Struggles

Struggling to get painting, struggling with the rubbish primer (the paint soaks straight in), and struggling with the subject matter. Anyway, I did manage to paint one painting this week; a 30x30cm view of shoppers in York. This is taken from a photograph that I took recently. I like the way everyone is wrapped up in their own thoughts; The mum is weighed down by life, the boy is looking back (for his friends?), the old man is deep in the thought, and the young girl is interested in something,everything just outside the picture.
I approached this picture in a different way to my usual way of blocking in shapes- I drew it all out. I don't do enough drawing, but don't actually like this approach because I find it too restrictive.
I think I need to compromise and meet in the middle, with more drawing than usual, but less than this.

The drawing on primed card.

I decided to start with the figures, again not my usual approach.

Shopping With Mum.