Wait Before Posting

I am going to put a sign on my easel that reminds me to wait before I post a painting.  Two days ago I posted three paintings that I had just done of dogs.  My usual practice is to put paintings up on easels and sit with them awhile before I consider them finished.  I didn't do much of that with these three paintings.  Wouldn't you know it, I looked at the Trooper painting and realized that it not only looked flat in the photo, it looked flat in person, too.  So up onto the easel it went.

This is always a scary prospect but I figure "nothing ventured - nothing gained."  I started slapping new paint on the board.  A little ways into it I tried to avoid hitting the panic button thinking I had ruined it.  Oh no, I had already sent a photo of the painting to my brother and family and they loved it.  WHAT WAS I DOING??

Trooper

oil on panel 16x12

I've spent all day fiddling and I think it is an improvement over the original.  I think the first looked like a photo that had paint on it and this version looks more like a painting.  What do you think?  Much of a difference?

Since I didn't get to paint yesterday I decided to double up today.  Actually I couldn't wait to get started on my next painting.  After seeing the paintings I did for my brother and sister, Sara asked if she could commission me to paint Helen, her wonderful cocker spaniel.  The title of today's post is not to put anything on that was not totally finished but as my family will tell you, I'm not one to listen to my own advice.  Tomorrow I may kick myself but here's Helen before I fiddle with her.

Helen
oil on masonite 10x8