Black & White

There are artists whose work I really enjoy looking at. For instance, there’s one who applies black and white paint to a canvas or panel and brings an image to the fore by blending just those two. It’s fascinating to watch, so I thought: I’ll paint one of the remaining chipboard shelves black, then apply black and white paint to it and see what I can bring out. I have to say it’s not exactly easy, and yes, I do know what went wrong here, so I’m keeping it as a reminder of what went wrong. I also noticed that the longer I spent mixing this paint and creating an image from it, the more I drifted towards a style of painting that I didn’t actually want. It turned out exactly like that.
On the other hand, I do find the result interesting to look at; it just uses an awful lot of paint and my white is almost gone. Time to switch to a different colour.

After that, I painted in the usual way, using a flat brush no. 18 on bamboo paper. It looks very different.

When I paint, it sometimes feels just like assembly line work. When I’ve tried something out or finished it, I lay it on the floor where it can dry undisturbed and move on to the next thing (which could be anything and just depends on where my thoughts are at that moment or what I want to try out. Indeed, that unfinished fish is still there!)
At the moment, I’m in the phase where I say: I must use up all the old stuff before I buy anything new.
Incidentally, I don’t always manage to paint three things a day, and yes, I do sometimes skip a day now and then, simply because I’m busy in the garden or doing up the house. At the moment, I’m still filling in a few cracks here and there and have started on the front door. A ‘failed door’, as an acquaintance calls it, because blisters always form in the paint in a certain spot. Perhaps I should just paint some flowers on it or incorporate some autumn leaves.

What also strikes me, by the way, is that I find it easier to paint something directly than to sketch it first and then paint it in. I’m rubbish at colouring and it looks like it’ll always be that way. I did practise again yesterday, though, even though it was dark, by colouring in triangles and shapes with paint, and that’s not easy. Perhaps I should use a ruler to help me stay within the lines.

I still enjoy painting at a fast pace. I’ve noticed that this helps me learn more, see more and spot mistakes more easily than when I work slowly. Taking photos also helps me look at the work from a different perspective, though I must say that a photo can make a piece look better or worse after a week. The camera lens and the way you hold the camera certainly play a part in this.

Incidentally, I thought I’d taken more photos whilst painting, but the camera is increasingly refusing to take a photo. It struggles, the memory is full.

_{6-4-2026
Materials: chipboard, acrylic paint: black + titanium white (Action), flat brushes: 3 cm + Van Eijck #18, bamboo paper}