Leaving's Sweet Sorrow, 15x17"oil/linen, ©Diane Mannion
Leaving
(Or when is it time to leave a painting and move on?)
"Parting is such sweet sorrow…"- Shakespeare
Sometimes a title will come while painting, heard Shakespeare's words from Romeo and Juliet, and melded them with the woman leaving. The title was much easier to create than the painting!
Did a small study last summer and wanted to see if it could work in a larger size, also had a nice scrap of portrait linen, million bucks an inch, not to waste! Stapled it to a board, set up my study and went to work. Easy… I thought.
July Leaving, study, 6x8" oil
First sketch on linen with charcoal, then thin paint, which also showed composition "movement," sort of a zig-zag.
Study set up next to linen scrap stapled to board.
First block-in
Got it to this point and decided I didn't like it. Sigh. Those umbrellas were giving me a headache!
Blocked in new masses for background. Pushed darks and lights.
Final painting after changes. And finally… I like it.
Many of my paintings are available at the Hughes Gallery, Boca Grande, FL!!!
