So I did. With deadline mere hours away (I believe, eight or six hours, maybe less) On a rather larger canvas of size F4, I suspect, I worked with the original idea, but simplified it. There is me, reading a book - as I did all the time, whether I was standing, sitting or even walking - but it is all made with a muted, Raw Umber mixed with Titanium White, colour, and sketchy at that. I did fill it in with a bit of colour, but only a little. The book is a little more detailed, but the interesting part are the surroundings. As I seemed to live most of the time inside my own head, or in my books, and the books and my fantasies were all much more colourful and enticing than real life, I painted some fantastical and mythical beings and things around the head of the girl. A lady with a sword, a dragon, some fairy lights or possibly butterflies, a moon, a stylised star. My art teacher labelled it "Symbolist" though I hesitate to place myself amongst the distinguished painters of the age when that label first appeared.
I certainly am not calling this a good painting, in any way but the idea that started it. It is hastily made, the colours aren't very well matched, the composition of it is decent but not perfect and over all, yes, it certainly shows that the artist, that is, me, was working under the pressure of a severe time limit. I simply didn't have the time to even lay the groundwork for making it better at a later time. I had to have a painting ready and so that was the only goal.
No, it's not a very good painting, but it was a learning experience nevertheless and the subject is one I plan on re-using at a later date.
