Let’s compare some oil paintings: a 2006 version reworked, a 2010 painted again, and a painting begun to its midpoint.
I painted this in 2006; my friend (let’s call him Craig, because that is his name) brought it back to me upon my request. I wanted to rework it so that I wouldn’t feel embarrassed for taking his money 17 years ago.
It took awhile, but I found the original reference photograph. With limited (ahem, zero, actually) experience in painting scenery back then, I just did my best to match the somewhat gray and faded colors of the photo. I was successful in matching, which is one of the important lessons of learning to paint. However, now I like to substitute brighter colors.
Craig also asked me to repaint a 6×6″ scene that I had originally done in 2010. I was able to convince him to just trade me rather than keep 2 almost identical paintings.
Can you tell which is old and which is new? Probably not, so I’ll tell you: old is on the right, new on the left.
Then I decided to touch up the old so that I can sell it next year, assuming my places of commerce will be open and thriving again.
You probably can’t tell the difference in this photo. That’s okay, because I can and I know it is better now.
Finally, let’s look at a painting in its beginning ugly stages, and then enjoy it after it has been worked on a bit more.
I relayered the sky and clouds, worked on the trees, and began detailing the buffalo. (For some unknown reason, I worked from right to left on the herd, rather than my normal left to right.)
I love to draw with my paintbrushes.
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