Fluid Acrylics
I decided recently to try out fluid acrylics–here’s an expansive explanation of fluid acrylics and how some use them. For the most part, I mix something similar–the difference usually consisting in me attempting to aim for something thinner. These paints generally are expensive, which is the primary reason I have stayed away. Over the last few months, however, I’ve managed to pick up a few small tubes on the cheap, so I decided to play with them. What I knew of them from my little experience before, is they’re thicker than what I might want in “pourability”. As a result of this, they don’t spread on the canvas, leaving a texture to them. Also, they are glossy.
These are in order in accordance to when I worked on them. I finished each, before going on to the next. On all three I built the background first using non-brush techniques (sponges, brayers, pressing paint from paper onto the canvas). The backgrounds are regular acrylics. On the first two, I then applied the fluid acrylics with a brush.
The fluid acrylics are the light green. I started from the bottom and moved up the canvas. After I had painted the first fourth, I realized how to work with these paints, and had to go back down and over the bottom. Initially, it was much more rigid and circular. Up close you can notice a difference between the beginning (the bottom) and the end of painting (the top). This was good for me to play with these paints. Overall, I’m pretty happy with this piece.
First I laid the trunk out, and rather loosely–I wasn’t quite sure how this one was going to turn out. I then started painting a number of random circles. I let each color dry and then just added more on top. One thing I don’t like about this painting is the placement of the tree. I built the background not knowing what I was going to paint on here. As it took shape I realized it was skewed too far up and left. This was really simple, though, as a whole. It just required patience to make small dots.
On this, I decided to go super loose with the paint. This piece is only 6”x8”, so very small. I made this with the flower looking piece I had done before. I wanted to go small and let the acrylics paint themselves. The depth in the background is created by pressing, picking up and repressing a sheet of paper with paint on it. This is about as simple as it gets.
These put me at 39 pieces on the year, one out for my goal for the entire year. I’m sort of working on a couple pieces not in keeping with this blog. I have other ideas in the wings, but I haven’t started on anything quite yet. I’m also working on something radically different from anything I’ve done–to which I have no idea as to how to start or find my way to something aesthetic…. I’ll post my failures of that, as they take form and evolve.
