Brushing up Old Paintings

 After university I painted two pieces studying a series of bottles, I wanted to test my command of tone and subtle changes in colour.

   This was the result. My problem with these pieces is simple. Each bottle looks too precise and the eyes don't flutter across them in the way I'd hoped for. Around a year ago I did some work on the second painting and mannaged to make it much worse.

  I'd successfully ridden it of any subtlety at all, the paint looks dirty and each bottle is painted with teh same dull tone. Unsurprisingly I shoved them behind the couch and gave up. With the Nantwich Museum fast approaching I decided to return and have one last go. I'd not painted for such a long time it seemed sensible to warm up on paintings that have already been wracked.