Back to basics
Most of my articles for Leisure Painter have involved the use of acrylic paint to create an artwork. Although I do use other media, I return to this versatile paint time and again, as I find that it suits my style of painting – that is, expressive, layered landscapes, usually on canvas. This hasn't always been the case, however.
Like most people, I started my art journey at school with watercolour. I produced large, melodramatic paintings of fantasy scenes and pop stars, applying the watercolour thickly and building up the image in segments like a jigsaw. Fast forward 30 years, and, having worked as an attraction set designer, meeting tight deadlines with quick ideas and artwork, I find that my eyesight and patience have reduced considerably. In those intervening years, I discovered acrylic. I continued to paint privately, showing my work in solo exhibitions, and I wanted to paint larger pieces on canvas – and acrylic wasprogression. I wanted a medium that was water-based, quick drying, and needed little in the way of additional materials, solvents or equipment other than brushes and a canvas. I also wanted to be challenged and take my mark-making in new directions.
