Painting Over a Failed Painting

Ever finish a painting and think, “Yikes...this one’s not going on the wall”? You're not alone—and you’re definitely not stuck. In this practical and encouraging lesson, professional artist Katie Liddiard walks you through how to breathe new life into an old or failed painting by painting right over the top of it.

Every artist hits a wall now and then with a piece that just doesn’t work out—maybe the flowers died before you could finish, maybe you ran out of time, or maybe it just wasn’t clicking. But that doesn’t mean the panel is a lost cause. Katie shows you exactly how to approach repainting a surface with care and confidence, starting with a smart sanding process to remove excess texture or ridges. She covers safe studio practices (especially if you’re working with cadmiums or lead-based pigments), demonstrates how to clean the surface with mineral spirits, and explains why flipping the canvas or changing the orientation can help you move forward without being distracted by the original image underneath.

As she begins her new painting—right on top of an old demo—you’ll see how liberating it can be to work over a subtly ghosted image. There’s already a little tooth, a little warmth, and even a slight sense of depth, which can help the new painting evolve more naturally. Katie shares insights on composition, atmosphere, and color relationships as she blocks in new shapes, keeping things loose and expressive.

By the end of the lesson, you’ll feel empowered to reuse your materials wisely while staying focused on what matters most: the creative journey. With a little sanding, a fresh mindset, and a willingness to see past the “mistakes,” you can turn almost any misstep into a beautiful new beginning.