Three Months. Five Mediums. One Working System.

How I Built a Neo-Futurist Art Workflow Without a Studio

For the past three months, I’ve been flat-out. Not in a “burnout” way - more like a full-throttle sprint through every material, technique, and surface I could get my hands on. I needed to rebuild my entire art process from scratch - without a studio, on a tight budget, working outdoors, and still producing professional work I could sell and exhibit.

Here’s what I figured out in 12 weeks that would normally take an artist years:

🧪 The Material Gauntlet

I tested five painting systems:

Oil Paint - beautiful but toxic without ventilation. Not viable indoors.

Water-Mixable Oils -less fumes, but still gave me headaches while drying.

Gouache - matte, portable, but chalky in the sun and too one-dimensional for my ambitions.

Acrylics - finally landed on a system with speed, layering power, and durability.

Acrylic + Custom Grounds -using absorbent grounds and pre-stretched paper panels, I recreated the depth of oils with the speed and safety of acrylic.

🔧 Surface Experiments

I experimented with:

Birchwood panels (they warped)

MDF (much better - stable even unsealed)

Pre-glued watercolor paper

Absorbent grounds on wood

And now? I’ve settled into a system of MDF panels with gesso or absorbent ground, ready for fast outdoor painting.

🧠 ADHD & Workflow Hacking

I was also navigating ADHD meds the whole time - building a schedule that worked with my brain. The result? I now walk daily to paint, prep panels in batches, and structure work in cycles that don’t burn me out.

🌐 Content, Saatchi, Website

In between? I rebuilt my website, uploaded to Saatchi Art, and started testing social content - including Pinterest Reels (which, oddly enough, are outperforming Instagram right now). Every post is now a field test in visibility.

🧨 The Payoff

This process has built me a mobile, professional, neurodivergent-compatible art practice. It’s not a temporary setup - it’s a long-term system that lets me:

Paint high-quality works outside

Sell originals and prints

Document the process for social and collectors

Avoid health issues from fumes and stress

📍TL;DR for Anyone Curious:

I’ve spent three months researching, testing, and system-building a portable professional art workflow. I’ve documented it online, updated my website, and developed a sustainable process for regular output. My practice is now built to last -and scale

Keywords: neo-futurist art, outdoor painting, acrylic painting techniques, artist workflow, portable art studio, MDF painting panels, absorbent grounds, neurodivergent artist, plein air painting system, professional art practice, art materials testing