But I don't think I'll paint another tulip in. Yesterday's commentators made good points about 1) enjoying what's there, not what isn't; 2) being satisfied and moving on, beginning again; and 3) keeping it fresh. Thanks for all the really great input and perspective!
There may be one, or two, more paintings in these tulips, which are about a day away from drooping, which could yield some nice sinuous designs ... What a bargain for $6.99!
p.s. Have been looking at two great books, Between Ruin and Renewal: Egon Scheile's Landscapes by Kimberly Smith and Egon Scheile Landscapes by Rudolf Leopold. I'm always struck by Scheile's uncanny, unerring placement of his subject--landscape or figure; drawing or painting--on the page. The landscapes with winter trees--sinewy, fragile and black--are especially lovely.
2 comments:
I am so glad that you didn't paint over that! I had some other thoughts. One is that tulips tend to naturally fall apart from each other unless very carefully positioned. I spent a LOT of time positioning my flowers for the Age of Flowers series.
The other thing, seconding someone's comment yesterday, is that I just reread a bit in one of Ron Ranson's books where he talks about a watercolorist friend who insists on having plenty of paper and when running into a problem, just starting again on a new sheet. I think that's really important for watercolor. I've killed many a painting trying to get the better of an undoable mark.
Hi Suzanne. Yes, that was Bill. I think the idea of starting another was the first thing that attracted me to watercolor. When I painted in oils, which wasn't for very long, I'd haul out a painting and work it and rework it until I couldn't stand to look at it!
That's an interesting point about the tendency of the tulips too: I'm not enough of an arranger; I like to take things as I find them, maybe so I won't feel resposible! :-)
Post a Comment