Working On My Visual Language In Abstracts

tools and new paints

Jul 20, 2025

Hey Sketchbook Fam,

I hope all is well.

Well, first, I’ve changed my mind, for now, to add a paid feature here. I had said I would turn it on on August 1, but I’m not prepared, and I have some other major ideas that I’m still working through.

Since NYC has been such a humid hot box as of late, I have not been able to go out to draw and paint en plein air, so my studio aka a corner in my living room - watch the tour here, has been my safe place. I’ve been painting a lot; on canvas, paper, and in my sketchbooks.

I’ve been finding joy and more space by spreading my materials out on the floor, getting messy and gestural. I got some new additions to my paint collection which have allowed me to experiment and find a comfortable color palette too.

mixed media paintings on paper, 2x 8x10in and 2x 9x12in and 1 18x24in that technically isn’t finished.

Golden High Flow Acrylics, Liquitex Basics and Winsor Newton paints, Amsterdam , and Daler Rowney and Liquitex Inks

I’ve also been using a variety of tools, from brushes to palette knives, rags, old credit cards, to anything that creates an interesting texture.

The more that I work abstractly, the more I permit myself to let go and not judge my work. When I judge, that is when I get stuck or I overwork things.

I started off very excited about these pieces, but then I began wanting them to resemble the paintings on paper I had done earlier; however, it didn’t work out. I was trying too hard. So, I decided to calm down and take things to my sketchbook, rather than wasting more loose paper.

I loosened up and consciously changed my thoughts about what I was about to create. I permitted myself to do whatever I wanted, knowing that the end result wouldn’t matter. Every single experiment gets me that much closer to my visual language, which is what I’m working on… creating my language with paint.

How I got over the overworked pieces:

I did some breathwork to ground myself again.
I limited my materials/colors
I let go of an anticipated outcome.

Once I was feeling ready to try to create some finished work, I was able to create these mini paintings. There were no thoughts; I chose a few materials and colors and allowed my intuition to step forward and lead me.