Brush Hour

Just a couple of weeks ago I was staring at my blank canvas, imagining what it might become.

Now, at last, my cherry painting (with a twist) has begun to appear.

The early stages of a realism oil painting are always a strange mix of excitement and uncertainty. I'm always excited to begin... but then the monkey on my shoulder starts poking at my self-doubt. I have learned, largely, to ignore it... but it's not always easy, especially when the painting reaches what I call the 'skanky teenage stage!' And that is where we are right now. It is already at that stage where a realistic painting looks awful before it begins to emerge as the image I have in my head.

It's quite a difficult thing to share a painting at this stage, because you can only see what's there, but you can't visualise what it will be. It is still a very long way from the glossy cherry I have in my head, but the basic structure of the cherry is there and the twist is already beginning to reveal itself, if a little too much at this stage. And you are probably wondering why a cherry would be green... Well, it won't be, I promise. The colour process can be quite complex in my paintings. Nothing is ever a flat, opaque colour!

This stage of the painting process is all about patience. Slowly working across the canvas, layer by layer, nudging tones and shapes into place, glazing colours, and resisting the temptation to rush ahead. For now, I am simply getting to know the painting and, right now, I might not like it very much, but it is, at least, officially underway.

There is a long way to go before this realism oil painting is finished, but at least the canvas is no longer blank.

And that feels like progress.

Week in a Nutshell:

Highlight: Noticing the new spring buds coming through in the garden
Worried about: Probably the same as everyone else is right now...
Excited about: The arrival of my new camera to help me with my new YouTube channel 
Reading: 'Starchild' by Maggie Aderin

Ask me a question: Do you have a question you would like to ask me? Just leave it in the comments and I'll answer in my next post!

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As always, thank you for being here, and for indulging my half-formed thoughts while they find their feet.

TTFN!