“But by correcting every flaw, you might lose the sparkle and vitality of the painting. In some indefinable way, the strangeness of the picture can often be a essential part of its charm.”
Paul Strisk, The Art of Landscape Painting, page 71
Resist wiping up drips, covering every sliver of underpainting showing through, straightening a freehand horizon with a ruler … I’m sure you can think of other fixes that tidy things up but simultaneously add blandness rather than character to a painting.
Start by saving the ‘fixing’ until tomorrow, telling yourself you’re only leaving it for now not forever. Then look at it with fresh eyes and ask yourself not if it’s right or wrong but if it detracts or enhances. Call it quirkiness rather than flawed.
