This surprisingly easy Art hack works.

Stuck in a painting? Here’s a trick I use when it’s a bit too early to dial things in. I take all the dark, high-contrast areas and paint them light. It sounds crazy, but by softening them, I keep all the structure and detail while making the painting feel way more subtle.
Once it’s done, I can go back and add new darks, building even more depth and richness. It's all about balancing contrast and subtlety to bring the painting to life in a whole new way.