Unfinished paintings – The Wanderer above the Sea of Fog

 

In the days of social media it’s far too easy to appear like you’re perfect – just use the right filters, always smile like you’re happy and find the perfect spot to do a selfie, right?

Since I know all too well that I’m anything but perfect, I thought I’d do this little series where I share with you my unfinished paintings or drawings – and thus make it clear that I am not perfect.

For every painting or drawing of mine there’s at least another one that collects dust in the cupboard or rots away in a drawer (okay, the last one’s a bit harsh, so far none of my drawings started to rot).

I start all enthusiasm and energy – new canvas, new paints, new project!

And somewhere along the way

… my enthusiasm begins to vanish, or

… I get distracted, or – and this is hard to admit –

… I simply get bored by the project.

Or, and that’s even harder to admit –

… I realize that my skills are far behind my ambitions.

 

 

My unfinished painting and me (Aug. 2020)

 

The painting you see in the picture above and below is very obviously unfinished, at least if you happen to know how the original painting looks by which it was inspired (scroll down to the last pic – yep, that’s how it was supposed to look.)

 

One of many unfinished paintings: “Wanderer above the Sea of Fog” (acrylic on canvas)

 

I wanted to make my own version of Caspar David Friedrich‘s “The Wanderer above the Sea of Fog” from 1818.

Caspar David Friedrich, one of my favorite painters, was a 19th century German Romantic painter who managed to paint landscapes that fill you with longing and Fernweh just by looking at them.

 

Detail of unfinished painting “Wanderer above the Sea of Fog”

 

I don’t think that I will ever get to continue working on this painting, although part of me would love to. But after years (!) of procrastination, I think it might be easier to start something new.

 

And here’s the original painting – beautiful, isn’t it?

 

Caspar David Friedrich, “Wanderer above the Sea of Fog” (1818; courtesy Wikipedia)

 

 

Do you also have unfinished projects that wait for you to come back to them? Do you think you will? And how do you handle it?

Let me know all about it in your comments!