How I changed an old painting - repost.

Classical still life  AFTER changes

20"x16"  oil on canvas  - unfinished

FIRST Version - below

ARTIST NOTE
This was painted
after taking a
workshop from
Qiang Huang and I was quite pleased
a few with areas of it but this was
back before
I started to use my
Fracturing Technique.
The only parts I
liked were the
brush marks
on the lower cloth.
I copied exactly what he did
because I love Qiang's brushwork!
After some time
the analytical part of my brain kicked in.

Look at the way
it is all lined up.
DUH....
what was I thinking!
Have to learn to watch
out for the tangents.

I lightly sanded
the old surface then
rubbed a little
linseed oil with a
small amount of
Gamsol added.

I changed the
shape of the vase
 into a pitcher so it
would curve into
the painting and also
moved it in from the
edge. I lowered one
of the peaches and
got rid of the middle
lemon in the small
bowl.  I brought
forward the base of
the small dish holding
the lemon slices by
making it deeper so
it no longer lined up
with the grape.

Then I made the back wall
lighter so the jug would fit
into the passage of light.
I needed to move the
eye around and away
from the top right of
the painting so I
added a slice near the
left edge. I intend to fill
out more of the eucalypti
stalk later. I added fresh
paint all over so I could
start to fracture.

At this point the painting starts to speak to me and I listen.
I have to ask myself what I like and what I do NOT like.
Looking at it in the mirror I decide I should dump it.
BUT...darn it, I have a class I am doing this in front of
so  I will have to ...
excuse me,
but I cannot resist...Keep Calm and Carry On!

I realize I do NOT like the dark area of grapes PLUS
the lower two dark corners. It was like having an arrow
pointing down off the bottom!

What to do? Does it matter?
I decided it did - if only as a valuable learning experience.
I wanted more color...and for it not to be so stiff.
This was a personal taste issue more than correction.
I already had some clementines
so I changed the grapes into an orange and lemon
then automatically the peaches appeared to change
just by using the leaves to make them become clementines.
I took the cloth all the way to one corner and
added the fringe to break up the large dark area
...still to be perfected.

The image above shows developing the fringe.
I ended up taking it further back on the table
Placing the glass over it first to make corrections
on the glass see if I would like it

I know I have to do some finessing in
several areas to satisfy my
unresolved feelings about this painting.
I think we all have paintings like this and it can be
a great way to discover our reactions to many
aspects of our artwork.

In my case - style change and knowledge growth.
Look what has happened on the glass since I did the very top
pic. An "off with its head " moment and got rid of the fringe.

Made the background lighter too.

 Will this EVER be finished...

Does it matter? That is the important question.

Am I enjoyed playing around with it?
You betcha! I learn a lot by risking ruining a painting than
having the attitude of trying to save it, just to sell.
Maybe this one will never be completed.
But as a learning experience, it was very informative.

Before and After: Fracturing

After Fracturing
8x6in oil on canvas NFS

Before Fracturing,
6x8 oil on canvas  NFS

I thought I would show two paintings I have side by side
in my little gallery area here at the Guild.
I placed them together for visitors to understand what
and how the fracturing technique changed my regular imagery.
This is in my early days in exploring the technique, but
I have kept both pieces side by side as it really helped
me keep going forward in using the color and fracturing
in a more adventurous way.
My goal was to loosen up...and this is for those of you reading
who have the same goal.
I took workshops from great artists like Dan Gerhartz...twice!
How about the loose and juicy work of Ovanis Berbarian - took
from him too. Then our marvelous artist and friend Carol Marine -
see any of her signature brushwork above? I enjoyed one with her.
How about Qiang Huang - I even organized a workshop twice
to try and get loose like him.
So I ask you... do you see any of it in the painting directly above?
Nooooo, you sure don't and why is this? I sure tried, and
would "get it" in class, but...
after a week or so back in the studio my old habits would
creep back in and after a few week I would find only ONE
thing would have stuck from the workshops.
I kept getting parts of it and next thing I knew I
would head back for the security of what I knew best,
and that was ordinary realism painted in a safe and normal way.
THEN I discovered painting with a credit card...when I had
forgotten my brushes on a paintout.
More on that breakthrough tomorrow!

Artist Note.

Three more artists have graciously given permission to show their
first fracturing attempts.

Sue wrote how she got the video when it first came out and
had many attempts before this beautiful one she shows on
her blog. She recommends a great book too so be sure to visit.
 Click on Sue Church Grant

Roxanne wrote she is a plein air painter
stuck indoors over a wicked winter so she was happy to try new
ideas in her still life work. Check what she did here
Roxanne Steed
See, Flowers for Vincent and scroll down to see the
Flowers and Fechin. Two lovely pieces.

The other artist is Jeanette Jobson who wrote that she enjoyed
playing around with the technique after watching the video
and said so on her wonderful blog called  Illustrated Life.
See the results here jeanette

This is another case of three very good artists, still enjoying
trying new techniques, and generously sharing the results
with other artists.

I thank them for mentioning the Fracturing Artbyte
It helps DailyPaintworks also and can take people over to see
the wide range of excellent tutorials available.

I hope you visit their blogs.