Something Simple

This is not some big new technique I've run across, and it's also not anything I can exactly tell you how to do.  But I can show you what I mean.  This is just something I've noticed that I habitually do before deciding if I have reached the "done" point on an item I am working on.  I rely on the ole "eyeball" to tell me when what I've created is at a pleasing point and I need to stop.  Often times, some of my best work comes from something that started out just plain ugly and I wasn't sure what I was going to do with it.  Tonight was one of those nights.  Unfortunately, I didn't capture any of the too-ugly part, because I guess I was working on figuring out how to make it better.

I wrote a simple message on my rock:  Can I keep you?  Because that's a good message from a rock, wanting to adopt a human and all, and whose day wouldn't it make to want to be kept around a little longer in the midst of good company?  In my mind's eye, I saw this just done with black and white lettering on this shiny red rock...but my hand had other ideas, I guess.

So imagine that rock up there ^^^ being plain...with just the black and white lettering on it, all plain, no border, no nothing.  Yeah, ugly.  It's ok, you can say it.  I'll say it with you.  Super ugly.  So I did what I do when I make something ugly.  I started layering things.  I thought it needed a border to help, so I drew the black one.  Still ugly, if not, uglier.  thought maybe the daisies would work.  I did them in white....it just didn't cut it.  I put yellow centers.  Still not satisfied.  Added the white lining in with the black around the border.  Nope, not it.  Added black lining to the white petals.  Better.  (Note:  I do a lot of outlining.  I think I've mentioned this before.)  Added the green leaves...getting there....add the light green dots...like.  Still plain lettering is there, and it's still ugly.  Add light green dots to lettering...OK.  Snap "done" photo.  

Here's an important thing I do, a lot.  I don't know why, but it makes a difference in how I look at my work.  I take a pic and look at the pic.  Sometimes, I'll prop a canvas or something prop-able up to look at it from a distance.  Or, I'll ask Mr. Rock or Anna to hold up what I am working on so I can look at it across the room.  

Another important thing:  if I've done a lot of layering and adding and my "eye" is still not seeing a happy, "done" project, I will put it away and sleep on it.  I don't do this often, because it drives me nuts not to finish, but sometimes, it's just necessary.  

Now, back to the ugly rock.  I *thought* I was done, but there was still something...and through looking at the photo, I decided it was lack still of color on the lettering, so I took my yellow and added a small dot over top the light green on random dots on the lettering.  This, my friends, is what completed the image, and let my "eye" say "Done!"

Here it is...I apologize for the poor lighting...it's darker in here...I'll try to snap a pic over the weekend in the daylight and post for you to see better.

So, today's lesson?  Follow these steps:
1.  Keep on keeping on until you have something pleasing to your eye.
2.  Take a photo, step back, walk away, do what you need to do to come back to it if need be.
3.  Remember, you can't mess it up!  Just keep on painting!  :)

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