Later is Better

Now, while I am thinking of it is when I am doing the entry, not later, after I have relaxed more from work, and thought a bit more about it. Actually, the picture is the third version of the picture, and tonight I may touch up just a bit more and create a fourth, but I don't know yet. It might be better for me to wait until later this week, when last nights additions have time to dry. Personally, I rather like the picture, even though it also seems a bit amateurish. Since I have been painting with oils for less than a year, I am not terribly concerned with that. It is unfortunate that I haven't made the incredible leaps that Van Gogh made when he started, but I am not that driven, nor am I that talented, and finally, I haven't quit my job in pursuit of art, focusing solely on making it. If I did the latter, then I am sure things would progress rapidly, though I hardly believe I am as talented as Van Gogh, especially as I was interpreting Modigliani with this one, though I don't think I captured him at all, with the possible exception of the elongated face. This one has been fun, and now I am also trying to determine what is next. None of my canvasses are large, so everything will be small. Since my last self-portrait was six months ago, it may be a bit early for another, though that happens to be the easiest model available to me. If I could get a still life to spark me, I could do that, but without an initial interesting arrangement, the whole thing just seem like so much painted junk (one must also create a relationship, thematic or otherwise, between the elements). If I did a male portrait head in my variation on Modigliani, I could have a classic pair with their positions reversed, saying something by that very reversal. Ideas and writing them don't get me closer to picking up a paint brush, but they are fun.