Paintings Don't Follow Rules

Orphan sheep by EAB

Last month, (here) I wrote about why you usually don’t want to covering things that have appeared in your painting. But paintings don’t like to follow rules. In the process of creation, the elements on the paper shift, change and transform as the painting comes to life.  A line becomes a face, a face becomes a cloud, a cloud becomes hidden behind a leafy tree. I’ve written before about this process of transformation before. During this transformation, some things get covered by others.

So how can you tell the difference between covering up and transforming? The best way to tell is check in with your own thoughts and feelings. If you notice judgment in your thoughts about how things should be, that might be covering up. Try allowing what is there to stay. If your thoughts and energy are focused on the new elements, go with the transformation. You can also check your energy level as you think about the options. 
If you feel scared, powerful and energetic, you are going in the right direction. If you feel tight and constricted, do something else. 

Still don’t know? Don’t decide, trust the brush instead. Put some paint on the brush, make a line and then see what happens.  Above all, remember this is process painting. Whatever you do is what you do -  you can’t do it wrong!

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