Title: SECMOL campus at Phey, LehSize: 15 x 22 inch
Medium: Watercolor on paper
Fisrt of all what is a bad painting day??Sometimes there is something at the back of your mind which keeps troubling you at a sub-conscious level. And in such a situation (not necessarily) when you paint you never get a good feeling of the painting process. Somehow you start to feel that things are not going right in the painting. That puts you off further. And it starts a chain reaction. You start screwing up new things in the painting and your mood keep spiraling down till it hits an abyss. Suddenly from somewhere a voice starts repeating these words in your mind.... "You were never meant to be a painter". This is just one of many ways of having a bad painting day.
I had a bad painting day this Saturday. And why am I talking about it?? That is because such 'bad painting days' are bound to keep occurring in an artist's life. And when it occurs one has to learn to shut that voice and recover from it.
I could not sleep properly on Saturday night. On Sunday morning I called up home and friends and just had a small chat with everyone. Then I listened to my current favorite song for about 10 times in a loop. In the afternoon I watched one of my favorite films, 'School of rock'. Laughed my guts out at Jack Black's histrionics. In the evening I watched another film in a theater. And on Monday morning I was ready to paint again. The bad painting day of Saturday seemed like a distant memory. Then I went back and looked at my painting again. I found some problems with it, But it did not seem that bad anymore.
I could not sleep properly on Saturday night. On Sunday morning I called up home and friends and just had a small chat with everyone. Then I listened to my current favorite song for about 10 times in a loop. In the afternoon I watched one of my favorite films, 'School of rock'. Laughed my guts out at Jack Black's histrionics. In the evening I watched another film in a theater. And on Monday morning I was ready to paint again. The bad painting day of Saturday seemed like a distant memory. Then I went back and looked at my painting again. I found some problems with it, But it did not seem that bad anymore.
Sometimes those demons gets created in our head and try to break us down. I think in such a case it is best to take our mind off those demons and their silly voices. When you have ignored them for some time they just go away.
I am sure bad painting days happen to everyone. Some of them are realy really bad painting days too. But that is a part and parcel of the game. Isn't it??
8 comments:
First of all, I really like the painting :0)
I love the sunlit foreground against the darker background. And the building looks so complex, yet accurate!
Secondly - YES!! I can definately relate to those voices!
I used to hear them every time I picked up a pencil or a brush. Now I hear them less often when I draw or paint, but then they tend to come back when I look at other peoples blogs and then compare the standard of their work to mine! But, the more I practice, hopefully the less I will hear them :0)
Prabal, your painting is wonderful. You really captured the bright sunlight and the glass building is amazing. I like that is is opposite of what I usually see you do with paintings in the deeper forest, with water and that tropical feel. This is high atop a mountain in bright light with a dry, arid feeling. Sometimes different is good not "bad" just different. You are an inspiration to me.
Prabal, never were truer words written! Bad painting days, and the associated running-oneself-down are, I think part of what makes us painters ... painters who want to grow. Just think, you've done some serious artistic growing!
Do not worry too much Prabal. I purchased a sketch book last year and only just have tried three basic drawings so far during January and February, no idea when I might even consider picking up a brush. I also like what you have done and it does look like an interesting building.
This painting gives such a feeling of space - it's really good Prabal. And as for those bad painting days - thank you for putting it down in writing so well. Gosh, but you certainly echoed what all of us feel!
I read your post and marvelled at how well you describe the off days!
I also like your remedy for forgetting them. :)
This is such a dramatic painting Prabal, with that fierce sky and dominating mountains. Then I've looked at the mountains again, and imagined them as a huge tidal wave about to engulf those very neatly painted buildings!
I think what you described as a bad painting day, then coming back to the work and seeing how it can all be sorted out is a classic encounter by most artists. It also goes for a lot of other things in life too, like waking up in the night and worrying about something which is bad, but on wakeing next morning, things don't seem quite so bad at all.
Prabal as you said, its all in your mind.You are thinking too much, not letting yourself go!To me, painting is a calming experience- I feel happier after I complete a painting,however good or bad it may be.You have to enjoy the process, not think too much about the outcome.(GEETA UPDESH...)Have a good day!
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