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I added some complexity back into the waves...might be too much, need to think on it. I also lightened the figure a little bit and played with the reflections in the sand.
It's very close to finished. And even if it isn't my best piece ever, I need to let it go and get something new on my easel! 1.3 hours today.
I think I am somewhat happier with the figure now. I think. Might be a bit dark, although this photo is definitely not the greatest.
1.8 hours on it today.
Still more agonizing about the figure. 1.4 hours.
Just a quick little session today. Trying to adjust the figure so it looks less stiff.
At long last, more work on this piece. I'm honestly not sure if I want to do much more to it or not. I added more detail in the water, and added more layers to the sand...and then I decided I didn't like it, and smoothed out a lot of the detail work. What's left is something simple and elegant. I think I like the way the sea melts into the sand without a clear delineation.
I need to sleep on it. In any case, 1.2 hours today. Sorry for the slightly grainy photo.
Ok, just 0.9 hours today...did some more work on the ocean and the beach. I think I can finish this before the end of the week.
Just 1.3 hours today...I spent much of my day designing business cards (finally). However, in those 1.3 hours I made the major decision to include a person in the landscape. I actually don't think I've ever done that for any of my longer pieces. Sketches, sure. But time-intensive stuff? Nope. This photo came out a little dark. Ah well.
Man, I like painting clouds. I think that part of the painting is pretty much done now. 2.1 hours today. Next up: the ocean! And sand. And a major decision: whether to put a person in there or not.
Another hour today, focusing on the clouds and the mountains. I don't think I can use fixative with this piece. It darkened it WAY too much. Maybe if I use white paper, I can use fixative, but with darker surfaces it is no good. Ah well. It was worth a try.
New piece! Finally! To be perfectly honest, I haven't the faintest idea exactly how much time I spent on this today. If I include figuring out which reference photo to use and setting up the surface and finishing up my pastel cleaning project and all that, then I spent a good three hours (perhaps more)...but in terms of time spent putting pastel to paper? I'd say probably about 1.5 hours. Maybe 2.0. So I'll call it 1.7 for the hell of it, and call it a day.
I'm giving a new surface a try -- this painting is on Richeson Unison pastel board. It's extremely gritty. Good for holding layers; not so great for blending! I am also going to use fixative with this piece, although this photo was taken before fixative was applied. Hopefully applying the fixative won't make too much of a difference, although at this stage it doesn't much matter.
Did some more edits later in the evening...it is now done!
And of course, I decided to wipe all that turbulence out and have at it once more. An hour and a half today spent obsessing over this turbulence nonsense. Again. It's getting a little ridiculous; I have to just let it go, make peace with the fact that it isn't a perfect painting. I made it much more subtle. Not sure whether that's good or bad, but however it looks tomorrow is how it will remain...Might work on this some more later today. Not sure yet. Need to let the dust settle, quite literally.
Hmm...what should I do today? I know! How about I make a radically different decision about the turbulence! What a fantastic plan.
I think I like it better than before, but I need to spend some time not looking at it before I can be sure. Have to finish before May 1. Otherwise I'll miss the deadline for the Hudson Valley Art Association show.
And then, after this is finished, I really have to pick up the pace. I can't spend all my time feeling paralyzed about paintings that are 90% where I want them to be but 10% off the mark. I'll learn more from doing ten paintings in a month than I will from agonizing about one.
Two more hours today.
Still more work on the turbulence. Two hours today. Need to bring back some of the darks, which I lost as I worked (and reworked and reworked) the foreground.
Just half an hour today -- I have to get ready to go to my figure drawing class, but I wanted to at least do something with this. Did some more work on the turbulence. It is so damn close! I'll be glad when it's over...I am getting the itch to work on something new.
Still trying to get the turbulence to look right. There has to be something in the stream in the lower right of the painting...if it's just all verdant green shadow, it's boring. But I just can't get it the way I want it. Another two hours today.
I still can't decide how I want to deal with the turbulence. So alas, this painting will remain unfinished this week. I did do a single-day painting, but I don't like it, so I don't want to post it.
1.2 hours today.
Well, it appears that I am still not ready to let go of this piece. But it is really close to being done. I will finish this thing before Friday, and I will paint at least one single-day painting this week. 1.4 hours on this piece today.
I am really struggling with the water in the foreground. I decided that the turbulence didn't work with the composition the way it was, and I think I like where it's going now, but I'm not sure. So, rather than continue to revise it over and over again, I'm going to sleep on it. I spent about 1.7 hours on this today, even though it doesn't look like it!
Had a bit of a slump during the latter half of last week, but I am back! Looks like I will be putting off my painting-a-day marathon until next week, though. I worked primarily on the water today, although I also toned down some of the bright leaves. Another hour and a half. This piece has now passed 15 hours.
