Lately, my painting process consists of minimal sketching and planning beforehand, and more exploration and decision-making during the actual painting on the canvas. That is how it was with this painting. I came up with the composition beforehand, but I continued to choose colors as the painting developed. I wanted to convey softness and warmth in this room with light pouring through the large window. To me, softness translates into bright, yet muted colors. And coziness arises from a contrast between dark and light.
The only reference that I worked from was a picture of a basic couch. Everything else, I came up with on my own. The dark green backdrop makes the other colors pop and makes the painting more graphic. I am a fan of color-blocking, but I noticed that with the type of acrylics I had, it was hard to get crisp, smooth contours and edges. I had to go over colors sometimes three or four times before they were opaque and smooth enough. In the future, I will get the “heavy body” acrylics to ease my painting process.
I am happy with the way the painting came out. I always aim to create visual depth in my paintings, which I think I achieved here. Experimenting with colors and shapes was engaging, and so was making this space more abstract. Even with all the colors and shapes, I believe that I successfully achieved a sense of balance. The observer can uninhibitedly view around the painting and contemplate the whole. I want the viewer to feel transported to the space and feel the entire essence of it. Light is something that streams in and colors everything with its feeling.
I may return to oil paints for my next painting. And I want to return to a more realistic style; I am not sure if abstract painting is where I want to be. More experimenting ahead as I follow my artistic urges.
