Gouache on paper

 First paintings from the Botanical gardens in Edinburgh. Stencils taken from post-it drawings.

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.