Sometimes you just can’t wait

Sky Pads 18–I guess it’s obvious this next one is going to be vertical…

I haven’t finished 18’s predecessor yet but I couldn’t wait to start the next one because…

Mainly the weather. I was hoping to get the same background effect as #17, so I had to take into account all the conditions I could think of that might have had a role in creating it. I’ve been pouring paint washes on canvas for decades, and very seldom have I achieved the same result twice.

So…I had to wait for a very hot day, just like when I poured #17. That day was either today or tomorrow. My hunch is that the rapid drying of the paint thinner is what creates the flow patterns. I also know that paint thinner, rather than turpentine, is what causes the paint pigment to separate itself out. So I had at least two conditions that were known factors. The roughness of the canvas can also alter the effect, so I made sure I used the same stuff as last time.

Other considerations included the color of the paint. Some pigments separate out more than others. No idea why. A big consideration was the effort to not mess with the paint once it was on the canvas. At first it looks like nothing is going to happen–the colors are just going to flow off in a solid body like spilling coffee on a table. But as it starts to dry, it starts to separate. This is when you go get a beer and come back in an hour or two so you aren’t tempted to “fix” it.

Pretty happy with the results!