Embarking on a new painting is always an exciting journey for me, but my recent experience with a portrait of my art mentor, Darrell Anderson, was a rollercoaster of emotions and challenges. I wanted to capture Darrell's essence and personality in my painting, but I struggled to find the right color palette to do justice to his Taurus astrological sign.
As an artist, I always begin by carefully selecting a color palette that reflects the subject's astrological sign. For Taurus, the colors are typically pastels and earth tones, so I chose an array of greens, aqua blues, and a magenta pink as the complement. However, as I started laying down the paint, I realized that the colors weren't harmonizing the way I had envisioned. It was a disheartening moment, but I knew that I couldn't continue with a painting that didn't resonate with me.
The real challenge began when I decided to start over and realized that the bottom of my wooden canvas had become warped. Frustrated but determined, I went back to Home Depot to buy more wood and rebuild the canvas from scratch. Little did I know that I would have to repeat this process multiple times, each time encountering new obstacles and frustrations.
I found myself in a cycle of starting over and constantly reevaluating my approach. It was a humbling and challenging experience, but it pushed me to step out of my comfort zone and rethink my color composition. I knew that I had to utilize my creative muscle to overcome the obstacles I was facing.
After sorting through my old art materials, I decided to switch to a tetradic color palette, which consists of four colors paired with two complementary colors. This was a departure from my usual approach, but I knew that it was necessary to achieve the colors that represented Taurus. Carefully planning and creating a sample palette, I was thrilled with the results that came from this new approach.
As I continue to work on my painting, I am hopeful that this new color palette will bring Darrell's portrait to life in a way that truly honors his spirit. This experience has taught me the value of perseverance and adaptability in the face of challenges, and I am excited to see how this new approach will transform my art. Stay tuned for the final reveal of the portrait, and thank you for joining me on this journey of growth and exploration.