Not Finished but Not Sure What It Needs

I’ve got this painting to the stage where it’s almost done but doesn’t quite feel finished. The problem is, I’m not sure what else it needs. And I don’t want to just add paint and detail just for the sake of it. That’s a sure-fire way to overwork it.

I want to share with you a simple process I use when I get stuck like this.

First, I take a progress shot of the painting using my phone. Then, I take a screenshot of the reference photo. The idea is to have the two photos side by side in my camera reel. Then I quickly flip back and forward between them. Below is a simple demonstration.

What I’m looking for are big, noticeable discrepancies. I’m not interested in the noise, so I must ignore the tiny details. That’s why I don’t stare too long at each photo. By flipping back and forward, I’m forcing myself to rely on my immediate impressions and the big-picture aspects.

In this case, I spot the issue quickly. The water around the middle is too light and timid. It’s also a bit warm in temperature. This is compromising the value structure.

A key idea of this painting is the pattern created by light and dark shapes. But for this pattern to work, the light and dark shapes need to be clear and distinct. Otherwise they just melt together.

So by simply making the water around the middle a few notches darker, that should strengthen the pattern and improve the painting. In theory, anyway.

How do I go about darkening the area? I could scumble dark color over the top. But that may ruin the lovely brushwork that’s already there. Instead, I’ll try a thin, dark glaze using oil paint and linseed oil.

I’ll let you know how this one turns out.

Happy painting!