Licking

So I have this really bad habit that some call "licking". In painterly terms, I basically over work my pieces to a point of no return.

Tonight as I tried to get my daily painting in I had many distractions and so I started and stopped many times. Mojo got all off. I was happy with my under painting but as I got more and more distractions (including a full stop to tuck my son into bed and give proper cuddles) I just wasn't feeling my painting, as seen below.

Part of my licking problem is using thin paint and mixing it on the surface. This often leads to overworking.

"Licked" 6 x 6" acrylic on panel

So, I grabbed some fresh paint, mixed up three shades/tints of red and went to town.  I also made myself stop and really look at the shadows and the colors/values of them.  Here is my much improved version.  Sometimes it is better to just step away and make a sort of fresh start.  So, thanks Kristen Dukat (http://atimeforart2.blogspot.com/) for always kicking my butt and making me stop the Licking!!!