Two Paintings
Added 2021-01-03 19:37:47 +0000 UTCI figured I'd post the first painting I did for this challenge, since I think it was quite a bit weaker than the second one, although the second one, being more ambitious, still doesn't read too well.
I think a big part of liking your work comes not from the final product, but the process. If the way you worked on a painting was forced, stale or you just couldn't get into the flow, you're much less likely to enjoy the final product, which is how I felt about this 1st painting (even though I don't think it's half as bad now as I did when I just finished it).
The point is, if you're not liking what you're doing or you're just generally feeling bad about your art, try lowering the stakes and doing something quite out of your ordinary. That way, since it's odd and unlikely, you're under less pressure and expect less from the final product, since it's just an experiment, and most experiments are set to fail, after all.
Even if it comes out bad, you've gained experience, rather than just threading water, endlessly repeating the same comfort zone and familiar process, and broadened experience is more valuable than a presentable painting (if you're doing something personal, of course)
Another note on improvement is, perhaps obviously, the importance of doing studies as well. I couldn't expect to get better just by doing experiments or switching processes up, but I also can't expect that from solely doing studies. Progress (in my experience) comes from a healthy and balanced synthesis of those two + a shitton of work!
