Painting Exploration
I don’t know what made me pick up the habit (stress about passing my qualifying exam), but I have really enjoyed taking a little journey into painting!
workspace
materials
acrylic paint (primary colors, black & white only)
a significant amount of water (still, sparkling, sometimes even saline)
table salt, spray bottle
raw, unprimed canvas, loose fabric, recycled (rescued) pin boards
sponges, brushes, paper towels… usually just fingers
like my research, my painting “process” is largely driven by reconnaissance research (instagram), available resources, and an iterative approach…
My First Piece… Summer 2025
it seems ironic that the first piece is also the largest… this monstrosity is 60”x60”
Large & Simple
one color mixed, a sponge, and a spray bottle filled with water from the sink
More specifically, I began by mixing red, blue, and white acrylic paint together…
I proceeded to apply the periwinkle color by brush to ~half the canvas and realized I needed more paint
BUT, I got curious and added water, which allowed me to extend the paint to the remainder of the canvas
instead of using a paint brush, I decided to use a sponge to spread the hydrated paint (mostly to avoid streaks)
I also realized that the water & sponge could also be used to remove paint, thus, my technique was born
wax on - wax off, if you will
miniatures for testing (4.5”x4.5”)
testing different “bases”
“water-colored” acrylic paint on raw canvas (12”x12”)
“water-colored” acrylic paint on primed canvas (30’x40”)
Notice textural difference between painting on raw vs primed stretched canvas!
Raw muslin fabric folded over a stretch canvas frame
