Raw Motion: One-Layer Acrylic Painting in Real Time
There’s no sketch, no prep, and no polish here. Just me, a brush, and a race against time.
This piece was painted in a single sitting, what I call a “velocity pass.” It’s a single layer, wet into wet, driven by impulse rather than plan. The image that emerges isn’t fixed; it’s a moment in acceleration, a smear of instinct. I don’t paint objects; I paint the tension between motion and mass.
I’ve been switching from gouache to acrylics lately, trying to reclaim some of the physicality I had with oils, without the fumes or the endless cleanup. This piece was painted on a panel prepped with hot-pressed paper, glued down with matte gel, and left unvarnished so the brushstrokes stay raw and matte. (Though I did try a wax finish on a previous one - jury’s out.)
- All paints are Jackson’s Professional Acrylics—chosen because they get out of the way and let the colour scream.
- Teal Green – like industrial ocean light
- Yellow Ochre – scorched earth vibes
- Van Dyke Brown – the good kind of grime
