finding my inner Mediterranean...

Blue Blooded, most definitely a work in progress!

Here is a 'warts and all' picture of Blue Blooded. Yes, it had become a mess. When I work with paint I am often guilty of working too quickly. I overwork my canvas and in the joy of flinging that paint around I end up with "Yuck!". That doesn't happen when I work with cps. Well, not until this week. I got working so fast on this Colourfix paper that I quickly lost my senses and boom, crash, I stepped back and thought "Yuck this isn't working!" (It wasn't just the warm weather that sent me to the patio with a glass of wine - yesterday's post.)

So today, I put the paper on my teaching board (yes, I put my St. Pat's party boa in the studio for a bit of decoration) and I 'sucked it up' as it were. I admitted that pressing on wouldn't save it. I had too many goofy busy bits and I had lost sight of all of the veiny, sinewy, curves that I had wanted to convey. So, I rolled up my sleeves, heaved a sigh and reached for my electric eraser. Time to remove the warts in my 'warts and all'! Within minutes my pleasure with this piece returned. With the offending bits removed it was time to refocus and to get sensuous. Those curving lines had to get put down.

It was time to find my inner Mediterranean! First up, to set the mood I lit some incense. I have several kinds in the studio. The one chosen today is called China Moon. It is a "vibrant musk" and for mood it is all about "sacred sensuality and Feng Shui balancing". Well, that musky, sensuality bit seemed just right! Next, I hunted up some Mediterranean music - a CD of Mediterranean guitar by Pavlo. Cranked up, this seemed just right too. I worked standing at the teaching board so I could step back often for a better view...and so I could dance. I was wiggling my hips (channeling my inner Flamenco dancer) and snapping my fingers. I am sure it wasn't pretty but hey, I fortunately don't share my studio space with anyone! :-)

And woo-hoo, now Blue Blooded looks like this...

Blue Blooded, work in progress, coloured pencil on Colourfix paper, 19" x 17"

Copyright Teresa Mallen

There are still a couple of things to tweak but I am liking the curves and the overall composition again. I like where it is going. Whew! The moral of the story, face the truth. If you have to go backwards by erasing, do it. Sometimes it is the only way forward.