Computers Blogs Problems Solved Maybe
April 16th, 2008 - 07:41 AM
So I sent out about 100 emails to all my friends and relatives. I told them about the wonderful world of blogging and asked them to sign up for my new blog. A number of them did. But that day my site went a little crazy so maybe they were able to sign up for the blog and maybe they weren't. So I wrote the site administrator who fixed the problem but then it broke again. I wrote him again and he fixed it and it broke again. This went on this way for quite a few days. I thought the poor beleaguered administrator would think I was crazy, and give up on my webpage. But he didn't, he stuck with the problem, and got it repaired. And now it has STAYED fixed for four days and I think I can trust my website to obey me again.
We have all had problems such as this. I have been known to scream at my computers as well as my paintings. It does absolutely no good, not even to relieve tension, so I have quit that behavior and now I seemed to have developed more patience. Sticking with a painting is what takes it from being merely nice (or really horrible sometimes) to being a really wonderful painting.
When I first start a painting, I am always very excited about the possibilities. My thoughts run along the lines of what a beautiful painting it will be, the colors will be bold, the emotions of the painting will be evident, there will be new thoughts and ideas to be read from it and everyone will throng to behold it. As I start painting I am searching for the darkest darks, creating the contrasts, blocking in colors and so forth. After a few hours I am often discouraged. What I usually have is a canvas full of blotchy colors, no details, and I am tired. It is usually the second or third time that I am working on a painting where it really begins to realize its potential and I get excited again. This self portrait is one of those paintings. I worked on it, got discouraged, gave it up, worked on it again and then went on to other things. It sat in the garage for a while and I just pulled it out again. My right hand needs some work, the hairline isn't quite right, and something is wrong with the right cheek. I think it will get finished but right now it is just sitting next to me while I think about it.
Many of my friends and the people I have taught painting to tell me they can't paint. I believe everyone can paint. Some people may be better at abstracts while others have a special talent at realism. Either way, everyone can have fun with painting. And either way it actually takes getting discouraged with each paintings and overcoming the discouragement to achieve the goal. I read in International Artist magazine once that it takes about 400 paintings before you start getting pretty good. I figure that I am up to about 150 paintings, some of which are really nice and many of which sit in the far back of my closet. Those paintings are waiting to reach their potential, waiting for me to finish them. Or maybe waiting for me to throw them out. I love the excitement of painting, that each painting has a potential to be better than the one before, and I love the flush of achievement when I finish a painting and I know, really know that it is done. So don't stop yourself, go enjoy your paints.
Blog: #5 of 13 by Art Nomad Sandra Hansen
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