Taking photos as I paint helps me become a better painter

This group of six paintings is coming alive for me.

I started painting this group of six 8”x8” canvases in April 2025. I grouped them all together as you see here, and started by painting them with the same several colors, as can be seen in the photo at the bottom of this post. I had the foresight to take a photo of that round, then the next 2 rounds, up to this one you see today.

The canvas in the bottom middle is complete, and is on my website now. It’s called ‘Mirage’, and you can read its own unique story here.

The group of six paintings in progress, nearing completion. This photo was taken today, 6/13/25. Three are complete or nearly so, three are waiting for another round but currently in the orientation I’ve chosen. Do you see the beings?

Last week’s photo, before another round of painting. I’ve been seeing the characters emerging out of the shapes and textures, like appearing out of the mist.

A helpful habit I’ve learned to use more consistently in my art making is to photograph my work as I’m painting it. When I remember to do it, I take photos after each painting session, no matter what stage the work is in currently.

I’ve found that taking a photo of something I’m working on helps me see it in a new way. The photo gives me a layer of distance, a neutral step back from being right up in my canvas. This is a good habit enforced by my weekly Friday painting days with my art friends. Another reason why painting with friends is a good idea - we encourage good habits in each other.

Keeping a record of the progress of an abstract painting is helpful to me as an artist. Plus I can show them to you.

Seeing the stages of work also helps me paint over what I’ve done without fear of losing an idea that was forming. I can always change it if I paint over the wrong thing.

The same 6 paintings after the 2nd round of working on them. They are each starting to find their space and personality.

I’m also grateful to the me that had the foresight to take photos as the paintings are opening up. I think of this as allowing them to breathe, and to tell me what’s next. I have learned to listen more consciously as an artist, to be more patient with my work in progress, let it breathe and take my time.

This photo below was taken after the first round of painting this group of six canvases. The image just above was the 2nd round, and the one at top of this article is what they all looked like this week.

I like starting off with a number of canvases or papers and painting them all together. An exercise I did in a workshop taught by Louise Fletcher last year helped me see the fun and value of working this way. Each piece becomes less ‘precious’ somehow, so I can just paint without the fear of wrecking the one piece I’m working on. Less precious = more real.

The 1st layers of these paintings were mixed blues, white, and warm bright colors.