Painting Tips and Brain Disengagement

 

Yesterday, I read a tip on dealing with foreground in a painting. The advice was not to use a lot of detail. I was surprised, but the goal of a painting is to draw the viewers eye in. Too much detail in the foreground may prevent a viewer from easily sliding into the rest of the painting.

It’s funny how many tips and suggestions I write down; some even on cards and taped around my studio as reminders. However, the minute I pick up a pastel or piece of charcoal, my hand just starts moving on the paper, my mind goes blank to all else, including all the little notes, and advice on painting fall by the wayside as I get fully involved in the moment of painting.

For those few minutes, my brain disengages as something else takes over and moves my hand. And with my mind relaxed and not picking apart every little bit I do, I’m free to allow what is happening. I still look at the inspiration photos, but my hand continues to pick up pastels and make marks on the paper. I lose myself in the color and scene and the creating.

Soon, too soon, however, my logical mind takes back control, and the minute I start thinking again, I also start questioning and self-doubting. I find mistakes. I have to re-do. Not that there’s anything really wrong with what I did, but once my brain starts comparing the photograph to the painting, and it isn’t the same, the frustration and panic sets in with my mind starting to shout, “Where’s the undo button?”

But my intent isn’t in making the painting look exactly like the photo. The photo is for inspiration only. The painting is its own work of art. Yet, once my logical brain takes control, it’s hard for me to do something my mind accepts as good. My brain keeps saying I have to do better, and unfortunately, there are times when the more I do, the more I feel I have to “fix.”

Lesson: Learn to let go and learn to know when to stop and call it finished.