the art of loosening up
 |
| Watercolour of Refugio San Vicende, Pyrenees, Spain |
Lately, I've been loosening up and relaxing a little in my paintings. Having fun and being bold. It's exciting!
When I want to let go and paint with abandon, here are few things that help me. I thought you might find something in this list that speaks to you.
- Painting standing up
When I stand at a distance from my painting, I can’t paint tiny details. I also need to hold my brush further back so I can reach the paper, so my brush strokes are looser. - Embracing larger brushes
It’s rather obvious that you can’t paint little details with a large brush, but there’s also something else. A large brush holds a lot more paint, so you can paint for longer without going back to the palette, allowing me more time to lose myself in each brush stroke. - Stocking up on paper
Having plenty of paper at hand encourages experimentation without fear of wasting materials. I also paint on the back of old paintings, on paper I’ve never thought of trying, pieces of cardboard, anything! - Exploring forgotten colours
I notice that some colours on my palette run out fast and need topping up often. Others almost never. So I’ve been using colours from my palette that I haven’t touched in a while. I’m discovering new and forgotten colour combinations and I make sure to swatch and label my new favourites for later use. - Experimenting with brush strokes
For sure, after a while my brush becomes an extension of my hand. But, it’s easy for me to forget to push the limits of a brush. So I’m experimenting a lot with mark making. - Keeping some creations private
Not every painting needs to be shared—keeping some as personal experiments adds a sense of freedom.
Here’s to the joy of experimentation! I hope this inspires you to step outside your comfort zone and try something new.
