Quad Paintings

This is a technique I came up with to get me out of a rut. A couple years ago, I was feeling stuck, like I was spending too much time on one painting I didn't much like, only to whip out a really fun, fresh one afterwards. So I decided to cut that warm-up time way down and challenge myself to make more interesting color choices.

I divide my surface into 4 segments and do the same drawing in each. I start in the top right and lay in the colors, completing it first, then I move on clockwise, challenging myself to push the colors and simplify the details in each quadrant.

The result makes me very happy - the experiment of seeing the same thing differently, and the playfulness of the process. Doing 4 forces me to work fast and not get precious about any of my choices. And I get 4 energetic small paintings. Or one piece that feels like a printing proof!

I haven't decided yet how best to display these - split them up, or keep them as one?

- MH 2015