This was a small swatch of beautiful hand-dyed linen, one I created while taking a workshop a few years ago on vegetable dyeing. The piece of fabric was a little bigger than a handkerchief, about life-sized in its 4" x 6" incarnation, here.
I hadn't ever done a drapery painting or study before (I'd done one drawing in the past), so decided to try this last night. At the point of about an hour, it completely sucked and looked laughably, weirdly amorphous. Once I gave myself "permission to fail," it started getting better and toward the end (total 2.5 hours), I finally understood how I was supposed to represent it illusionistically. What a learning experience!
More art on my website: jalapfaff.com
More art on my website: jalapfaff.com
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8 comments:
Funny how that permission to fail works. Wonderful study. love the glow through the fabric.
Lovely work, Jala. It's very dimensional, frayed edges and all! I have to admit, sometimes when I get to that "laughably, weirdly amorphous" place, I do fail, and just give up! Congratulations on your persistence. It worked!
You are so brave to paint fabric. This is lovely and you are right, once you decide it is ok to fail then it is amazing how well a painting can go ... I remember I took a beginners painting class and the instructor had us painting very shiny silk. Needless to say, I was so frustrated that I didn't go back to the workshop the next day! How silly of me ...
Thanks, Cathyann.
Liz - Yeah, isn't is funny how that works? ;)
Donald - I sometimes give up at that point too. But I'm glad I plowed through it this time!
Leslie - Silly you, no. Crazy instructor, is more like it!
Yay, a fabric clump! Okay I will go back and do this again. They're hard aren't they?! I like that...permission to fail.
So glad you didn't give up - there is something so freeing about that permission to fail. Great job!
Karen - go for it!
Laurel - Thanks. Indeed, there is.
How soft and sensual!
Permissions to fail, we all need that one.
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