Mediterranean House

Here is my first attempt at acrylics!

I painted from 8 pm to just before midnight last night, putting together my new $10 easel, pouring & mixing paints (and learning the proper amounts - I fear I wasted a bit too much blue), and then doing the work at a decent pace (not hurried by any means, but definitely not a complete beginner's crawl of indecision). I guess you could say I had a plan. I worked the big spaces first, figuring that filling in the small later would be more efficient and leave less room for error. So (in order): on went the blue of the house, the brown of the road, and the dark red of the door. The framing of the door followed, and the realization that it would be a pretty bleak painting without 'more', I added the windows, and then their frames as well. Finally, the street looked empty, so I added the plant, it's pot, and finally, the primitive long-handled garden rake. A few touch-ups to smooth out rough window and door sills, and I was satisfied.

What I learned:

• I really enjoy painting with acrylics.
• Less is definitely more. One can always add paint (and mix the matching shade quickly), but it's a damned shame to plop too much on the palette, with no way to cram it back in the tube.
• Big areas first = less touch-up later.
• Cleaning brushes as you go is part of the process. Part of mine anyway.