Portrait Artist Forum - View Single Post

Carol Norton · 06-26-2006, 11:59 PM

Ilaria,

That is a real problem unless you decide to put your best out there no matter what. It has taken me ...no IS taking me some real head bashing to decide that, (and mantra repeating that ..."I will never paint from a poor reference again. I will never....." which Chris Saper commanded me to repeat and repeat and...). However, if you send out poor work, it's out there with your name on it. You can never go wrong by doing the highest and best thing.

Take the painting back. Take some good photos, color notes from life, as Deborah suggested and repaint the whole thing. The longer I paint the more I see that no matter how good an artist is, poor paintings can be painted. Bill Whitaker referred to his "burn pile", which I thought was his little joke. Maybe he really does burn paintings that he isn't pleased with. Only he knows. It was hard to think that he didn't come out of the womb painting like he does now. Did we? Is it possible that we all are in a learning mode? What a lot of humility this business requires but without it, no progress can be made. (No, Christopher Isherwood didn't say that...) Your work is beautiful. Keep that standard going.

06-26-2006, 11:59 PM	#7
Carol Norton Juried Member Joined: May 2004 Location: Phoenix, Arizona Posts: 281	Do the right not the expedient thing Ilaria, That is a real problem unless you decide to put your best out there no matter what. It has taken me ...no IS taking me some real head bashing to decide that, (and mantra repeating that ..."I will never paint from a poor reference again. I will never....." which Chris Saper commanded me to repeat and repeat and...). However, if you send out poor work, it's out there with your name on it. You can never go wrong by doing the highest and best thing. Take the painting back. Take some good photos, color notes from life, as Deborah suggested and repaint the whole thing. The longer I paint the more I see that no matter how good an artist is, poor paintings can be painted. Bill Whitaker referred to his "burn pile", which I thought was his little joke. Maybe he really does burn paintings that he isn't pleased with. Only he knows. It was hard to think that he didn't come out of the womb painting like he does now. Did we? Is it possible that we all are in a learning mode? What a lot of humility this business requires but without it, no progress can be made. (No, Christopher Isherwood didn't say that...) Your work is beautiful. Keep that standard going.