ABSTRACT OCEAN PAINTING

Enjoy the creation of a serene abstract painting using the matt, fluid and brightly pigmented Jo Sonja acrylic paints. This project encourages the use of thick, loose and expressive applications of paint.
In true abstract fashion, each artwork will be unique, and the following steps are a guide rather than an exact set of steps/rules to follow.

Step 1- Cover the entire canvas and edges with Jo Sonja Amethyst paint in even strokes using the large flat brush. Let Dry.

Step 2- Using the large flat brush, mix Jo Sonja Titanium White with Jo Sonja Cobalt Blue to create a very light pastel blue colour. With this colour paint on a straight horizontal line three quarters up the canvas.
In curved upwards strokes fill above the line with this light blue colour. Keep your marks broken with gaps between them.
Underneath the line paint on a variety of shapes using the same light blue colour. These shapes should get larger towards the bottom of the canvas and get smaller and more "dash" like at the horizontal line.

Step 3- Using the large flat brush, mix Jo Sonja Aqua with Jo Sonja Titanium White to create a pastel turquoise colour. With this colour create another layer of shapes the same as with the pastel blue. Be sure to keep your shapes separate and use a lot of paint with each stroke.
Place your brush in water/clean.

Step 4- Squeeze a large amount of Jo Sonja Paynes Grey onto the palette. Using the back face of the palette knife, scoop up a large amount of paint and wipe it across the horizontal line.
Pick up more paint and draw three triangular shapes towards the bottom of your canvas.
Overlapping those triangular marks place on more Paynes Grey in short vertical marks to create long diagonal lines across the canvas.
Just under the horizontal line use the edge of the palette knife to paint on many thin, dashed marks.
Wipe the palette knife clean with the rag/ paper towel.

Step 5- Mix together Jo Sonja Jaune Brilliant with Jo Sonja Titanium White to create a light pastel orange colour. If you would like a more "dusty/muted" colour also mix in a small quantity of the Jo Sonja Amethyst paint.
With a large amount of this colour on the palette knife create 5 or more large, long marks towards the bottom half of the painting.
Using the edge of the palette knife paint on many overlapping thin/ dashed lines just under the horizontal line.
Clean the palette knife and let the painting dry for 30-60 min.

Step 6- Using a large amount of Jo Sonja Unbleached Titanium White, lightly smear in a wide and curved direction above the horizontal line using the palette knife. Continue to place on Unbleached Titanium focusing on the center of the painting and the diagonal lines.
Clean the palette knife and let the painting dry for 30-60 min.

Step 7- With the palette knife continue to paint on thin, overlapping shapes, dashes of Jo Sonja Aqua and Sky Blue.

Step 8- Using Jo Sonja Titanium White and the palette knife paint over the horizon line and create an overlapping pattern of thin dashed marks towards the center of the canvas.
Using a heavy pressure, wipe and push the Titanium White around in the "sky" section of the painting. The heavy pressure should scrap back some of the previous layers of colours giving an expressive, scratched back effect.
Clean the palette knife and let the painting dry for 30-60 min.

Step 9- With the flat brush, paint on Jo Sonja Cobalt Blue in thin, dashed lines focusing around the horizon line.
Scoop the paint up with a brush and be incredibly generous with how much paint you are using. Think of it more like sculpting and pushing the paint around rather than brushing it on.
Using the blue accent, the diagonal lines and shapes in the foreground.
Mix a light blue using Jo Sonja Titanium White and Jo Sonja Cobalt Blue. Using the flat brush with a light pressure buff on more blue in the sky focusing on the top corners of the canvas.
Paint on shapes of light blue within the dark Paynes Grey outlines, overlapping but not completely covering the previous layers of paint.
Clean the brush with water.

Step 10- Next it's time to add in some warm colours, accents and highlights! To do this you will need two colours. The first is a mixture of Jaune Brilliant and White, the second is a mixture of Amethyst and Titanium White.
Alternate between these two colours and using the palette knife place on thin dashes and small marks focusing on the middle of the canvas.
Be sure to generously scoop up large amounts of paint and apply it with a light pressure, so that the paint touches the surface of the canvas and not the palette knife itself.

Step 11- Lastly, it's time to add in some more dark shadows to the painting to help bring more contrast and definition to areas.
For this you will need to use the Paynes Grey and the palette knife. Run the edge of the palette knife through a thick blob of paint lightly, then tap the edge of the canvas focusing on periphery of the canvas.
Using the brush outline the wiggly diagonal lines throughout the painting.

Step 12- Congratulations you have finished the painting! Wash your brushes, let the painting dry for 24 hours and enjoy your hard work!