Friday 22 May 2015

Daily Challenges.





              Robin Hood's Bay (re-visited)   Oils on board   8 x 8 inches   


It was a very thrilling moment when I placed the last flourish of paint on this painting.  It had been a very challenging time and it very nearly hit the bin but I gave it another chance.

There are days when my painting session does not go well.  This was one of those times and after wiping paint off this board three times, and tonking it with kitchen roll I was well and truly at the end of my patience.  Something inside told me to step away...(which I should have done several times previously)...so I left it to dry and took a photograph of the abandoned work, shown below.







                                             Robin Hood's Bay, the wiped piece.


I try to end my painting day on a good note so a few hours later, before bedtime, I went back out to my studio and looked at the painting sitting on the easel.  It was dry and begging me to have another try.  Using what paint was left on the palette I attacked the picture with a larger brush and pushed the paint around surprising myself how quickly it came to life.  This time I stepped away before I ruined it.   It possibly isn't my best piece of work but I am happy with the result.  Persistence paid off.  Here it is again...








                                            Dangerous Times...and Inner Voices



The night after this I took a dangerous step and in my heart knew I shouldn't...but a little niggling voice in my head was telling me to do it.   I hasten to add it was not the end of the world and nothing fatal but I mention it because it happens time and time again and I don't seem to learn.


My painting 'Simply Sun' (on hold for a possible exhibition) but posted on my DPW gallery page was sitting quietly in the studio.  Something about it was bugging me.  As I am rather an impetuous soul I thought I would go back into it and alter the composition a little.  Really Anne?  Is that wise?  Hmmm...

Around an hour later and plenty of wasted paint I realised I was not on track.  Now I had in front of me a totally ruined painting covered in sludge.  Out came the paper towel for tonking...it seemed a little better now as most of the thick paint had gone.  Another rag with spirit brought more paint off.  I stood back and surveyed my foolish action and realised the painting had to go.

The canvas is now in a heap of similar disasters.  I will leave it and move on.  I am trying to be better at stepping away from a painting but it is a hard lesson to learn.  Here is a last look at my picture.  I might open an art shop one day called Tonks and Wipers.  





                                                   Simply Sun - Final Setting









3 comments:

  1. Hi Anne, I have to ask—what is "tonking"? I love your idea for a shop—sort of like the 'Salon de Refusee' but on a more personal level. :-) For me, I love the juxtaposition of the "real" water&sky and the subterranean forms left below. It's like being able to see a secret world beneath the waves.

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    1. Hello Patty, tonking is a term which is named after Sir Arthur Tonks. He discovered that placing a piece of absorbent paper over some thick or overworked oil paint removed most of the offending mess. Its a very jolly word and does help a little. In my case, this time no! :(

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  2. That is a great story! Thanks for sharing it, and here's to Sir Arthur!

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