There are always parts on a painting that are more difficult than others. Things like adding details to a face, trying to be bold without overworking the painting, or committing to some strong brush strokes can be very challenging. These are areas that require a lot of strong focus and mental energy.
More often than not, a painting requires us to change directions or redo problem areas. So often with my students, the hardest problems aren't necessarily finding what isn't working with the painting, but finding the grit to actually make the necessary changes.
To make a strong painting, you have to find ways to work through the difficult areas until you find a solution that works. It is easy to make a painting, but difficult is to make a successful painting that is bold, emotionally powerful, and timeless. In Picasso’s Guernica, for example, there are hundreds of pictures (in the Reina Sophia Museum in Madrid) that cover rooms with all of the stages of this painting. Picasso never settled with his first draft, but continued to work on it until he was satisfied. Even Sargent, Sorolla, Velazquez, and Rembrandt were known to scrape down and rework their paintings until they were satisfied.
One thing that working out on a regular basis did this year was get me used to being uncomfortable (in a good way). Not only do I feel much better when the workout is finished, but the rewards are so much better. Just like in painting, if you push through the hard parts, your hard work will eventually pay off.
More than anything, working out has allowed me to have the mindset to take action with so many things in my life. Painting does require a lot of analyzing and self reflection, but it is so easy to overthink what to do or, even worse, procrastinate. If you haven't started a workout program yet, I highly recommend finding something you really enjoy. You (and your paintings) won't regret it!
