I recently completed a small painting with the aim of trying a bit less realism and also a slightly different brush technique than I'd normally do. Not just flat colour painted up to hard edges, or even blending, but something called "dry-brush". This is where paint is applied with less oil and the brush is "drier". It tends to sit on top of the surface and, on a textured canvas, shows more of the canvas weave. It also leaves some of the colour below visible.It is a fairly common way of painting and can be very effective (and "painterly").

Below are some of the stages the painting went through.

This was the first stage. In the past, I'd often consider this as "finished", although here it is quite clearly a bit flat and boring. It can be enlivened hopefully.

This "base" has to be touch dry.

Now I brushed (dry) some oil paint over the base. Too much yellow though. But you can wipe it off and carry on or start again.

More dry-brush, more of a yellow-ochre/orange and darker tint.

And the final painting, with more work on top.

As I've said before, a painting very often has to sit around and grow on you before you become happy with it. A photograph is not often the most accurate reflection of the final look of the work. I think this has been a successful test and possibly a painting that I'll end up liking.

I'd like to try something bigger. We will see how things go.

See the final work on my art site.