This session was all about experimenting with the Markal B Paintstiks – they might look like a massive sort of oil pastel but the are actually industrial paint markers used by construction and graffiti types alike (they call them streakers). The odd colours take some getting used to (like when I started with the Poscas, took a while before I got used to the limited palette). I wasn’t sure about how they work on their own until I combined them with acrylic paint and voila! Exactly what I wanted. You can see that in the featured image (above and at the bottom of the page).
The paintstiks go on like oil pastel but dry as paint…they are said to be ‘waterproof, UV proof’ but don’t know how lightfast they will be in the long run. We’ll see.
Also did some acrylics with large brushes, having some ‘fun’ trying to do these quickly without them ending up ‘muddy’ – I don’t have enough time to wait for it to dry, you see. It’s a problem I’m having with my abstract paintings I’m working on at home – that is more impatience and using the paint really thickly, here it’s just lack of time. Usually at home I’d go clean the brushes, palettes etc. when it all goes that sort of horrible brown but literally no time to do that here.
Still doing the odd pen drawing or watercolour, especially after the last session I felt like I was losing touch with the more accurate/calmer side. My creativity is very Jekyll and Hyde, I need to keep both sides balanced. Although I screwed up the first drawing, went on to do a second, abandoned that and went back to the first one (seen here) so I didn’t get to do any watercolour.
Mixed feelings about this session, allayed by the one piece above where the Markals showed their worth.
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