During my first college drawing course, I was told that I was not afraid to start over, and that was good. It seemed so simple to me at the time, but I realized it's actually a very important part of being an artist. Being able to start over when something isn't turning out right is a valuable skill. I say "skill" because most people are not able to bring themselves to scrap a piece and start it again, simply because they've spent so much time and effort on it.
I had a clear vision of what I wanted in this piece (late at night before falling asleep, as so many good ideas happen). The first time I drew it, I was satisfied. However, when I put it down and looked at it the next morning, I realized it was not even close to what I wanted. Her face was too masculine and hard and it wasn't at the right angle. I had considered trying to fix the original image and just soften her face, but it just wouldn't do it for me. So I decided to start over.
So today's lesson is short and simple: don't be afraid to start over.