LEARNING TO LOOSEN UP

I personally have always felt more comfortable painting realism. I think it has to do with the dreaded perfectionist in me. I admire anyone who can paint this way. There’s something about putting that little dot of light on the edge of a glass that gives me great satisfaction – But, I also admire those artists who can spread their paint loosely across their canvas in a painterly way. I then ask myself, why can I not do this? That is when I decided to escape the ‘stay in the lines’ painting style and step out of the box. I knew this would be difficult. Shouldn’t it be easier to paint messy? Not an easy task for a realist painter.

First thing I had to do was choose larger brushes. That would definitely prevent me from trying to paint the detail. Next I started pouring out more paint, no more skimping – I can buy more. Next, I started painting faster, working from top to bottom, from left to right, focusing on the canvas as a whole. I learned to stand up and stand back. That forced me to see my bigger brush strokes and forgetting about those mistakes I could be making. I had to stop thinking about what someone would say about my lines not being straight or my edges being uneven. I have to paint for me and express myself in a way I was not accustomed to.

What a liberating experience this was. Free of perfectionism – Freedom of movement. Colors and shapes were forming objects. Something I had never experienced before. Do I still like realism? Of course. Will I still paint Realism? Absolutely. Realism is what I am. That will never change. But, what a great feeling it is when you push yourself to do something that does not come naturally – face the obstacles and challenge yourself.

Thank you for looking at Sandy’s Studio