Expressive Painting

I am using this project as a chance to step out of my comfort zone and explore new techniques that I wouldn't normally be brave enough to attempt. These expressive paintings are quite different from the work I usually produce but I have grown to like them and think they look better than I imagined they would. I do try to avoid using acrylic paint as it's not a material I enjoy working with but I wanted to try using it in different ways to see what techniques works well.

This first painting is loosely based on one of John Piper's prints. The background for his original print was messy and limited in colour so I've tried to create a similar effect using acrylic paint. To produce a rough-like texture, I dragged the paint across the page using a ruler instead of a brush because it gives it a much more intersting look. For the added detail, I used a black handwriting pen and included very few lines so the pen wasn't too distracting from the piece as a whole.

With this painting, I wanted to create a slighty different effect than what I did with the first one. Before applying the paint, I covered the page in pieces of newspaper to add a new texture and look to this particular piece. Just like the first painting, I have limited my use of colour because I think it makes it more visually interesting. I then quickly applied layers of paint with a thick brush and refined areas of detail using a handwriting pen.