Janice
 

I still can't paint. I've been devouring videos, and spending hours upstairs in my makeshift studio, but it's just not coming.

Recently I advised someone on WetCanvas to become a master of starting paintings, even if he didn't finish them, because the beginning is so important. I decided to take my own advice, so I'm spending a good deal of time drawing with paint, though that's all I seem to be able to do so far.

I'm hoping that these oil drawings will help me transition into painting, but so far, I can't get past the first stages.

I developed this one more than I probably would have if it were going to be a finished painting. That's because I knew I wasn't going to finish it. Pardon the bad green tone on the canvas. That's not bad photography. That's the remnants of failed paintings that have been washed off this canvas.

Any and all advice on how to get to the next level would be appreciated!

.
 

Sorry. I didn't give much info about the picture. This is my wife, Janice, on cheap canvas panel with raw umber only. Size is 12X16. Liquin was my only medium. I used bristle brushes.

I can't give advice on oil painting, but I do like your starts! Have you tried just painting in black and white? Good luck with it!

Hi Jeff,
beautiful painting ............. sorry, I forgot......... :oops:

Let

This is a very nice image, painting or sketch or whatever. Try what Allen said. Makes sense to me. Your drawing is very good. Janet

Jeff, I think you're being too hard on yourself. . . and maybe getting yourself psyched out. This is very nicely done.
I can't tell from your post whether you've made a lot of monochromatic starts like this and given up without feeling able to go further, or whether you've actually tried with color and been frustrated there? If it helps, start with a very limited palette like Alan suggested, but go ahead and jump in with the color!

Good Luck! (maybe sharing one of your color efforts in WIP would get you some help over whatever's getting you frustrated?)

Jeff, as for everyone else I think this is a terrific start, almost a completed painting in itself.
I would definetely go with Allan suggestion. Ask your wife to pose for you, too, if this was done from a photograph. If your tones (and temperature) are right, the hue in a sense can be less important. I am not very good ad judging the tones, so I take B&W photos of my painting and compare it to the reference in B&W.
If you add to this work some study on temperature as well as the tone you have already pinned down so convincingly, you will end up with a beautiful portrait without even realising it.
Post some more!
Ilaria

Your drawing is very good. You can consider this piece finished, but if you want to go forward... go for it, it will be a great piece for sure.

Remember, if you can draw, you can always paint.

Yes, I'm convinced of that. I have no doubts that I will be able to paint (hopefully paint well, but we'll see).

The last time I painted was 18 years ago. I only painted for a couple of months, but I went from complete inability to apply paint, to creating acceptable paintings in only a few weeks. This time it is much harder. This could be because of my advanced age (I'm 46 now) or, more likely, because I have filled my head with so much unapplied information, from art books, videos, and forums, that it's hard to put it all into my subconscience and just paint. I have so many techniques rattling around my brain, and I want to apply them, but without having tried any of them, my brain goes into meltdown.

I'll keep at it.