Learning from Less Successful Work

A wise workshop instructor once asked me why I didn’t like a particular exercise I did. The moment she was talking with me, I thought she was implying that the work wasn’t so bad, because I didn’t hear her emphasis on the word “Why.” Later that day, I realized that she was just trying to make me think, so that I could learn from my mistakes instead of just tossing them aside. And I probably learned more from the one bad piece in that workshop than I did from the other better pieces I did the same day.

Okay, so why exactly don’t I like the Clam Cove III piece from my last post. I have thought about it some and now I will think about it a bit more, and try to clarify my thoughts. Thank you, Sylvia, for reminding me how important the thinking part is, and encouraging me not to give up on this piece.

The seaweed clumps are the most dominant part of the composition. They don’t look naturally laid out. They are too evenly spaced, almost like a grid across the piece. The clump near the bottom should be the largest since it is in the foreground, but it seems to be the smallest.

The rocky beach is nearly the same color and shade as the water. It needs more contrast and definition because it is in foreground.

The time is early evening. When I was standing on that beach, I was enchanted by the way the setting sun was making everything glow. I should have used a warmer color in place of the pale cool yellow used to highlight the rocks in the foreground and the piers in the back.

The water looks flat. Maybe I could make it more interesting and natural looking by varying the color more.

Perhaps I shouldn’t have picked a photo with so much detail. The technique I am working with seems to work better with simpler shapes.

I have made a few changes this morning. I will look at it with fresh eyes tomorrow after the paint has dried, and decide if I will make any more changes.