Painting of the Nunney Castle visiting Carmarthen.

It is often said that a painting is not finished merely abandoned. Well it is quite true. I get to a point and think that's okay but I will look at it with fresh eyes tomorrow. I go back and look at it then I ask Alex. Alex is not an artist but I trust her views implicitly. She will often say this is wrong or it needs some work here ...or she may say perfect!

After that the painting is generally allowed to dry and during that time I may look at it and think, "If I started that again I would do this or that."It is a good way to improve your work in any case. I am my own harshest critic but not necessarily in a negative way.

To get to the point a few paintings have been around the house that I have been looking at and thinking I must alter that ...This is something of a big decision if they are framed. They are generally inset in foam mount board taped to a double mount. They are then put in a glass fronted frame and have waterproof sealed backing that is also taped. The tape is not your general masking tape and will ruin a board pulling it off. Now the biggest issue is that it is Alex that will have to re-frame it! I don't take these decisions lightly!

Anyway I decided I had a bit of work that could be done to improve the above painting of The Nunney Castle visiting Carmarthen. I moved the crowd away from the smoke box to give a clean contrast with the yellow of the shed. I improved the lettering on the smoke box ie. B80. I worked some glazes into the engine itself. I changed the colour of the sky to emphasise the smoke. The sky had been grey. I also added mor contrast in the ballast in the foreground. The painting had been fine but now I am very pleased with it. It is likely I will keep the painting.