Trying a Different Approach

"High Noon in Summer"  Pastel 10 x 7 © Donna Gross
Available contact artist

Feeling stuck?  They say "Insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results.."

Thus far my painting process has been to render images from a reference photo or from a still life.

There is a tendency I have to follow the reference photo too much.  We get married in the process of my painting!  If that photo is in front of me, I habitually attempt to render it as seen with little interpretation of my own...This has led to much frustration of late and not much success for me.

So I took a leap.  I created this piece from my imagination.  I used a well worn composition that I have probably either seen many times or rendered many times and I painted it from my memory.  I picked my color palette.  I decided where the light was coming from.  I decided what time of day I wanted to depict...and I went for it.

What a fun and freeing experience. Stepping out of my comfort zone....changing up a frustrating routine....what is there to lose? I could always go back to my usual approach and hope for success.  

This time I went for it and had success and found the session so joyful and enjoyable.

Feeling stuck? Change it up!