Some of you may have seen my artwork, but few know how I apply paint to a surface. Most artists use a variety of brushes – hair or synthetic – to create the effects they want. There are dozens of sizes and shapes available but actually I carry only two trusted brushes when I go outside plein air figurative painting in the countryside.
In my studio I have a wide variety of tools to paint with, and being highly experimental, I will often get away from the ‘painterly’ techniques and instead make marks with spatulas. They are credit card size (8.5 x 5.5 cms.), and most of my supplies come in the form of electronic hotel door keys or subscription tokens. Applying watercolour, acrylic or chalk paint to the flexible spatula allows me to create broad strokes with precise pressure. Paint residue builds up on them and dries, and I can reuse the spatula multiple times.
A couple of photographs show how I use a spatula to apply paint. Can you guess which famous painter uses a spatula to paint with? Well, it’s Gerhard Richter, a German painter who wields a giant spatula or squeegee to create his enormous abstract paintings. It would be worth searching for him online.
In my studio I have a wide variety of tools to paint with, and being highly experimental, I will often get away from the ‘painterly’ techniques and instead make marks with spatulas. They are credit card size (8.5 x 5.5 cms.), and most of my supplies come in the form of electronic hotel door keys or subscription tokens. Applying watercolour, acrylic or chalk paint to the flexible spatula allows me to create broad strokes with precise pressure. Paint residue builds up on them and dries, and I can reuse the spatula multiple times.
A couple of photographs show how I use a spatula to apply paint. Can you guess which famous painter uses a spatula to paint with? Well, it’s Gerhard Richter, a German painter who wields a giant spatula or squeegee to create his enormous abstract paintings. It would be worth searching for him online.
Below are a few unframed spatulas I’ve selected for you. Some are single, others diptychs or triptychs.
At a certain point – often very hit or miss – some spatulas begin to look like miniature abstracts and I put them aside as part of my collection. I sell many of these in a year. At last year’s show “Blue Storm” (see below frame) held at the Tobian Art Gallery in Florence, sixteen works were framed miniatures.
Below is an example of a miniature art piece framed.
Look out for my next article on whether abstract painting can be taught, or not!
xx
Good idea! I wonder if this article isn't a coincidence that I recently discovered some acrylic paints and brushes in my husband's library. (He passed away seven years ago.) Thanks for the article
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