Is it Time to Take a Break and Work on Another?

I had a good day yesterday in spite of the struggles with the painting. I'm beginning to think it's because of the dramatic dark gray/black overcast of the sky and the bright orange and yellow of the sunset breaking through. It's making the blending of the soft pastels look muddy. I can't spray a workable fixative because it's too cold outside and I won't spray that stuff in the house ... but I'm tempted. 

My big revelation about painting is realizing how my hand seems to take on a mind of its own the minute I pick up a pastel and step up to the easel. It doesn't matter if I'm looking at the photo and my brain is saying, "The line needs to go ...," my hand does its own thing. It's like my hand isn't even connected to my brain. 

This just affirms my intent of using the photo for a guideline only. I don’t want to do an exact replica. But I have to say, yesterday felt weirder than usual. Yeah, I've been working this way for a while, but this time, it just seemed to punch me in the face. No matter how I tried to make it look similar to the photo, it just wouldn't happen. 

Another example of this interesting mind-disconnect was when my sister-in-law called in the afternoon to comment on the progress photo I posted. It seems I sometimes do my best painting when I’m distracted by chatting on the phone. My mind is on our conversations while my hand … just works. I was pleased the little progress made while we talked.

Definitely looks better from a distance

However, the stint in the studio this morning had me at crash and burn again. I just can’t get the pastels to behave as they normally do ... or I would have them do. I love the buttery softness of Sennelier pastels but maybe for this picture they are too soft. I can’t add defining lines in harder pastel or pastel pencils. I’m wiping off more than usual and feel I’m wasting the pastels – along with breathing in excess pastel dust. I’m trying hard not to be angry with myself.

I ended 2018 on such a high painting-wise. I expected to continue the upward spring. But 2019 is off to a rocky start. The first painting had me wiping all the pastel off after the first week and starting over. That one is actually coming along good now. Am I going to have to do the same with this one? I’m considering it.

Better when viewed from a distance.
Still a long ways to go.

The funny thing is, when I just went back in the studio to take photos to show my progress/not progress, it didn’t look too bad. Then again, the paintings often do look better from a distance. I’m not giving up, but maybe I should work on one of the others while I’m still feeling frustrated with this one. (And why I have multiple paintings in process at the same time.)

There are lessons to be learned here, and I’ll figure them out.