All of the leftovers and palette gremlins are really just modified abstract paintings; sometimes I’m content to leave them in a fairly raw state without adding any more than is needed to convey the essence of what I’m seeing in the original shape.

Applying black gesso to a panel with a 3” Chinese bristle brush, I made a mark on a piece of palette paper to check the flow of the paint. It suggested a head of hair to me so I used the bristles on the very end of the brush to swipe in an eye, nose and mouth, making it into a profile. Before the paint could dry, I dabbed at the puddle with a paper towel held in my left hand, to lend the image a little more textural interest.