A definite 'Trial'!

why disapointed?? I see nothing wrong with this. I'd be happy enough with it. The problem is it isn't what you had in your head. I've yet to meet an artist that has managed to produce whats in their head. Many come close, but never quite reach that paradise! Our imagination often exceeds our ability to put it on paper. Is'nt that what drives us to keep trying? Be pleased Fiona- its a lovely warm painting that captures a time and place, which is all any of us do.

I agree with Tony, this is lovely Fiona

I agree, the lavender fields look good to me and you have the warmth in it too - a lovely painting

How true your words are Tony, my imagination often exceeds my ability Lol! It's a comfort to know I'm not the only one who suffers that particular affliction. Thank you for your words of encouragement Tony.

Many thanks Petra, Glennis.

Hi Fiona. Almost every painting i do , NEVER turns out how i wanted it too, that was one of the main reasons i didnt pick up a paint brush for years i was so fustrated! but now i learn to accept the paintings just as they are. And as for this painting fiona, i really like it , particularly the tree to the left of the painting and the houses

Fiona---- If we could all paint what is in our head their would be no need for -- POL mag- art cds-art lessons etc -- we would all be brilliant. It does not happen---Perfect painting is all in the mind and and we can only hope we can get there------You know I told you that your art was getting there, ( you produce some amazing stuff at times) but that in itself makes our mind want bigger better paintings - do not give up on striving to produce whats in your mind it will only make you a better painter in the long run.----- You have just commented on my painting Derbyshire Tree -well believe it not that painting was not was in my mind it should have been far better. --Well after gritting my teeth ( what teeth cant find um ) and promising my mind to do better next time - -------- WE CARRY ON

PS there aint nowt wrong with this painting --- a lot of people would like to have done as well ------GET ON WITH IT GEL

Thank you Charles, that's what I needed....a good kick in the pants!! Lol. I promise to stop feeling sorry for myself, and as you say..."GET ON WITH IT".

I'm going to take a leaf out of your book Hayley, and try not to punish myself over the results. Thank you for your good advise.

Fiona, pick up that brush again - we all have this problem: sometimes (rarely) in acrylic or oil, I get to somewhere near where I anticipated being - or hoped to be; in watercolour .... never, I think. The paint just won't behave consistently from day to day, so much can affect it. I could offer all sorts of criticisms of this - artfully pretending I could have done better - but I think you know where its weaknesses lie: my question would be, had you actually seen this scene, or was it from a photograph taken by someone else? Unless you have a really good, exceptionally good, photograph, preferably taken by someone you know well and whose tastes and aptitudes you know (I'm lucky to have a couple of friends who send me photographs, which I'm able to interpret) it's always better to work from your own photographs or from life. In this case - you could have faded the mountains out a bit more, used lost and found edges ... could have faded out the middle ground; could have sharpened the profile of the buildings - finer brushes, clearer darks; but the major problem you had seems to me to have been with the foreground, where the rather unrelieved brown divisions (which I think should have been darker, (inkily so in places) jar with the slightly dull purple (was that a tube colour? Or did you mix it - permanent rose and French Ultramarine would have been good): I think you probably did mix it, but did so optically, laying darker colour on lighter: normally works well, but this time it didn't, quite. Finally, and not in any hope of adding salt to your wound, I think the parallel lines in the mid-ground could have been changed to verticals - it would have added movement: or the painting seems to be in five separate stages, like a stage set. I'm rarely as horribly critical as this, but believe me, I just want you to pick up your brushes again and have another crack at it, or better still, something else. Pick up thy brush and walk.

Ran out of space for my verbosity there - the other thing is: I sense you were nervous about this painting, and approached it too carefully. Whenever I'm very careful in watercolour, I ALWAYS go wrong - get too tight in oil, acrylic or gouache and you can just obliterate the tentative marks; you just can't in watercolour. And finally, I'm hoping you know that I wouldn't rabbit on like this if I didn't think there was a very good painting in here, bursting to get out....

How do you do that Robert? You are right about everything; from it being someone elses photo, the foreground is what I struggled the most with, ( I did mix the lavendar colour, cobalt/perm.rose) and finally, I was nervous about the whole subject, palette etc. I am going to pick up my brush and have another go....but not at this one, I'm going back to what I feel comfortable with......rough and ready stuff!!

Goodness - too much to wade into so early in the morning - suffice to say it is a worthy painting. Just keep putting marks on paper Fiona and enjoy it - if they all turn out as good as this you should proud!

Many thanks for posting this Fiona, a good thing about POL is that we can receive honest comments about our art and we can learn from each other. Robert has made some good points in his comments, some of which I also thought but would have struggled to put into words. the main thing is not to 'retreat' into safer territory but to continue to grow.

I think everyone that has posted about this piece Fiona has said it all, we are all our own worst critics of our own work as we strive to paint the perfect picture of what is in our imagination when we start a new work--- never be discouraged when this does not happen just start again, thats the challenge and the fun of it all.

Michael, Stephen thank you for your encouragement. When I finished this picture I closed the door of my art room and haven't been back in since. I haven't even looked at an art book, and I usually look through my Ted Wesson books at least twice a day, whether I paint or not! So, I thought, post and be damned.......and I do believe it's worked, I think I'm over my sulks. Thanks to all your honest and constructive advise and comments.

Many thanks Graham, it's comforting to know that I'm not alone when I sulk about a picture that doesn't turn out how I wish.

Don't be hard on yourself Fiona! This is colourful and I like your recession with the delicate touch of lavender in the distance.

Thank you carole, you're very kind.

Agree with everyone - you are definitely too hard on yourself, Fiona. This is delightful - lovely washes, super palette and atmosphere. Not what you thought it would look like, true - well join the club!

Thank you Seok, I've risen above my sulks over this one now and put it behind me. Thanks to lots of positive feedback on this site. Thanks again.