any suggestions for painters block?

this is one of my latest works-shag inspired- and was wondering what to put in the background/side? any suggestions?
i was thinking something alcohol inspired, maybe a tipped over bottle?something simple cuz as you can tell im no picasso! but i do enjoy painting for fun....
what do you guys think?

heres a few other peices in the works, id be happy to hear any advice/criticism!!!
hopefully someday i can join the ranks of the amazing worx that have inspired me form here!

___apparently i have a problem with finishing them cuz they all seem to be unfinished, guess id rather start new ones than [never seem to] finish ones already started----

"Here's to Hell!
May we have as good a time there as we had getting there!"

[ Edited by: cabinguy on 2004-08-17 07:48 ]

Painters block?! Take a break and have a few mai tais with the painting in front of you. You'll come up with something. It always works!

Thumbnails! In art school your taught to do thumbnails which is nothing more than small drawlings. Do a small drawling of your tiki with the same deminsions then try adding different things.
Try one with a palm tree beside it or one with lettering saying "tiki bar open"
Another good trick and time saver if you can scan the image into your computer then print out as many copies as you want. That way you dont have to keep drawling over and over the image you already have. A zerox will work too.
Hope thiis helps.

Here's a suggestion for all artists on TC (carvers, painters, songwriters, mimes, etc).

I picked up a rather amazing book several years ago called FEARLESS CREATING. It really helped me thru a bad spell of (song)writers-block. It's filled with ideas, inspiration and exercises to get yer creative juices flowing.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0874778050/qid=1090858213/sr=ka-1/ref=pd_ka_1/002-8349823-6028025

-Z

I don't know if this is good advice for everyone or just me, but whenever I'm engaged in tune smithing I always force myself to complete each song. I may have 3 or 4 going at a time, but I always finish them.

I always thought that it becomes a slippery slope once you start NOT completing each work, and becomes easier to not complete the next.

I like Flounder's suggestion of scanning and making copies to pre-draw on, great start on the first one, needs a volcano a rumbling like and lava spurting and flowing.

nice work here...though you seem a bit affraid to carry through to then end...here is what i do rather than to hurry across the finish line...if you ruch the product you never reach the full potential i don't think...

hang it up...i mean frame it and hang it on a wall in a spot light like it is done ready to be in your home...then imagine what it could be if you were willing to spend a full 40 hour week on it...or more...try to think of the craziest possible reality coming to life on your working surface...decide what is worth painting and work at it until it's what you want it to be...

don't stop...you're kicking *ss!!! 99% of all artists don't make it this far!

I sometimes use transparent tracing paper, draw out possible designs to go around the tiki (or whatever it may be), and see how it looks by placing it over the partially finished painting. I also print out numerous templates to sketch on like Flounder said if I have a preliminary sketch to begin with.

http://www.samgambino.com

[ Edited by: Sam Gambino on 2004-07-26 14:57 ]