Using a Palette Knife in New Acrylic Painting

By Abstractartbylt @artbylt

I'm still experimenting on small canvases, applying the acrylic paint with a palette knife.  After my first red, yellow and white painting, I tried another one today.  First I applied white and parchment in the center third of the canvas, blending them with the knife.

Next, I applied cadmium yellow light to the top section, and then alizarin crimson along the bottom.  This formed my background grid.  Then I put enough pyrole red on the knife to make broad sweeps up from the crimson toward the yellow.

I was careful not to have too much blending, keeping the red mostly separate from the white and yellow.  Then I decided I needed more white, and added some, again without mixing it too much into the color underneath.

I used the knife to do a little blending and scraping, but not too much.  Then I drew lines in cobalt green to add texture and contrast.

Now I have too of these red, white and yellow canvases.  Tomorrow I'll decide what to do next with them.

  Abstract Painting #186, 24" x 24" acrylic on canvas.