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| 8/20/12 F-C Pitt Artist's Pen, watercolor, S & B sketchbook |
When I finished sketching and painting a lamp post, its
hanging basket of fuchsia and a bit of a table umbrella at University Village, the
composition was mostly complete, but I thought I’d give the scene some context
by “ghosting” in a few people in the background. I liked the way that looked,
but instead of calling it good, I started ghosting in a few architectural
details behind the lamp post. I didn’t like that, so I kept going, hoping it
would miraculously improve. It didn’t. I should have left well enough alone.
Just this morning over breakfast, I was reading this bit of
advice from Grant Fuller in his book, Start Sketching and Drawing Now: “As soon as you become unsure of what to do
next, the answer is always ‘stop.’”
I used to think the hardest thing about drawing is getting
started. Now I think it’s stopping – soon enough.
Troof! I used to stop too soon, but now I've fallen into the habit of working pieces to death. I think yours turned out beautifully, though; I could show you some wretched, darkened works that I SWEAR were looking awesome, they just needed one...more...thing...
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