Looser Strokes

Undercut by the Sea

7 x 10 soft pastels on Art Spectrum Colourfix

Miki Willa

Waves are still a challenge for me, but I am getting better. But that is not what this painting is about. As I continue on this journey of building my skills and finding my visual voice, I want to explore different ways of making a mark on paper. Last week I tried a piece where I did no blending and used small strokes. I wasn't entirely happy with the result. Since then, I have been doing both. This painting is closest to what I think I like. I put down the colors I wanted by first layering them, then blending. Once I got the base color I wanted, I went back in with bolder strokes to bring out the interesting parts.

Composition was another thing I worked on in this painting. I used the rule of thirds as much as I could. Originally, I was going to "paint the photograph" before I realized that the end of the cliffs was exactly at the half-way point as was the horizon. I used a view finder and am much happier with this composition.

Tomorrow, I will post the latest in my floral creations.