Lifebook 2017 - week 5 - abstract

This weeks lesson was a many layered abstract with Wendy Brightbill. Mine has watercolours, acrylics and coloured pencils. I missed out the layers of inks and gel pens because I don't have them.

I don't often work in abstract - the figure and moments from my life are really at the heart of what makes me paint... so it was hard not to turn these shapes into leaves, flowers, etc! I'm not sure if it works as a whole composition, but there are details that I love, and it was a lot of fun to do. I'd love to get this kind of  richness of layering into my normal painting.

I'm surprised how much I'm enjoying working on paper (instead of canvas). I'm using a heavyweight cartridge paper 220gsm, it's surprisingly sturdy - it buckles a bit with very wet watercolour but seems to flatten out once it's dry. Once you start adding layers of gesso, collage, acrylics, etc, it becomes leather tough.

I have just added these 3 little still life paintings to my etsy shop. They are tiny 4x4 inch canvases I did last year. Have a great Sunday.