No greater excitement than in starting a new painting. Every mark full of the potential for a brilliant outcome. Here is to striving to maintaining the carefree attitude of a painting's beginning throughout!
“Soon it got dusk, a grapy dusk, a purple dusk over tangerine groves and long melon fields; the sun the color of pressed grapes, slashed with burgandy red, the fields the color of love and Spanish mysteries.”
I thought I would never finish this work this past year. After leaving it for a couple of months, I returned to it today to finish it. Is a painting ever finished? Some would argue "No." Perhaps ones day in the coming months I will add or change a few things that I thought should be different while photographing it this afternoon, however for today I will proclaim that it is done. There are several posts on this blog in the months of June, July and August that feature this works progress.
I teach color theory. I have decided to paint all color principles I ask my students to paint. I believe in the color principles defined by Johannes Itten. I am a convert to my belief. I thought his color principles were dated and old fashioned. After teaching color theory, I started seeing the principles defined by Itten everywhere, every day in movies, advertisements, clothing, etc. I realized his ideas about color are alive and well. This is a still life of my daughter's toys. In the work, I am interested in painting a subject I can approach in a straight forward manner. I am at my best as a painter when I have a direct perceptual reference. Morning Battles takes on Itten's Contrast of Hue. I thought that color contrast would be the best for my idea. Conflict is a form of abrupt communication and hard transitions. Light/dark contrasting colors exemplifies dual, conflicting feelings of joy & exasperation I experience in the early mornings while trying feed and dress a toddler.
I paint each day as to finish the painting, and I am always disappointed when it is not. Made some strides to day in color and structure. I believe I will finish this work this week.
The greatest temptation and danger is to rely on previous solutions and thus paint the same picture for the rest of your life. - Charles Movalli
It can't look like you've worked hard and long, even if you have. A painting should be done quickly with both your intellect and your nerves. When they give out, stop.