Hey everyone, it’s Kate here again with another intuitive art project using mixed media! This time I sped up the footage a bit to keep things moving since there was a lot of process to cover. I started with a piece of mixed media paper taped down around the edges, and then went over it with some charcoal and white gesso. This 11×14 inch, 110lb mixed media paper held up well, even though it buckled a little when really wet.
I kept my color palette fairly limited, but knew I’d have a good variety of colors by mixing paints on my palette. The colors I chose worked well together on the color wheel and could all be blended to create different hues. At this point, I wasn’t worried about placement – I just wanted to cover the gesso layer. I loved how the charcoal mixed with the gesso when I applied it to the paper.
As you can see, I played around with my different mixes, placing them next to each other on various parts of the paper. This way, I could get the color I was mixing in several areas instead of just one. I knew I’d end up covering most of the charcoal and background, but there would probably be some peeking through in the final layers.
That’s when my kitty decided to say hello! She insisted on attention, so I hope you don’t mind the meows in the background. Anyway, at this point I was just putting down random marks in different places to cover the page. I was using the same bristle brush I used in the last video – it’s a firm and inexpensive brush that I love for the texture it creates on the page.
The whole idea behind intuitive art is to have fun and experiment with your supplies, and this project has been a blast! I’ve loved being able to experiment and not worry about where things go. After all, if you don’t like something you put down, you can always cover it up. Part of the beauty of this process is creating layers, so I knew that no matter what I put down on the first layer, it would probably get covered up later. This feeling of freedom from perfection allowed me to make marks much more comfortably than if I was trying to create something finished right away.
Next, I went in and made circles and ovals with a darker blue. I then painted over some more areas, scrubbing my brush to create small and large marks, blending the color together. Since I was using a lot of white gesso to create this base layer, everything was very pastel at this point.
Just like with the first piece, I was placing colors in random areas. When I accidentally went over the blue circle and smudged it, I actually liked the effect. So, I went ahead and smudged some more, feathering out the paint onto the page in random directions. I really liked this wispy look.
Then, I wanted to play with that wispy look even more. I went back in with a darker purple to add some lines through it, mirroring what I did with the blue circles. I weaved my way through the painting, making random organic lines. I was still using those leftover Styrofoam plates for my palette – they’re very handy and inexpensive!
A lot of people talk about intuitive art and what it means. There are many personal interpretations, but I think the common theme is placing marks, paint, and color wherever it feels right. Intuitive art is also a great way to learn about your preferences and supplies, while still considering design principles like the rule of thirds. However, while it’s good to learn about these concepts, intuitive art allows you to develop these skills naturally through your work. You can evaluate your work as you go. I think anyone who’s ever done any kind of art knows the feeling of getting an idea, putting it down, and then thinking, “Oh, I don’t really like that.” This can definitely happen in intuitive art, where you’re placing things wherever you think they should go and layering until it feels finished and right to you. Interestingly, some of those choices naturally fall into line with how colors work together, light and dark work together, and so on. Contrast, composition, and style are important to many people, but I think you can develop these skills in a natural way through intuitive art, which is both fun and rewarding.
I hope you enjoyed watching this process and will try it for yourself! As always, thanks for watching and happy creating!