First experiments on perspex

I got some scrap pieces of Perspex from the woodwork shop to practise painting on. I think I like the idea of painting on Perspex in reverse more than actually doing it. I really admire the work Richard Rowan creates and the level of discipline his technique requires. Painting in reverse is not a natural way to build an image. Normally you would paint the background first and add the details last, but when working on Perspex or glass in reverse, you have to begin with the fine detail. This means you have to think carefully about placement, layering and order before you even begin. It requires organisation and planning.

With my abstract painting, I have been trying to become more free and expressive with my mark making, which feels completely opposite to the control needed for reverse painting. I do like what I created today though. Listening to the Avatar soundtrack influenced the colour palette I chose and guided the mood of the piece.

I have realised that I do not naturally enjoy painting on a very smooth surface like Perspex. I much prefer something with texture, like paper, where the material grips the paint. However, this way of working is still new to me, so I am not going to stop here. I want to give it a few more attempts before forming a final opinion.

What I am really interested in exploring further is how to create negative space, similar to the wax crayon and watercolour resist technique I used previously. I am not yet sure how I will achieve this effect on Perspex, but that uncertainty feels like part of the experimentation.