I spent a few hours this afternoon playing with paints, pens, inks, pencils and oil pastels, etc making six mini abstract experiments consisting of different marks. I was trying to vary:-
I felt that there were some interesting interactions between colours, textures and the type of mark made. I highlighted my favourite areas in the second collage above. I did not like it when the materials merged and turned into muddy mixtures, so leaving the first layer to dry before adding the second seems like a good idea for the future. I do like 'wet in wet' painting techniques using watercolours or inks, though. Layering a translucent or incomplete layer over a solid area worked well. The scratched/sgraffito lines in the thick red paint successfully revealed the yellow layer beneath.
The collections of marks that worked best included a mixture of large and small marks, solid areas of colour with overlapping patterns or translucent overlays that allowed the layer beneath to show through. Also some areas which were blank or had faint patterns contrasting with more solid forms in other areas feel more satisfying as compositions, to my eye.
The thick splodge of black paint contrasted interestingly with the crumbled yellow oil pastel, but will probably never dry or stay in place. It could inspire a representation in textiles: a towelling fabric or patch of dense French knots next to an area of shiny plastic or faux patent leather perhaps? Some food for thought in bringing more texture into my work.
- the type of mark (dense, heavy, light, fast, slow, fine, hesitant, bold, straight, solid, curvy, patterned or random, regular and irregular ...)
- the consistency and texture of the media (translucent ink, powdery oil pastel, thick acrylic paint, light, feathery pencil, scratchy, incised lines ...)
- the method of application (dripping colour from a dropper or from the bottle or tube, printing with a tool, painting with different types of brush, rubbing or printing with a finger, scrubbing hard on the side of a block of graphite, using just the tip of a pencil ...).
I felt that there were some interesting interactions between colours, textures and the type of mark made. I highlighted my favourite areas in the second collage above. I did not like it when the materials merged and turned into muddy mixtures, so leaving the first layer to dry before adding the second seems like a good idea for the future. I do like 'wet in wet' painting techniques using watercolours or inks, though. Layering a translucent or incomplete layer over a solid area worked well. The scratched/sgraffito lines in the thick red paint successfully revealed the yellow layer beneath.
The collections of marks that worked best included a mixture of large and small marks, solid areas of colour with overlapping patterns or translucent overlays that allowed the layer beneath to show through. Also some areas which were blank or had faint patterns contrasting with more solid forms in other areas feel more satisfying as compositions, to my eye.
The thick splodge of black paint contrasted interestingly with the crumbled yellow oil pastel, but will probably never dry or stay in place. It could inspire a representation in textiles: a towelling fabric or patch of dense French knots next to an area of shiny plastic or faux patent leather perhaps? Some food for thought in bringing more texture into my work.
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