Work in Progress

This one started off with a knot.

To paint or not to

In front of me lies a piece of canvas. Already I had put some sketches on it with a pencil. Whiped it off several times, becoming quite frustrated in the process. How to get what's in the vision of my mind onto there? When it turns out like something being viewed from different perspectives. Right, but if I wanted to get some realistic result I just could use a camera. Or have some Artificial Intelligence {AI} make something up for me that looks real enough. Yet, I wanted to get away from the digital realm. Do some back to basics stuff, a renewed challenge.

There's no zooming in with two fingers. Really, I actually noticed myself trying that once. And there are moments that I do wish I was able to do a [CTRL][Z]. But it is real Acrylic paint, it is ruining something that was okay, by wanting it more to be than that. And sometimes doing a different thing than the innitial idea actually makes it better. Of course that is as seen from my point of view. To dare to let it go and express freely. After my first painting attempt I had to reset my own expectations. So I started to do some doodling on paper again.

Seems easy?

One thing I bumbed into is in an unrealstic strive to perfection. Whatever that may be. It functions as a restriction though, because it creates a false expectation. As thought to be seen through the eyes of some external critics that ones own mind made up. In a way it is like going naked in front of a lot of people. And I guess that's why some state that handling a paint brush artistically is liberating in many ways. Some may even appreciate the result. Or it might inspire them in a way. And there will be critics. That's a given, I would say. But does it matter? When it does it will restrict ones own freedom of expression. Then why even bother?

Like most of the days I got up at around 6. The sun popped up and I was ready to pick up where I left off. This was an expression, with a Celtic knot in the center of it all. Not as a realistic depiction, but the result of an impression in my mind. The fun part of this process is that this can be anything. Sure Computed Intelligence {CI} can create any image in a jiffy. And next made into a Non Fungible Token {NFT} on the DeSo platform for instance. So why waste hours to make a mess with Acrylic paint and get it everwhere? (Actually in my clothes and in the cloth of two chairs, but pssst please keep this between you and me.)

ZEN zone

At first I had to let go of my own critical pressure coming from the inside. That did not go well at first. But yesterday I managed to do that. No distractions, just painting. Finally it felt like I could go for it. Like getting into the ZEN Zone. And after I decided it was enough for the day I could put the painting aside for another time. Asking myself when a work is truly finished, actually. Knowing that when I keep adding touches it might ruin the whole thing. Somewhere there's a balance in there to be found. With the Celtic Knot painting I wanted to create the illusion of a reflection. But after I lightly outlined it the effect the result was not what I had in mind.

And after I made some green grass thing instead, I still felt this was not what I was looking for. So I started to add paint in an expressive way, which started to look like waves. Well, they did to me and I liked the way that started to look. Already I had done some shading and high-lighting on the knot and noticed it started to slightly frustrate me. Now with the waving thing I got back into going with the flow. Even though managed to mess up something too, but nothing some more Acrylic paint could not fix.

And as it finally was less cats and dogs weather overhere in the Netherlands, I could do some different paint work. Very downto earth high up on a ladder. Doing some woodwork painting. And it's not so much that I'm afraid of heights, but more about the distance I could fall down. Got done what I wanted for that day. Still a lot if woodwork to be repaired, sanded and painted, but it's one step at a time. And the more I get up that ladder the more comfortable it will get. Or at least that's what I heard...

Have a great one!