That WIP...

In case anyone was wondering what happened to mine - I very nearly put my foot through it, but it's still in development nonetheless.  Why I got so cross with it might perhaps be of a little interest.  Number one, as the first approach should have told me, I was trying to cram too much into it.  Number two, I have been too literal - I have broken away from the original site-visit, photo and sketch, but not enough - forgetting that I'm not a camera.  It is not necessary to include everything; it is permissible to alter architecture, landscape layout; one can be too conscious of those who say 'oh, I recognize, but mind you THAT's in the wrong place, and that's not that shape, and that colour isn't right ...': now the thing to do is to kick them sharply in the shins, but the snag is of course that one says just the same to oneself: we may be right about the actualité, but - and I don't know if everyone will agree? I know my brother doesn't! - it's not necessary to pick up every single feature of a scene if one's to say 'this is Puddlewater Beach' - surely I can change that ugly sea-wall a bit?  Can't I? It is a question - because I'm not a realist painter, and don't want to be; but there probably are some limits as to how much 'poetic licence' can be justified.  I probably worry too much about that, and will happily blame my bro: though I'm probably exaggerating his actual view. Finally - the surface one's working on makes such a difference: I've painted now three, and this will be four, oils on Seabright birch panels: primed with acrylic, I did the first two on a white surface, this one on a toned surface - a bit of burnt sienna mixed with the white priming.  In all three cases, I've found the smoothness, even though I roughed the priming up a bit, productive of very detailed work, or temptation to same: and it produced what I'd call a standard oil painting: all nicely blended, however hard I tried to disrupt the smoothness.  I find them bland - so will revert to a board with more tooth next time; maybe keeping the birch boards for acrylics.   All part for the learning process.  For convenience, or otherwise, I'll post the first stages again: may be you'll see the potential for going wrong which I didn't.  

Another thing I did, following advice on YouTube to which I shouldn't have listened, was not to paint the sky first - which I nearly always do.  Too easily influenced, that's me....  I'm going to let it dry a bit - or 'set up', as some would have it - and then simplify as much as I can, and add a few glazes: and in passing - isn't it amazing, when you add something you think dramatic and brave, how extremely conservative and timid it looks the next day?  If you're going to do it, Jones - do what Denise Cat would do: GO for it.  Anyway, dinner-time now, and hight time I opened a bottle.  

Doubt that it's your fault, Fiona - we need a surface which responds to our approach to it, and although the birch looks attractive, and ought to be rough enough - once you prime it, is isn't (for my purposes, and perhaps yours, anyway).  If Alan B is looking in, he's sure to recommend Belle Arti panels: and he'll be right, and I wish that was what I'd used.  It really DOES seem hard to paint loosely, which is always my preference, on a birch panel - I think it'd be great for acrylics, or I thought that until I read your comments: maybe it's not!   It reminds me of my experience with Ampersand panels - they worked (surprisingly) well with oils, even given they're as smooth as an egg (but are somewhat absorbent): I fought with acrylic on them, though - couldn't get the paint to behave in any way I found helpful.  Watercolourists correctly tell us that you have to find the paper that suits you - I think the same is true of oils and acrylics in relation to canvas, board, panel, whatever: the thing is that while one surface might suit one artist, a different one another, sometimes the same surface can work unexpectedly well: experience should tell us what will work for us and what won't, but sometimes - experience isn't quite as helpful as it might be.   I try too many different surfaces, perhaps - lured by manufacturers' promises, like a lonely sailor mesmerized by the perfidious mermaid - getting ever so slightly fanciful there; but I do think it probably is a good idea to stick with the surface you know you like and can turn to your purpose, in all media.  Actually, thinking it through a bit more ..... I fear that the birch panels encourage my worst tendencies: to fiddle, and add, and refine, and alter; that might suit someone else admirably - but those are my worst failings and I don't wish to encourage them.  

Plus - if it's not too late to say so - I like your painting, and personally see no need to overpaint it with oil: you could develop it with acrylic just as well if not better.  The one thing acrylics do brilliantly is allow you to glaze to your heart's content, because it dries so fast and orff you jolly well go.  However - it's not my painting it's yours, so take no notice of my preferences.  

I think, Denise,that it was too dark to start with (which is why I took to painting on white grounds in the first place, which almost no experienced artist does).  So I've lightened the damn' thing up so far that I'm sick of it!  Currently, it's screaming 'Hallmark cards!' at me .....not what I want at all.  We shall have see where it goes.  If I put a foot through it, I shall do myself a nasty mischief: so I may hold back!  I can see myself hopping around with a frame around my foot, and I would - frankly - look rather ..... silly.   Mind you, I might look a lot sillier when I finally show the blessed thing....