Unfinished Works

I stare down at the bird, admiring the way the golden color of the head is just right and flow into the chest, the wings overlap each other with just the right mix of black, white and gray, even the muddled feet convincing clutch the olive green branch. So what's missing? The bird, carefully worked in colored pencils over many weeks sits on a harsh white page eternally waiting for the sky to appear. What's the holdup? I've picked blue as a background color. I've chosen gouache for the medium as it's slightly brighter than watercolor and possibly easier to work with. But I like the bird, I don't want to mess him up. Never mind the tail is too dark, a spot on the beak isn't quite right, and the branch he sits on is an unnatural green. I don't see those flaws anymore they all blend in to make a complete work. The background, though could introduce new flaws, what if the color is wrong or comes out uneven, or the brush strokes show too much? Aren't these essentially the same questions encountered every step of the way? What if the wing is too dark, what if the yellow is too light, what if the feet look just like blobs? These challenges were all overcome, bit by bit. And so will the background. I can feel it. I've looked at the situation, I've practiced using the gouache, I've pondered it all for far too long. The bird is good, he doesn't deserve the fate of the alpine water color of which I've lost the photo inspiring the work, or the flower on which the petal looks too big, or the Star Wars model that got boxed up when I moved and never opened again. The bird I am resolved will be finished.