The Dreaded Violin

The painting on the left gave me more problems than almost anything I've ever worked on (this was a couple of years ago). It was a headache from day one. Right after I gessoed the piece of masonite in preparation for painting, it warped and so, to straighten it out, I had to gesso the back. Then I really didn't get the surface very smooth so I had to sand it, apply more coats of gesso and sand it one more time. About midway through the painting, the whole thing warped - again. And did I mention the drawing? I had trouble lining up the neck of the violin with the bridge and that bottom thing that I can't remember the name of. The tail piece maybe?

Painting the feather was the fun part. Painting the musical notes was the most challenging. My art instructor, Robert, told me I shouldn't paint the notes in detail but, rather, suggest them so that somebody looking at the painting for the first time might say, "Oh, yes, musical notes."

By the time I'd finished painting the entire set up, I couldn't stand to look at it anymore. So, I stashed it in the back of my closet facing the wall. For a long time. A year or so later I took it out and looked at it. Hey, it wasn't that bad. I touched up a few spots, gave it a coat of varnish and had it framed. Now it's hanging on my wall.

I guess writing and painting have more in common than I once thought. They both require self-discipline, the willingness to see a project through to the end and lots of work on the rough spots.