do-overs are a GOOD thing

If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, ugly is in the mind of an artist. Let's face it, we are really hard on ourselves.

really. hard.

I am all about working through the "ugly" stages of my art. Probably too much. I have a hard time cutting myself some slack when my mojo is out of whack. A really hard time.

If you have been following along with Kelly Barton and I in our little mermie challenge we have going - you'll note that we just finished up and posted Flora Aurora on Monday.

I hated it.

With a passion.

(I actually think I was bordering on awkwardly obsessed about it.)

I had two options - either get over myself and move on or grant myself the option of a "do-over". Not just a get-a-new-canvas do-over, but a slap-white-paint-on-it do-over.

I vacillated.

Reasons to leave it alone and move on:

1. I used a lot of pretty darn good consumable stuff on it.
2. I spent almost an entire Sunday on it.
3. I am too hard on myself.
4. I should learn to like new color palettes.
5. I have uploaded it and committed to it on FaceBook
6. Kelly liked it

Reasons to grant myself an artistic pardon:

1. I hate the colors.
2. I hate the composition.
3. I have plenty of supplies (i.e. white paint)
4. If I don't like it and I have to pass by it in the hallway of my house everyday - that poses a mental health problem.
5. Kelly loves me now matter what

It should be fairly obvious the choice I made (and it was a brave one for me).

I came home from work, grabbed it off of the wall and slapped on a coat of paint before I chickened out. And this is what I learned:

1. Ink of any color soaks though paint (including gesso and gel medium) BUT it created a cool white-washed shabby thing.
2. I tested out a cool new technique with tape transfer and it sorta failed but still looks cool (the ink wouldn't rub off so I sanded the tape and put gel medium over it)
3. I used pencil instead of ink (in very cool kelly barton style) which felt like copying (but remember, kelly loves me no matter what)
4. I am so happy with this painting and thrilled that I gave myself  "permission" to have a "do-over" with this canvas.

What will you give yourself permission to "do-over"?