The Memories of the Failed Storyteller: Side Panels.

I would say that compliments give me confidence, but I have many friends who have told me how wonderful things look…only for them to find that I still doubt myself…basically not believing them. It isn’t until I get a compliment from whom it matters, such as the guy I’m painting these panels for, that my confidence is boosted. Why? Because I know from experience that when something doesn’t turn out the way one hopes…it shows. And that expression…intended or not…makes me feel like I’ve failed. And I have more than enough failures in my life that cause me to doubt myself a hundred times over.

But for right now, I’m pushing those aside. He likes the back panels, now that I know how to make it look, now that I’ve got the system down…now that I know that I’ve done something right…the side panels will go by more smoothly. Not to mention that their size is a lot small in comparison to the 6ft long background. I’m starting with the one side that doesn’t involve any background scenery at all. Just clouds and the foreground mountain expansion. How I loved painting the clouds earlier! I’m so excited to paint them again. I know you can’t see any of the detail in the previous pictures…but they’re a bunch of little squiggly lines! It’s so neat how they bring out the fluffy texture in them!

The one thing you’ve got to understand about me is…well…that I love the line. Not the straight line, from point A to point B in the shortest amount of distance. Apparently, according to an ex-co-worker of mine, I’m incapable of drawing a straight line, even with all the rulers and related tools because I’m left handed. And here I thought it was because I was just inertly a messy person, and such straighten and clean lines go against my nature. Boy how I’m ALWAYS wrong! Well, at least to him until I was proven right that Kokomo was performed by the Beach Boys and NOT by Jimmy Buffet! HA! Take that ‘Mr. Know-it-All’! …hey…I take my wins when I can…

No no no…I like my lines messy…thick and thin, squiggly and curvy. They reflect that natural flow of the earth, wind, water, and fire…none of which are EVER straight and to the point. Free flowing. That’s how they should be, especially when capturing and replicating bits and pieces of nature such as in this painting. I smile…and I feel at peace for the moment. Ah…enjoy it while it lasts…

The second panel, made for the left hand side of the layout, is still a bit. There are flat spots from the layout…which yes, with the back layout I had to deal with that, but in a whole separate way. Here, there are two flat spots…and blending them into the mountain is the challenge. I think it’s just a matter of making it look like it’s been cut off by the mountain. Hence…why the track wasn’t built to go any further. Yes. That’s what I’ll do. Commence affirmative nodding.

And now…I’m done. Next Sunday…hopefully…I’ll have pictures up of the panels with their layout! Before and after shots! Let’s see how it all turned out!