What I Used for This Painting
"Seeing Red" was painted with acrylics, on a large canvas 40×40 inches (approx 1×1 metres). Texture paste was applied to the canvas before I added colour.
Why This Painting is My Favorite from 2012
It's hard to pick only one painting, but I decided on this because the dominant colour (cadmium red) is an unusual one for me. The size amongst the largest I painted, and I enjoyed the challenge of "painting big".
I applied a little texture paste for some islands in the distance and a few tree trunks, left this to dry, then covered it with red. I started with the idea of autumnal leaves; one thing led to another, and when I got here I decided I loved the touch-of-reality feel. Is it lava, apocalyptic, simmering angst? It works upside down too, as a red sky over dark hills. The painting has been sold.
Lessons Learned
- Give in to an impulse when painting; I can always overpaint to go back to my original idea but don't know an impulse might lead. Happy accidents and all that.
