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How much do you abandon? (1 Viewer)

Woody

Well-known member
I'm feeling a little down at the moment, every painting I do seems to get a little way in and then I decide it's crap and abandon it.

I had a little think and currently I have; A wren, a little owl, some hares, a barn owl/landscape, a pheasant/landscape, goldfinches, another little owl, snipe, another snipe, goshawk, and red legged partridges, all in the 'abandoned for now because I dont think they're good enough' category. And they're just the ones I can remember.

I have'nt actually binned any of these yet so I suppose they may get finished at some stage, but I'm not holding my breath.

I just wondered if this is a universal condition or am I alone?

Woody
 
you're certainly not alone, I've got a whole portfolio of unfinished or "ruined because I insisted on finishing", I'm having great difficulty in painting at the moment, so I should be due for a creative spurt at some point, but for the moment it just isn't working. Saying taht, I doubt that your crap pile is as crap as you say, leave it for now, but don't forget about it, the inspiration will come back!
 
I'm still painting, currently I'm half way through a small landscape with geese (Mathios inspired no doubt). Fairly happy with it so far, it's just that all the stuff I've started and abandoned seems to be outnumbering the finished paintings at the mo.

Just remembered, there's a merlin painting hanging about somewhere too.

Woody
 
I'm only a 'dabbler', but like to follow this section because of the fabulous work I can only dream of! I just wondered if a complete change of subject and style for a short while would 'freshen' you up, in your own mind, for when you return to your usual work? Wild experiments! Anyone tried this?
 
I'm only a 'dabbler', but like to follow this section because of the fabulous work I can only dream of! I just wondered if a complete change of subject and style for a short while would 'freshen' you up, in your own mind, for when you return to your usual work? Wild experiments! Anyone tried this?


I agree with Mary, an excellent way to get out of a rut, you may surprise yourself, I think I'm heading for a phase of meticulous and well-thought out pieces rather than splashing paint until it's fit for the bin or the wall.
 
I'm feeling a little down at the moment, every painting I do seems to get a little way in and then I decide it's crap and abandon it.

I had a little think and currently I have; A wren, a little owl, some hares, a barn owl/landscape, a pheasant/landscape, goldfinches, another little owl, snipe, another snipe, goshawk, and red legged partridges, all in the 'abandoned for now because I dont think they're good enough' category. And they're just the ones I can remember.

I have'nt actually binned any of these yet so I suppose they may get finished at some stage, but I'm not holding my breath.

I just wondered if this is a universal condition or am I alone?

Woody

Hi Woody

No, you are not alone here.

Mary: Yes it is true what you say here. Time out and freshen up is the word to use here

I agree with Nick about the matter with having the inspiration, and it will come back to you again.

I think with painting you tend to go through phases of not liking what you do.

From my own experience of any artistic abilities we have (technical drawing has the same effect too) We sometimes expect too much from ourselves. So we get very despondant at times, and question our abilities when we do any painting. So we go around and around in circles with ourselves. It is a process of becoming more self aware of our abilities. It is the same with many issues in our lives.

So I would say go with the flow, and if you have not completed a painting leave it for a good while - go back to it and you will feel so different towards what you have achieved in the first place, and it will work for you again. The inspiration will come back to you, and you will finish that painting. It will end up in your favour. ;)

I remember painting a Blue tit, and I made him look too fat around his belly area. I thought throw this painting out as it completely wrong and start again. I felt the whole painting was a disaster from start to finish and felt miserable about it for quite a while too. This happened with other paintings too.
I then decided not throw this painting out and sorted the mistake, and it worked. Sounds silly but it worked here. ;)

I think to bin anything may hold some regrets for you. Keep all what you have and see if you can change it for the better, and learn from it.

All positive talk here but it will work for you, and most of all try to see what you have done as positive for you. :t:

Just a few thoughts here ;)

Regards
Kathy
 
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Nice to hear that it's not just me. I've been trying the experimentation thing, hence the barn owl on canvas and even a bit of oil painting and a portrait or two.

It feels good to at least attempt to break out of whatever rut I've found myself in but the results have been disappointing as far as I'm concerned. The painting I'm working on at the moment is back to my 'normal' style and (fingers crossed) is so far going according to plan, so maybe taking a rest from detail has been good for me.

