Liner Brushes...

Up until (very) recently, I've used paint markers when I wanted a black line. I had never mastered the use of a liner brush, I guess. I'm still working on the whole idea of moving my arm to paint/draw, instead of my wrist, as I would when using a pen... and when in doubt, stick to the thing you know, right?

Well, I finally decided I would force myself to work on fine brushstrokes and using a liner brush (that's the skinny one with a looooong brush part). And I found out (no surprise here) that with practice, I could use the brush. I like that the line width is more variable than with a pen--when I press harder, the line becomes subtly wider. I used to do that with a pen, too, but it took two passes with the pen... When I really want a straight, smooth line, I have to step back a little and really force myself to use my arm--but I'm getting there, as we always do when we practice and make it okay to fail...

And I think I always post about this, as though it's some new discovery (which it is in my puny little brain), but--I LEARN BY DOING. I LEARN BY TAKING CHANCES, BY BEING FEARLESS, AND BY FAILING AND DOING IT ALL OVER AGAIN.

 My motto for the new year? Maybe. TRY, FAIL, AND TRY AGAIN.

I like where this is going. You can see I've drawn a horizon line in, using white Stabilo pencil (it's water-soluble, so if I change my mind I can just wipe it off--I use these all the time for experimenting). I used some copper foil and some Jacquard Antique Gold paint, which I'm really liking. The foil didn't show up all that well in the photo, but it's there on the right half of the paper.

So I'm in the studio--nowhere to go all day! I've got a cup of coffee with Irish cream syrup in it, my singles list playing from my iPhone and the little heater going on my feet under the desk--all is right with the world!

Off to paint!