I haven’t shared the process of a painting for a while, and so today I’m showing you the development of ‘Wishing Buds’, my latest painting. It’s a good example of a painting that started in one direction and made an abrupt detour into something I liked much better. 🙂
Some Most of the photos are iffy because when I’m in flow I apparently don’t have time to make sure they’re in focus. And painting at night, well, you know how it goes.
So at first I thought it was going to be a figurative painting. Or rather, abstract figurative. I had a vague vision I started mapping out in some light colours, thus:
I was really keen on exploring a lighter colour palette than I usually use, but it turns out there’s a reason why I don’t usually go for pale and interesting. It just doesn’t suit how I paint.
Then I left it for a bit because I knew it wasn’t working and thought I’d wait and see if it could be resuscitated.
And then one evening I felt really weird, realised I needed to just move some paint around, and this one was on the easel so I just went for it. Instant therapy. Not to mention an excellent exercise in non attachment and letting go. 🙂 I do love painting for that.
I didn’t have any plans beyond just painting; I knew I could start to put something back in when I was ready.
Which was a good thing as I didn’t like the green and yellow choices at all. At this point {below}, it was getting ugly, so I ferreted out a reference image from my stash and started painting that in.
A bit of a jump because the next photo was SO blurry it was impossible to tell what was going on. Also altered and simplified the palette to my usual faves.
I had a lot of fun messing with the negative space and painting the light falling onto the buds.
I didn’t want to paint in the table it was sitting on but it was a bit too ungrounded, so I just played with adding some more colour to the bottom left until I was satisfied.
I also found some gold paint and felt compelled to put some of that in. It’s very subtle but helps to tone down the primary colour feel I think.
A few last minute additions and lo, Wishing Buds. Named by a friend, and a reminder of the coming spring and new beginnings.
I love seeing the changing face of the canvas in this post, and the idea of just letting go and allowing something else to happen 🙂
I’m glad you enjoyed it Elizabeth and thank you for stopping by! If only I could apply that to all the other areas of my life. 😉 It only seems to come easy in the studio!
How interesting to be a witness to your process. I love how you just go with it…like there are no mistakes…just an ongoing evolution. I like thinking about the layers in these sorts of paintings and how each layer tells a story and that is what you have revealed to me here. fabulous name too and Spring is in the air!
I love the layer factor too Lisa. It allows for everything – ‘mistakes’, changes in direction etc. Thanks for coming over!
this is beautiful. and thank you for sharing the process…
loved it!
Thank you very much Arlene, and so pleased you enjoyed it. 🙂
Tara you have a way with words just as you have in painting. I really enjoyed this blog!
Thanks Beryl – so glad you enjoyed it!