posted
This made me smile Robert - have been there many times myself. My only remedy to a 'bad' painting is to put it in the skip or immediately paint over it completely and do something different. Also, I've learnt never to paint when I'm tired/cross or short of time. My big disaster was leaving some oil paint out on my palette, turned away for a minute, my cat came in, jumped up and then off on to the floor and I had oil paw prints all over the carpet and poor puss's paw. Both were a nightmare to try and clean.
Posted
I sympathise Robert don’t just that many a time , not the tea pot trick that’s your speciality . Helps that I work in watercolours and can make quite a few changes well up to a point , my bin is often the recipient of artwork well totally failed once . My remedy if it can’t be recovered is to rip it into four separate pieces and post it in the bin , easily done with paper. We are all good at giving advice but not so good at following it owner selves , or maybe we have this subconscious feeling that we are different and don’t need the advice and can get it right . I’ve not spilt my tea of coffee but have quite regularly dipped my brush in and thought that an odd colour, occasionally picked up the painting water and taken a sip by mistake as well.
