How do I decide what I want to paint next?

This tends to be either a grueling task, or a simple “eureka” moment. Most times I will be drawn to a specific aspect of a reference photo such as the mood, color, texture, or temperature. When I push myself too hard to choose a new subject for a painting without following my instincts, I know now (after much trial and error) that the completion of the painting will be a rough process, if it happens at all.

I am a firm believer that it’s okay if every painting I start doesn’t get completed. My fantastic art teacher of 7 years Erica Neumann has helped me learn that sometimes a painting will speak to you and pull you in a direction that gets your creative brain moving, but that sometimes newer, more exciting ideas will take over.

For instance, after a month off from painting I wanted to resume a painting I had started but I just didn’t feel the pull to do it. The idea of a blank canvas was much more alluring…

After a few hours I leached my brain of all the color and detail that I could handle and ended up with this progress on a chameleon I have been wanting to paint for a long time.

I worked on it for a couple more weeks until I felt like I was back into my groove and then felt able to pick up a commission I had been struggling with. I haven’t come back to that chameleon yet, but I know it’s waiting for me when I need a little boost. In the meantime you can view my struggle at The Beltliner.