Renoir's Table

After a long period of "artist's block", I've finally returned to work on the Renoir.  I did not know why, but I could not bring myself to work on the still life on the table.  Then I happened to open up an art book on my friend's coffee table and, like magic, I turned right to "The Luncheon of the Boating Party."  All at once it clicked - the reason I could not finish the painting was that I simply could not see what was going on in the picture.  Everything seems so obvious in hindsight.  The print out I had been using was not clear enough.  I could not tell what was a glass or a napkin or a dish or part of the table cloth.

Then I went to my local library and checked out a book on Impressionism that had a very large, very detailed 2-page picture of "The Luncheon of the Boating Party".  Since using this picture I have been able to get back on track.  I have been progressing slowly, but I would rather take my time and get it right than make mistakes. 

Many of my art teachers have told me that art is about seeing, much more so than about painting or drawing or anything else.  This experience taught me that I should always take the time to look before I paint, and that when faced with a block such as this one, I need to step back and take a different perspective.