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Have you ever created a painting that you felt was "good" but not "great"?  Occasionally I have a watercolor painting that seems like it's finished, but there's just something it still needs...and I'm not sure what. When I get to that point in a painting, I know it's time to set the piece aside for a few days, or even a few weeks. I put it out of sight but not out of mind. My painting (Korea Veteran, above) from 2016 is a perfect example of this. Let me explain.

First, I'd like to apologize for the poor-quality cell phone photo (above). The color and lighting are all wrong, but you'll get the idea. This was a nice, fresh piece. I did like it...a lot. However, I knew it needed something more. But what?

The painting sat for two or three months before I decided what to do. I planned to pump up the value in the background with a purple glaze to give the piece a bit more contrast, especially against his profile and right shoulder. Daring? Yes!

I needed to protect my artwork while I tried out my idea. I laid a clear sheet of Dura·Lar (wet media film) over my painting. I then brushed juicy color onto the plastic rather than the painting itself, allowing me to experiment before permanently altering (and possibly ruining) the artwork.  

I placed the purple on the left side of the piece (over his right shoulder) and I really liked it. I decided to continue the purple to the other side, slapped on some purple paint, and OOPS! The Dura·Lar sheet was smaller than my painting, so I had just placed paint directly onto my artwork! In transparent watercolor, this is not fixable. I was at a point of no return. I removed the plastic and continued (more carefully) to add purple to the background. Fortunately, I liked it! Once I had increased the value in the background, I decided to push the color in other areas as well, specifically his cap and shirt.