Think first, draw next, THEN (and only then) paint!

I can't believe it's May already. I really can't believe my show closes in three days!

As always, mucho work to do; poco time to do it.

I've known for some time (but the point was driven home to me unusally hard as I was working on--OK, struggling mightily with--a section of The Presentation of Spiders Sunday) that the reason it has taken me so long to finish this painting, is that entire sections of it were not drawn before I started painting!

I have a couple other paintings lying around the studio that have similar problems, and although I'm sure I could struggle through with them, too, I'm seriously considering if they're worth the effort.

Honestly, it would be easier to simply start them over, and do it right this time!

I have a very bad habit of thinking that, becuase--occasionally (OK, rarely!)--a shoddy process "works", I can "get by" doing it the same way, again (and, maybe even, again). One painting in ten (painted without a "tight" preparatory drawing) might turn out all right, but I should consider myself lucky (and--oh--the time I've wasted on those other nine!) that even one made it through such poor studio practice.

So, it is possible that Presentation won't be finished in time for Friday's closing.

That's too bad; it's going to be one hell of a painting!

But, c'est la vie!

I want the painting done, but only if it's done right. Further, if I truly learn my lesson this time, and start the next three to five paintings off the right way, I'll be better off, in the long run.

So, next week, I'm going to start some new drawings. And, I'm not going to put any paint on them until I'm satisfied that I have a solid foundation in place, to take the painting straight through to completion, without any unecessary "detours".

Wish me luck.