Staring Contest

Every artist hits this stage.

You know, when you've finally nearly resolved a piece, but it's not quite singing yet- it's not quite there. But you don't know what it needs.


I hate this stage. I feel like I'm having a staring contest with my painting. I feel like it's winning. All of a sudden, my work flow grinds to a hault, and I'm just stuck there looking and staring at my drawing or painting, trying to figure out what it needs. It's really really annoying. During the school year I can wander off and go work on another project. Sometimes the solution will come to me, and if not, I can pester someone else in the studio for help. Or ask my professor. Or it will suddenly hit me during crit, and I can beg my way into making those final tweaks before it gets turned in.

Well, it's summer. I 'd have 3 studios with hard deadlines. I don't have like, 5 projects and 3 papers happening right now. I don't have any else in the studio, and I don't have anyone else but me to be held accountable. I don't even really have any deadlines. It's an odd feeling. There's a few people who I can send quick cellphone snaps to who can give me feedback- there's always my old teacher down the street who I can cart my work over to... But there's usually no one right there. Just me.

So I'm learning to have my own conversation with the painting. And trying to learn how to win the staring contest. I'm binging on reference photos and other art blogs. I've found some really inspiring stuff, and I've been doing a lot of drawings and studies from them.

I've also started a few more projects. Have ideas for plenty more. My lovely leather sketchbook is actually over halfway full. Maybe I can fill it up in the next month and send it off to get it refilled!


here's some fun experiments I've done:

I'm working on acidic color schemes. Really trying to make pretty, eye catching, but uncomfortable images.