Two small paintings

What do you do when it all goes wrong? It's a tricky one because there is no right answer. Today I found myself in just such a position and for a while I wasn't very happy with the world.

I left the flat just after 9am and walked my easel through town and back to where I had had my first painting adventure a couple of weeks ago. Since last there, I'd had a look at a local map and it is shown as an old deer park (insert joke of your choice). I had it in mind to paint a rather nice oak tree - it has had a few knocks and has a certain character; it was also on a raised bank which had very little grass growing on it and the bare earth gave a nice contrast to the overall greenness.

I started work on my 10 x 8 inch canvas and managed to swiftly pass through all the regular stages of painting. I could paint; I could fix the problem; I could not fix the problem; I wondered why I ever bothered picking up a brush?! So after an hour or so I hated it! I had good reason; it was a poor little thing, without life and so what to do?

Sometimes it is best to walk away... but I decided not to - partly out of the fear of having to go back through town so soon after leaving it because, let's be honest, everybody who lives here watches my every move! Instead I took out the trusty palette knife and took off all the paint that I'd put on. For those who don't paint with oils I have to tell you that this does not destroy the image; it just blurs it a bit but allows for fresh paint to be placed over the top. I set to work for a second time and within ten minutes, all was well. The picture started to come together and I was happy! By 12.30 it was as finished as I wanted it to be and so a swift break for lunch (insert chocolate bar of your choice) was taken...

I moved about 100 metres to find the second view. An easier subject for me as it was more of an open landscape. I put it together rather rapidly and it's not bad; so nice to have the Autumn colours making all the trees look so different. Both pictures will require a little extra work but not much. So the day ended on a positive note and I was back home by 3pm...