Small paintings on handmade paper: ‘Stormy Sunset’ and ‘Windswept Nightfall’
I was lucky enough to sell these small paintings on handmade paper as a pair to a private collector.
I particularly love how all the colours on ‘Stormy Sunset’ work together, oranges, purples and creams. All the large brushstrokes and touches of colour in the sky and the detail on the horizon are blended just a little, but not too much to lose the spontaneity. Handmade paper is so absorbent you have to work quickly but it gives these paintings a lovely texture. A frame then beautifully pulls everything together.
These two are in my most abstract in style with vibrant colours and always that very spontaneous feel.
I loved using larger brushes when painting these and when I say larger brushes they are in fact painting and decorating round brushes from a hardware store, not artist brushes at all. Its fun using these and they don’t have to be proper artist brushes in order to be creative and have fun. Of course I do use smaller proper brushes for detail and finesse.
Try it, get a palette full of different colours, some paper ideally with texture and then both types of brushes and some water, put on your favourite music and let yourself go. Before you know it you have created something unique and original and time has just passed and relieved your stress. Just lose yourself !!
‘Stormy Sunset’ 19.5 × 19.5 cms
‘Windswept Nightfall’ 19.5 × 19.5 cms
“These small studies have a freedom in the brushstrokes and colour I use so if a larger painting hits a creative block I inspire myself with these smaller ‘free’ studies.
’They are a beginning but a very important beginning.”