Color Fun #1

8"x8" acrylic on canvas

with gallery-wrap edges painted

in the same style as the top surface

 If you’re looking at this painting and thinking, “I could do that!”, I’m here to tell you, “You can!”

Here’s how…

Art Supplies:

* Square gallery wrap canvas - This one is 8"x8" with 1 1/2" edges

* Acrylic paint

* White acrylic gesso

1. Prepare the canvas: The canvas is first primed with two coats of white acrylic gesso. Allow the gesso to dry between coats and before proceeding to the next step. I usually allow each coat of gesso to dry overnight.

2. Prepare the paint: I use the acrylic paints left over on my palette after working on another painting. The great thing about using the leftover paint is that these colors are already coordinated to work with each other. If I don’t have leftover paint to work with, I’ll squeeze out a bit of the three primary colors onto the palette. Moisten the paints to a consistency similar to egg yolk, keeping each color separate.

3. Applying the paint: This is the fun part! Turn the canvas upside down and set it, canvas side down, onto the palette with the wet paint. Lift it straight up. Then, keeping the canvas side down, turn the canvas to the right or left and set it down again onto the wet palette. Lift the canvas up again and survey your results. You can repeat the process and/or tilt the canvas to create additional effects. Allow some of the color to mix on the canvas.

4. Final tips: Paint the edges of the canvas in the same manner, pressing them into the wet paint on the palette.

Before the paint dries, try to figure out which direction will be the top of your piece. If there are any annoying shapes or empty areas, you can strategically position the canvas as you press it into the paint for a final application.

Use an old toothbrush to spatter drops of paint onto the painting for additional texture.

Do 3 or 4 square canvases at a time to create a set.

Here's one done on a 5"x5" canvas:

Color Splash #1

Original acrlyic on canvas