Making gouache paintings recently has been a good exercise before deciding to return to the older paintings in my studio. I have a number of works that I return to now and then. Some dating back 10 years, some part of a series that didn't fit or be resolved.  The relationship of older paintings with more recent works is a bit weird because the older ones are harder to figure out how they came to be put together.

Oil and gloss on canvas - work in progress

Going back to how I was making abstract paintings a few years ago, playing with the idea of flatness and depth,  the deliberate and accidental

Oil and gloss on canvas. 

As a student I would occasionally use gloss household paint, mainly influenced by the results of the paintings of Gary Hume. However rather than achieving those beautiful high sheen finishes i discovered it can also look rough and cheap, especially applying one coat on layered textured oil paint. I kind of liked that. 

This way up was the way I viewed the painting whilst working on it. Here is what it was before

This view seems to work better but the photo makes the top left hand charcoal rectangle seem lighter.