Lost Edges of Line Work

I so love to paint casual.  It has been a real journey for me to make my brush casual after being a Rosemaler and stroke artist for over 20 years.  Looking at new ways of doing things and breaking some habits just takes time and patience.   This is a set photo from our new Rosemaling Inspired books.  Here I am decorating some of the areas with additional line work.  Since I am presenting the work so casually, I also need to do that to the line work as well or it will stand off the surface too much.  I will usually decorate  2 or 3 areas and then go back and wipe through those areas with my finger.  This keeps the line work from being too perfect when compared to the flowers.  I do this for scrolls, leaves, roses to give more lost edges.  In the 1980’s I so love the perfect mechanical edges of a scroll.  Over time, I have grown to love the casual nature.  History has shown the huge swings in design decoration.  The casual free flowing nature of Louis XVI painting lead the way to the structure of the Empire design period, which lead to the very causal impressionist.  It seems this is the natural progression of the artist and arts.  We love to explore all looks and try new things.   I do!  🙂