this painting tried to take me down...here's how I fought back

Struggling with a painting that feels like a losing battle? You’re not alone.

In this video, I share the "disaster" of my master study of William-Adolphe Bouguereau’s "Irene." Despite his reputation for perfect values and lifelike skin tones, I found myself "fighting for my life" in my attempt to copy it. Losing my chroma, shifting values, and feeling completely defeated.

But instead of throwing the painting away, I used a technique my mentor taught me that changed everything: The Color Study.

Watch to learn:

How to simplify complex masterworks into 3-4 key colors.

The 10-minute exercise that turns a perceived artistic failure into a massive breakthrough.

How to use color studies to stop intimidation before you touch the canvas building your confidence.

Whether you're a beginner oil painter or a seasoned artist in a rut, this simple shift in perspective will help you stop fighting the paint and start understanding it.

🕒 Timestamps
🎥 Video Chapters
00:00 — The "Fist Fight" with the Canvas The struggle of copying Bouguereau and the frustration of losing control over chroma and values.

1:45 — What is a Post-Mortem Color Study?

2:43 — The Power of Radical Simplification Why forcing yourself to only think about Hue and Value clears the mental fog of complex painting decisions.

4:12 — Turning Defeat into a Secret Weapon How 10-minute studies build massive confidence and why you should use them before you start your next piece.

5:30 — Why Everything Finally Clicked The big realization: How the wrong initial palette choices caused the struggle, and how to win the next battle.

🛠️ Resources & Links

I am not sponsored by these brands; these are the tools I trust 😉:

Recommended Brushes: Simply Simmons (filberts size 2,6 and 10)


Follow my art journey on Instagram:
‪@harbinsondesigns‬

#OilPainting #ArtTutorial #Bouguereau #PaintingTips #FineArt #ColorStudy #ArtistMindset