And Just To Beat The Damned Thing To Death...

What always bothered me about this painting... well, let me make a list:

1. I hate how flat the whole thing seems
2. I wish I'd put the ashy cross on her
3. There's something very screwed up about her nose
--This includes the shape of the shadow above her nostril
--This also includes the lack of definition on the right side of the painting--specifically the lack of a crease between her left cheek and the side of her nose (which speaks to complaint #1 as well)
4. The strands of hair on the side of her face are a disaster.
5. The rest of her hair is also a disaster. I painted this picture when I didn't understand how to paint straight hair with a drip technique.
6. And why does a Puerto Rican girl look Asian?

Remember a few posts ago, when I suggested that the big swells were approaching shore--symbolizing that the creative juices were starting to flow again? Well, by gum, I'm gonna drag Lilah's ass (or at least her painting) back into the studio and set things right, once and for all.

Then, like the New York Rangers fan's sign said after they had won the Stanley Cup, I can die in peace.

Back, for a moment, to things that bother me about this painting:

7. Her lips look a bit surreal.

On a positive note, you should disregard the glow in the lower left of the painting. Some of the blacks used to create the shadow were gloss, rather than matte, and the don't react well to the photographer's strobe. Actually the lower left quadrant of the painting is the only thing I like about it.