Reworking an oil painting: Before and after photos. Which do you like better?

In composing a painting, sometimes there’s a hard to define problem in which the solution doesn’t come to mind until later. Sometimes, much later. Such was the case with Lapis Hues of Spring a 2013 bluebonnet painting that was shown in a gallery, but never sold. Looking at it once again with a critical eye there was now clarity as to why it would never sell.

Perhaps I was experiencing a dark mood when I painted it, and subsequently cast its ugly shadow onto my painting. It was supposed to be a beautiful sunny spring day in Texas. The painting did not give off that impression.

Finding a Solution: Sunshine and Openness

The problem wasn’t in paint application or detail or for that matter the basic composition. What was wrong is that the mood of the painting was off. It lacked the feel of sunshine and openness.

Here’s a little exercise for you. Look at the two paintings and notice the differences which are fairly apparent. Click the images for a larger view. But ask yourself, how do the changes you see support the idea of sunshine and openness? You’ll see more openings in the trees. Openings that give glimpses of the landscape further away. There’s more contrast and intensity of colors and a little more variety in flowers and a reduction of the cactus which seemed too imposing in the original image.

A Special Offer

Reworking a painting this long after it was first done is something I rarely do. So with that in mind I’m also doing something I rarely do is offering this William Hagerman signature painting at nearly half for what one this size retails for. Currently this revised painting is offered on eBay as a fixed price item of $1600.00. Normal price for a16x20 varies from $2700- $3000.

Update: This painting is now sold.

My best,

William