To make perfect!

Butterflies and Buddleia

Buddleia

My most recent painting of a bird on a buddleia flowerhead was by no means my first attempt at painting this flower as can be seen by this painting that I did some time ago using pastels. At the time I was fairly pleased with the final outcome of my work. But I think that when I look at the one above with the butterflies on a similar flower I can see that practice has gone a long way. 

The answer to doing anything is practice, practice and even more practice. Never give up either because you are happy with what you have done or disappointed with the final result. Practice!

When Polish pianist Ignace Jan Paderewski played before Queen Victoria, he won her enthusiastic approval. "Mr Paderewsky," she exclaimed, "you are a genius."

Paderewski shook his head. "Perhaps, Your Majesty, but before that, I was a drudge," he replied, alluding to the number of hours he spent practising every day.

Another famous musician, Rubenstein,  said, "If I omit practice one day, I notice it, if two days, my friends notice it, if three days, the public notices it."

Plato wrote the first sentence of his famous Republic nine different ways before he was satisfied.

Cicero practised speaking before friends every day for thirty years to perfect his elocution. 

Noah Webster laboured 36 years writing his dictionary, crossing the Atlantic twice to gather material.

Milton rose at 4:00 a.m. every day in order to have enough hours for his Paradise Lost. 

Gibbon spent 26 years on his Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. 

Bryant rewrote one of his poetic masterpieces 99 times before publication, and it became a classic. 

So I could go on giving example after example of the need to keep on trying and to keep on practising.

So for those who have taken up something new or have returned to try again something given up through a lack of success, practice. 

I am sure someone is hearing the words that are in my head this moment as my fingers move across the keys, "Practice makes perfect."  But believe me, it does not all happen at once.

Have a fun-filled day.