One of the most frustrating things while painting is when you feel something’s not right, but you don’t know what it is. You look and keep looking but don’t see what is wrong. And last but not least, if you don’t see it, you can’t fix it.

So I wanted to tell you (or to remind you) about a magic wand that can help you see better, make better decisions, and correct and improve your painting regardless of its stage. As it is so simple, it’s easy to forget to use. But being simple doesn’t diminish its power. Once you discover this magic wand as a beginner, you will want to keep using it as an advanced artist or even if you become a professional artist.

To see better, you should look at your painting from a greater distance. Yes, that’s it.

You may say … “oh, it’s not such a big deal I knew that”. Well, great, but are you doing it? Or you are painting for a few hours, enjoying being in the flow and forgetting to step away from your painting?

So, let’s get even more practical. How far should you go? It really depends on the size of the painting. The bigger it is, the greater the distance should be. And, of course, it also depends upon the size of your working space. If it is small,  make it a habit to take your painting a few steps out (to increase the distance).

Of course, it is easier to step away when you paint standing (it is also more intuitive to do it in this position). But you should do it also if you are sitting and painting. So stand up every now and then and look at your painting from some distance (it is sure healthier for your spine to move a bit). If the size of your painting is smaller, it might be enough to stand up or to stand up and put it on the floor to see it well.

How often should you do this? Well, I’d say – the more often, the better. Cause this way you will actually see what you just have done – all the time. And the sooner you see something that needs to be changed, it’s better.

Personally, I am a great fan of adding a bit of a time dimension to this distance. When I stop working on a painting and I come back to it, before I start painting again, I first take a moment to look at my painting from afar. This way I see more clearly which part I should work on next.

This “magic wand” could change the way you paint.

P.S.

I keep asking the artists I mentor: “have you looked from afar?” so often that they say even a glance of mine reminds them to do it;)

P.S.S.

Looking at things from a greater distance is empowering when it comes to seeing events or relationships differently, too!