Trust Issues

Looking at my last few posts, I’m starting to feel a theme.

This evening I sat down to paint the background on “Learning the Ropes.”

learningtheropes

When I envisioned this, I envisioned the bright and curious little squirrels making their way on their little ropes against a very flat background. Then I got to worrying; was that the way I saw it because my reference photos were that way?

squirrels

I got out my Photoshop and experimented.

Red?

ltr-red

Yellow?

ltr-yellow

A darker blue?

ltr-blue

I got out some reference material about mood decisions. Should it be gray for fear?

ltr-gray

I spent most of the day thinking about this (I also worked, but who needs to think there…)

It finally occurred to me that it was my painting and the worst that could happen would be it would suck. So I went with my gut.

learningtheropes
“Learning the Ropes” – with background; wet sheen

I like it and I’m excited to take the next step.

I think this whole exercise in insecurity is a theme I need to work on. One of my goals for the year it to allow myself to draw more; I’ve been relying on photos and tracing. Instead of tracing this piece, which would have been easy to do with such good reference photos that I could blow up, I sketched it out. And now I’m chucking all my materials about the “correct” color.

Progress!?!