First of a new series of paintings

There's nothing quite like the smell of turpenoid and oils after a long break from painting. This is my first painting since I finished my Black Series, and I think you'll see the connection.

I'm using a range of different media here, and this photo doesn't do it justice. I love to let my media interact and create textures I would never be able to replicate by hand. One of the richest textures in this painting comes from the a paint medium I use called galkyd, which helps me get that thick gloss surace, and some shellac I picked up at a hardware store.

I believe the galkyd is oil-based while the shellac seems (and I could absolutely be wrong about this) water-based, and I'm getting this really interesting shattering of the shellac surface when it's sitting on top of the galkyd.

As always, it's all about the process for me.

Here's one from my Black Series for comparison - in these, the shiny surface is entirely made from shellac and oils.