The term “asymptotic” is used in mathematics and physics, although I’ve yet to see it figure in discussion of painting. It is, however, very useful in describing my experience. What it means is that a line on a graph keeps on approaching zero on the relevant axis but never actually gets there. I have discovered in the past that this term is exactly right when it comes to describing my approach to the start of a painting. This is the situation in which I find myself at the moment.
I have taken a succession of decisions which would seem to put me well on the way to actually painting, but I have not actually managed to reach that point. The first decision was whether or not I would execute the image in pastel or in acrylic. It struck me that I have in my store a couple of used canvases which are of the right dimensions but which would need to be painted over with a primer before I could begin. I found them, and indeed they are of a suitable size, but one is heavily textured, so would not do on this occasion, and the other was not as bad as I had remembered, so it had to be put aside for another look on another occasion.
Then I remembered that under one of my plan chests is a box containing the wherewithal of making my own canvases. Were any of the stretchers of a suitable size? The answer was “No!”, but then there was a surprise. I found in the box a landscape I must have painted several years previously, but of which I have no recollection at all. I can date it reasonably well by the subject-matter, and it fits with my “Beyond” series, but it came as a complete surprise to me. Of course, I had to get it out, put it on the easel, and see if it has some kind of future. (I think it probably does.)
The result of all of this deliberation was a final decision on my part* that it might be a good idea to do the new project in oil pastels. I’ve enjoyed working with these in the past, but have not done so for a while. They would appear to have the characteristics of both acrylic and pastels which I feel is right for this particular subject. So: a decision! Now we come back to the topic of format. Do I have a frame in my store which could be recycled suitably for this new project? At the moment I think that the answer is possibly “No”, but I’m working on it.
Well. That’s another day gone, and I have still not begun to paint. I am closer to doing so, however, even if the approach is asymptotic.
* Well: “final” at least for the time being.