LEARNING FROM MISTAKES

It is a fact worth accepting that not every painting you make will turn out as you hoped. Sadly, some artworks are destined for the bin, not the framers. We all want to become better painters and I’m sure, like me, you are disappointed and frustrated when an expected masterpiece doesn’t work out.

After the frustration has subsided, the natural reaction is to reach for another sheet of paper and start over again, putting the previous failure firmly to the back of the mind.

However, the paintings that haven’t worked can often be, if used wisely, some of our most valuable. Plenty of useful knowledge can be gleaned from pictures that haven’t worked and, instead of throwing them away, we should take the opportunity to learn from them. Ultimately the knowledge gained will make us all better painters.

This approach is borne of necessity. As a busy painter, I often can’t afford to produce paintings that offer little or no benefit, particularly if I’ve invested too