Practice, Practice, Practice

 I don't think I would have summoned up the nerve to paint with acrylics on fabric if I hadn't already been trying out  techniques on paper and canvas. I think it's made it a bit easier with working out how my particular paints work - the texture, colour mixing , how they dry and if it goes wrong you can just paint over it and start again   Unlike fabrics , you can go back in  and correct things and build up layers so there has been a degree of unlearning to do!
I've particularly benefitted from  painting holidays with Susan Gray in Slapton.   She's given me a lot of advice  and  intrigued by my wish to work on fabric, has  really pushed me to experiment. Also to look critically at my work - sometimes you have to get rid of or alter the bits you really like for the sake of the whole composition.
So  here's some of my non- fabric acrylic  painting of the sea  done on those courses - I really miss not having done it this year.

 

 Painting in situ ( above) and first stages back in the studio ( below)

 Painting a board with colour beforehand is I suppose a bit like using coloured fabrics! Before and after. above and below

 

  Rocks in different styles in different years - I prefer the more abstract one above, it's very easy to get too involved in making it look realistic

 

 

In my next post I'll be looking at using old quilts as a canvas.