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Spatter Matters

I thought I would break from the usual posting routine to share some things I've learned.

I've been trying a lot of experimental techniques to create the spatter effect above. Nearly every brush I have used for this has come up a little short - then I tried a toothbrush. So, yeah, the toothbrush is the clear winner here. Now I can create stone textures, ocean spray and the like (I just have to create some sort of spray guard to protect my poor table and walls).

I have done multiple posts about how difficult it is to use masking fluid. The frustration was driving me nuts. Guess what? If you pour some masking fluid into a shallow container (I used a small yogurt container) rather than working out of the bottle, it's a hell of a lot easier. For some reason (science), masking fluid in the bottle is more like masking paste. It is chunky, fast-drying, and nearly unusable. Using a shallow dish also allowed me to spatter masking fluid, opening up even more possibilities.

I want to apologize for the infrequent posts. Both to you, viewer, and to myself. I have formed some bad habits lately that I'm trying to kick. Nothing serious - just things like sitting on the couch and checking e-mail instead of drawing and painting right after work. Resistance is at work, and it has won more times than I'd like to admit.

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