Do you find it difficult to be loose with your art? I do (a lot). Whenever I need to loosen up, I start playing with color and experimenting with art supplies.

I’ve always loved experimenting with spray paint in my paintings. I used to hand cut stencils on paper and add spray paint to create a gradient effect (layering many colors over one stencil).

Lately I’ve been using spray paint more for splatter experiments. In a recent painting, I made a pool of inky paint water, then added spray paint on top. Then I took the inky paint pool with spray paint on top and dragged the handle of a brush through it.

I’d no idea what existed underneath my spray painted layer until I pulled back the paint to find a rainbow of pastel, ink and liquid watercolor that dried beautifully and looked like stained glass (such a happy accident I never could’ve planned). I used this technique again for my next background.

Oftentimes I’ll begin my background with colors I’ve bought but never use. This keeps me less attached to the outcome. I’m not so afraid to be using up all of my best supplies, so I can be more fearless and loose as I paint.

I’ve fallen in love with mixed media painting and out of all of the painting techniques I’ve ever tried, the one thing I always return to is remembering to have fun with whatever it is I’m creating. This brings joy into the process, which inevitably gets infused into your artwork and always makes anyone who sees it smile.

If you’d like to paint together, click HERE to join me for a Free Painting Workshop and learn more of my favorite supplies and colors.

Happy painting!
xo Juliette