Soar Purpose

13/09/2026

Some snippets from a painting session. Working on a heavily textured abstract, "Barking up the Wrong Tree".

Using heavy-bodied acrylics.

Used modelling compound to add texture. Let dry & cure a few days before painted over.

My reference pics are pine tree trunks taken with my phone. Not trying to copy exactly.

I use a white plate for mixing. Mist it frequently with water to keep the paints open.

Bristle brushes can also suggest texture.

13/09/2026

How this textured abstract, "Barking up the Wrong Tree" is going. Mixed red, yellow, blue, violet and white pigments this painting session.

One pic with my palette (I use a white plate, which I mist frequently with water).

Some closeups in different lighting showing heavy texture. When I want heavy texture, I use modelling compound. Then, let it dry and cure a few days before painting over it with acrylics.

13/09/2026

Did a few more tweaks to this abstract. It was orifinally a colour study applying "skintone" colours to different "undertones".

Can't rule out doing further tweaks. Any leftover paint was mixed in for working on another painting.

I use an inexpensive white porcelain plate for mixing. Some people prefer to mix on neutral grey. I prefer to see the colours at most intense, so I can modify them as glazes etc. After all, I am not applying to neutral grey.

Abstracts can be a fun way to play. The enamel effect with the bird was from using inks and pouring medium.

10/09/2026

Colour theory of makeup & paints is exactly the same. Often, the same pigments.

06/09/2026

My Dad died 3 years ago. Pic was at my piano, when I was a teenager, in the '80s.

If people ask me how I am, I tend to say "just plodding along".

Dad never got to see how I paint now. He supported me in helping me display the wacky artworks I made from old stuff in his workshop. In mental health themed solo exhibitions. Was the start of a healing journey.

05/09/2026

The new "underpainting" stage for a paintover of a textured abstract. Used modelling paste mixed with dark violet-brown pigments. Colours from the previous painting peek through.

Need to let it cure for a few days before I paint over with acrylics. May use more texture compound in places after I suggest more some bark shapes.

I show the "ugly stage", as it's part of the process. I am aiming for an abtracted tree bark effect. My reference pics are phone pics I took of local pine tree trunks. Not copying exactly but using them as inspiration.

I like abstracts, as they can be an opportunity to experiment and explore. I approach each painting in a different way, with a custom palette.

04/09/2026

Started a textured paint over. This is a new "underpainting" stage.

Inspiration is some phone pics I took of tree trunks of local pine trees.

Not trying to copy the reference pics exactly. More aiming to capture the feel plus an idea I have.

When I want heavy texture with acrylics, I use modelling paste aka modelling compound. It can be mixed with paint or used by itself. When dry, can be painted over.

I decided to mix in dark violet brown pigments. So that it's still pretty dark as my starting point. Some previous texture & colours poke through.

Wil let dry & cure for a few days before paint over with acrylics.

I used a disposable bamboo plate for this step. Alternatively, firm cardboard can work.

Used a painting knife which some people call a palette knife.

Used a textured brush.

02/09/2026

Recorded doing my makeup and hair, getting ready for my part-time job. Hair took about a minute.

Chatted about my interest in colour. Colour theory in painting and makeup is the same.

My name is Xanthe. I am approaching my mid-50s.In this video, I d...

01/09/2026

"Rich" colours have subjective interpretation.

My take is they are complex and saturated colours. Usually deep to dark in value. Often with earthy red and/or dark brown mixed in.

Light, pastel, very muted towards grey, very bright colours are not rich colours. Either too much white and/or lacking complexity.

In painting, using earthy reds can add richness. Also, using transparent glazes to remove chalkiness.

29/08/2026

Have been finding varnishing these smooth paintings on cradled panel to be a nightmare. The brush left streaks.

Another artist suggested wet & dry sandpaper & varnish again. Other artists said the brush was the reason for the streaks.

I generally don't have this issue with paintings on canvas, which has a texture.

The finest sandpaper I could find was from an automobile shop. I chose "microfine" which was rated for polishing.

I cut the larger sheets down to fit a sanding block. Sprayed the sandpaper and painting with water. Lightly sanded in horizontal & vertical directions. Dried off with a microfibre cloth.

Aim was to smooth the texture from the brushmarks without lifting the painting.

Need to retouch some tiny spots around the edge of one painting.

Then, revarnish, after completely dry. I am using gloss finish which can be trickier than my usual satin.

Have invested in a varnishing brush. Brushes which are too soft or too firm don't work so well.

Original paintings on cradled panel, which is great for details but quite fragile.