Part 2: Project 3: Exercise 3: Experiment with Mixed Media

Exercise 3: Experiment with mixed media.

I just have to start by saying I learned a lot from this exercise. And though the outcome wasn’t a fully realised image today, it could be on another day. But at this point I have retired from the drawing board for today.

Actually it was a square canvas primed and then messed up with burnt sienna acrylic. Once dried, I part covered it with Financial Times. Then I began quite rashly drawing outlines of the items (in my hastily arraged still life) with a white paint marker. A while later I found these rather distracting white lines could be subdued with a bit of acrylic ink. It’s a bit twee or kitsch. And not really in a good way! But I learned a bit about what a white paint marker can do. That it doesn’t like waxy surfaces, but matt Financial Times with burnt sienna acrylic ink when dry is another matter. This matt surface takes oil pastels well.

The big mistake I made is to stop looking at the subject and just play for playing’s sake. It was fun. But I do suffer from a post-creative emotional come down with no finished outcome or concrete product in my hands, just the experience of having passed hours in my studio playing. I blame the fact that a friend turned up late morning and threw me off focus. At least that’s what I’m telling myself. But it is New Year’s Day. Perhaps I should give myself a break?!