• Website Home
  • About
  • Services
  • Portfolio
    • Recent
    • Archives
  • Shop
    • Catalog
    • Order

ASK Design Blog

Designer | Artist | Teacher

  •  
    • Blog Home
    • Web Design
    • Graphic Design
    • Art
      • Licensed Art
    • Links
    • Calendar
    • Contact
      • Privacy Policy
      • Cookie Policy

    Revisiting a Painting

    September 5, 2022 by ProfK 3 Comments

    hidden azaleas at Mount Auburn Cemetery

    I usually know if a painting is finished. Something in my gut tells me there’s nothing more to do and we’ve reached completion. If I’m unclear, I ask myself this question: “Am I futzing or finessing?” The answer will lead me to my next step. Futzing equals done! Finessing means I have to make a few tweaks. I can see some thing(s) that just doesn’t look right. Yet, I might not know how to “fix” it. What tweaks should I make? That’s when I put it away and revisit the painting at a later time.

    It may take a few days or weeks (on rare occasions, years!) before I feel ready to look at a painting with fresh eyes. I need time to mull it over. When I do revisit the painting, what I may not have seen initially becomes much clearer. Or I find an answer to my question about how to fix a visual problem. It’s one of those “aha” moments of certainty that guides me.

    Thinking the Painting is Done

    This past summer, Peggy told me about a beautiful spot at Mount Auburn Cemetery where azaleas overlook Auburn Lake. It’s a vantage point I hadn’t noticed before, like a hidden jewel. I got started in mid-morning and, after a couple of hours, was satisfied that the painting was done. I was also sufficiently over-heated by the day’s sun and humidity, so I packed up and headed home.

    Revisiting a painting: hidden azaleas unfinished

    Revisiting the Painting

    I looked at the painting the following week and I wasn’t as happy with it as I initially thought. The trunk of the tree was very dominant, even though it sat in the background. Unbelievable that I didn’t see this earlier! I wanted the azaleas in the foreground to be the focal point, yet the trunk competed with them.

    I added leaves to the tree in order to subdue the trunk. This adjustment helped push the trunk into the background. Now, the azaleas are the stars of the piece. And I’m calling it “done”, again.

    Revisiting a painting: hidden azaleas finished

    Video of the Revisiting Process

    Related Posts

    Painting Azaleas at Auburn Lake
    Transforming Belmont: Art on the Corner
    100 Day Art Challenge
    Lessons Learned in Florida

    Filed Under: Art Tagged With: Auburn Lake, en plein air, painting azaleas, pastel painting, Spectacle Pond

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Peggy Kornegger says

      September 7, 2022 at 2:14 pm

      Like this a lot! Great description of your process!

    2. Dorothy Cresswell says

      September 10, 2022 at 11:07 am

      What an interesting article! The painting with the additional tree leaves has a completely different feel than the first version and WOW! Thanks for letting us into the way an artist’s mind works. Fascinating!

    3. ProfK says

      September 11, 2022 at 10:09 pm

      Thanks so much for your feedback, Dorothy!

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Affiliate Disclosure

    This website contains affiliate links, which means I may get a small commission (at no cost to you) if you use these links to make a purchase.

    Subscribe to Mailing List

    Sign up to get periodic updates on Anne's design and art adventures, and receive useful info. via her blog.
    * = required field

    We never share our email list with anyone.

    Looking for Something on this Site?

    Search the Web

    New Book Published!

    Kornegger book: Inside the Rainbow

    Art and design for book cover and interior

    Inside the Rainbow: Soul Connection in Nature, by Peggy Kornegger

    BUY THE BOOK!

    Peggy and I have completed our 3rd book together! This one is about soul connection in nature. Peggy is the writer, I'm the designer and artist. I think it's pretty darn special and hope you agree 🙂. Printed book and eBook are both available on Amazon.

     
    kornegger loseyourmind front cover
    Several of my paintings are in this book (including the cover)
    BUY THE BOOK!
     
    Check out my blog post about designing books: Self-Publishing Adventures

    Amazon Affiliate

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Photo, Video & Design Software

    Affiliate Partners

    We receive compensation when you purchase a service or product via the links on this blog.

    Web Hosting

    WP Engine
     
    Bluehost Website Hosting

    Testimonials

    I received the notecards on Friday and it was on my to do list today to email you my deep appreciation for them. They are amazing and I am so glad to have them to share. I am sure I will order more in the future. You are such a gifted artist and I thank you for sharing in a way others can use the art.

    — Shari Spokes

    Your new pastel "Lettuce Lake” is really beautiful. Very, very nice.

    — Tony from Belmont, MA

    My dear sweet sister. I can’t tell you how much I love your pictures. I so much wanted something and was so sorry that I couldn’t pick something out at your sale. On the other hand, I so much wanted something that you had chosen for me. Its been on my mind and suddenly, your beautiful pictures arrived. They are beyond beautiful and I cried when I saw them. Sending you love and my bestness.

    — Marti from Reno, NV

    Copyright

    © 2000-2023 Anne S. Katzeff. All rights reserved. Unless noted, all artwork and text are copyrighted by the artist. Images may not be reproduced, manipulated, or used in any way without Anne’s written permission.

    Categories

    Graphic Design

    • AIGA
    • Design Is History
    • Janice Moore
    • Mass. Contractors

    Web Design

    • A List Apart
    • Adobe Color Tools (formerly Kuler)
    • AWWWards
    • Smashing Magazine
    • underthesite
    • www schools

    Tech-Computer

    • Adobe TV
    • Orramac
    • Teknoziz

    Comments

    In an effort to reduce spam, comments are restricted. Please email Anne if you have a comment or question that you are unable to post. Thanks for understanding.


    Archives

    Typography

    • 1001fonts
    • Adobe Type
    • Adobe Web Type
    • Bitstream
    • Dafont.com
    • Emigre
    • Font converter (free)
    • Font Spring
    • Font Squirrel
    • Google Fonts
    • I Love Typography
    • identifont
    • Typeinspire
    • Typewolf
    • Typoretum

    Photography

    • Creative Commons

    Footer

    Subscribe to Mailing List

    Sign up to get periodic updates on Anne's design and art adventures, and receive useful info. via her blog.
    * = required field

    We never share our email list with anyone.

    Contact

    Website
    Email

    Subscribe to RSS Feed

  •  ASK Design Blog
  • Connect and Share

  •  
  • Legal

    Privacy Policy
    Cookie Policy

    Copyright © 2023 · Built on the WordPress Genesis Framework · Customization and design by ASK Design