Inspiration isn't in short supply, it's the technical skills to make it work that seem to be lacking recently. I'll no doubt snap out of it again soon, indeed, perhaps I have already.

Thanks for the encouragement everyone, and Nick, if you start painting in a meticulous, thought out way I think I might just be sick 'cos you're bound to be good at that too, you B! ;)

Woody
 
Nice to hear that it's not just me. I've been trying the experimentation thing, hence the barn owl on canvas and even a bit of oil painting and a portrait or two.

It feels good to at least attempt to break out of whatever rut I've found myself in but the results have been disappointing as far as I'm concerned. The painting I'm working on at the moment is back to my 'normal' style and (fingers crossed) is so far going according to plan, so maybe taking a rest from detail has been good for me.

Inspiration isn't in short supply, it's the technical skills to make it work that seem to be lacking recently. I'll no doubt snap out of it again soon, indeed, perhaps I have already.

Thanks for the encouragement everyone, and Nick, if you start painting in a meticulous, thought out way I think I might just be sick 'cos you're bound to be good at that too, you B! ;)

Woody


Sounds a little like your interest is reduced. Once read Raymond Chanq quote which said that in order to paint well the bird in front of him had to be the centre of his universe, that the subject had to fill him up with a total need to portray it, look over it. That it filled him with an unbearable desire to paint it, or something to that effect.
That can go away though. Thinking perhaps a new subject might help you. Leave the little owls and partridges aside for a bit and go look for something completely nw that you have not tackled before, make a project out of it perhaps and pick something that excites you. Maybe a weekend away in the car birding would help do it for you...
Hope it passes quickly in any case.
 
Or - hold the glass up to yourself. Is it the work, or is it you? Remember my block a couple of months ago? - I now realise it was circumstance (plus a huge lack of ability!) that was making me feel shut about my work. Why not, next time you go to Emley (or wherever) just go and sit and look - forget the sketchbook and the 'pressure to perform' that this sometimes brings. Look at the stuff that takes you there in the first place - I bet, following a few theraputic sessions such as this, you'll be gagging to paint - and meaningfully.
You don't need me to tell you how talented you are. It's just having a time-out.
 
Woody this really is nothing unusual. I happen to think its an intrinzick part
of an artists make up . Its your creative sides way of telling you
you need to step back from your art as a whole and have a good look.

A few years back I went comlpetely off of painting Birds and wildlife.
In fact I seriously considered stepping away from wildlife and
Avian subjects . I was in a really difficult place.
However I waited and then started doing some figuretive pieces.
and did a series of nudes in oil. but it was'nt long befor i was
back" wanting" , and thats the key wanting despirately to
paint birds again.

you have to nurture your creativity and inspiration. This is also true with
technique as well . I sometimes get sick of working in the same way.
so I ring the changes do an expressive piece not worrying about
detail at all. I am never usually pleased with them but thats not the
point. The point is that its all part of the journey.

A good friend once told me to stop focusing to much on where
I want to get to and to look around and enjoy the Journey.

Sounds to me like your on top of it anyway , but just wanted
to say your not alone with this kind of thing.
 
The extra encouragement from you all is very much appreciated, thank you.

I think I'm getting over it (new painting about to be posted in the gallery). Some of the abandoned pile will see the light of day again, others most definately won't!

It seems to me that we all need a little reassurance now and again that when we're doing 'our' thing it's the right thing for us as individuals. I spend far too much time worrying that my work is not 'as good' or 'as free' or as 'technically accomplished' as others' and loose sight of the fact that people are still appreciating what I do.

Philosophising over for now, I'm looking forward to sunday when I can get out and breath the damp air of English woodlands in early autumn, maybe I'll see some birds too!

Woody
 
I'm only a 'dabbler', but like to follow this section because of the fabulous work I can only dream of! I just wondered if a complete change of subject and style for a short while would 'freshen' you up, in your own mind, for when you return to your usual work? Wild experiments! Anyone tried this?

Well, I paint wargames miniatures and I have been struggling to complete a large limited edition model of a golden dragon of chaos. It took me ages to get hold of it and I really wanted to do it justice. But there's only so much you can take of painting various shades of yellow, gold and brown on the scales before you go totally dragon blind. ;) So I have taken a break and am now concentrating n a much faster medium being painting birds and wildlife in pastels and a bit of watercolour.
 
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