Cinderella Process

It is only recently really that I have started to let my paintings take their time to speak to me with what they needed for the next step or to bring it to a finish. This new found skill which has taken so long to learn has been an invaluable tool as I have often given up to easily on my work, sometimes even throwing them in the bin at an early stage.  I now know that all paintings have that beautiful first excitement when they start but this is always followed by a somewhat difficult middle bit where they can look ugly, lost and appear to be heading for disaster. Waiting for that Cinderella moment when it all starts to become beautiful and you get that adrenalin rush once again as you head for the finish with joy and confidence is what the whole journey of creating art for me is all about.
Some months back I started a painting after learning some new techniques from a Book and DVD by Karlyn Holman. She really does know how to encourage and inspire you to take some risks and have fun. At the time my painting had reached that ugly stage and I thought all was lost as I had scrubbed out much of the original ideas on the paper but I did not throw it out but it away underneath some happier results. During a sort out a couple of days I go I found this piece and started to work on it once more. I let it tell me what it needed to become like Cinderella and finish as a beauty.
Ironically after googling some info on Lotus flowers I read that they had been referred to as the Cinderella of the aquatic world due to the murky waters they bloom in.


Thanks to my friend Maria I had this reference photo she kindly sent to me from 
her visit to the Adelaide Botanical Gardens.

For my painting I have used watercolour with some bits of rice paper collage, salt and cling film for texture here and there with quite a few various colour glazes.
A Cinderella Beginning
22" x 15"



Comments

  1. I started my first steps into the world of watercolor, taking lessons in Turin, where I lived, and with a book by Karlyn Holman, bought in a library that was holding many books in English.
    I appreciate very much: "Keep it simple" and the art of "Rescue Remedy" for what she calls "old dog" ... I have two posts dedicated to Karlyn Holman, to make her known in Italy, where, unfortunately, nobody has translated and published her books. Your lotus flower has become very lively with the experimental techniques!
      I love it! Have nice painting time in your springtime!!!

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  2. This has turned into an exciting painting, colours and textures. Must also investigate this book, as I feel it may be one I must buy!!!

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  3. I always say: until a painting is completely finished you cannot tell how it will turn out. Some talented artists I have been lucky to meet and chat too recently agree with this too. I very rarely give up on a painting. As Rita says above it is knowledge of different techniques and remedies that will help the artist to change the direction of the original idea. Having trust in our skills and learning to read what is happening on the paper and going with the flow rather than following the 'plan' in our heads makes it a lot easier to achieve a finished painting perhaps. Maybe it boils down to having trust in our own instinct and knowledge. Anyway you have created such a gorgeous painting. It is up there with others of my favs of yours. xx

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  4. I have been like you in the past Lorraine and given up on paintings where I thought they weren't working but I think now it is more to do with the fact that I didn't know where to go with them and experience is now letting me take them to a finished stage far more often. Knowledge of the medium helps us take things further without overworking...... something I always used to avoid but I am finding I can work on a piece for much longer than I ever thought, without overworking, so a combination of the skills to execute and and a greater ability to see what might be needed is finally helping me realise a lot of my earlier pieces weren't finished even when I thought they were!! This is a gorgeous painting Lorraine... one of your very best!!

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  5. So glad you didn't send this one to the bin. I love how you explain your process, and I especially love how you created this composition. It's beautiful, with fabulous techniques to match.

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  6. Dear Lorraine - I think you discovered a real Cinderella here in this beautiful painting. I have a couple of books on my shelf by Karlyn Holman. She is a real inspiration. So glad you didn't toss this painting away - very beautiful.

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  7. You explained the process very well Lorraine, and you are absolutely right, there is always ( almost always) a moment where you just get stuck and want to throw it all out. Luckily you found the right moment to carry on with this piece, it's so beautiful, would have been a real pity to let it hit the bin :-)

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  8. Thanks to my blogging friends Rita,Polly,Laura,Terry,Debbie and Jane for your comments above. Of course artist bloggers who visit me already know about this process, I write my posts for my email subscribers too who are often not artists and I like to let them in on my thought process so whilst it looks like I telling a whole lot of what you already know , my other followers don't. I think too I must be a bit slow at getting to some stages of technique as I said this one has taken a time to gel with me.

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  9. I love your thoughts about the Cinderella moment, so true! I am glad you decided to work on this lotus painting again, it's a true beauty! I'm intrigues by more elaborate watercolours lately. Sometimes it pays to take it a step further.

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  10. I love the red colours for the water! It makes this painting stand out a bit from other waterpaintings. So nice!

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  11. I love how you call it the Cinderella moment. It is so easy to give up when a painting reaches that "ugly stage" but I know from experience it transforms itself. Karlyn's collage ideas and other techniques really make this stand out. Nicely done!!!

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  12. This is just beautiful ... and it's funny that you should be speaking about that beginning, middle and end stage... I have that same experience with paintings. After years of painting, I'm just now feeling like I've come to know what I want.. good luck with yours..

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  13. Really wonderful Lorraine that you resumed work on this and pulled it through to its moment! "Cinderella" is a terrific description of that moment and fellow artists sure do know that "adolescent" stage where things aren't looking like anything!

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