I Say Tom-a-to, You Say Tom-AH-to / I Say Im-pas-to, You Say Im-PAH-sto

Or maybe not.  Maybe we all just say Im-pas-to.  I think so. All I know is that I want to use it.  So - what is Impasto?  According to the website http://emptyeasel.com/

 Impasto is an art term used to describe thickly textured paint that is almost three-dimensional in appearance.

Right, it all makes sense.   And so on I continued, reading and reading and reading  various websites and 'info' sites about this medium.  I was so excited to think of all the fun(!) I was going to have that I went out and bought an $11.95 tub of the stuff.

It seemed like fun, that is, until I started to reading about the 'dark side' of using impasto.  Numerous people were writing about the impasto cracking, the canvas sagging or the product simply not drying at all. What?  Problems?

It seemed the biggest issues included applying the impasto on a support (that would be canvas) that was not sufficiently stretched, causing the paint to make the fabric essentially sag over time; applying the impasto so thickly that it just didn't want to dry; or applying the impasto in a hot temperature, where the surface dries a lot faster than the lower layers.  I'm sure there were more, but at that point my brain started to fry.  I mean, this is meant to be fun and free, not a thesis on the merits of using a particular product!

Right.  Let's do a break down of my earlier intentions for using impasto in this latest masterpiece:

Kate's Initial Impasto Intentions Checklist (AKA I-I-I - (it is afterall, all about me!))

1. Brush:  The biggest, thickest, chunkiest brush I can find, so I could layer that gooey stuff on reeeeallly thickly. 
2. Temperature: A quick check of the Bureau of Meteorology indicated that today's temperature was around 29C.
3. Support:  A canvas.  Stretched?  What on earth is that?!

Conclusion: 

Botheration. [Botheration = The sudden and powerful emotive manifestation of bother and irritation combining to want to cause Kate's head to explode with angst.]

So, what am I going to do? Panic!  I've already started painting on the canvas so I can't stop now. I could just leave the impasto.  However, I really, really, really want to try out this Impasto stuff.  I spent $11.95 on the jar and I can't handle the thought that I'm not going to need it.  It must be needed. This is a DiSastTeR! 

Calm down Kate.

Right....

Deep breath in..... Deep breath out.....

Thinking...

Contemplating...

Thinking...

A-HA!  Solution:  I shall apply the impasto.  I just shall ensure I will not apply it thickly.  I shall do a 'hint' of texture, rather than the bold use of the product.  I shall save boldness for another day.

As such: Today featured work on the centre of the sunflowers, featuring a gentle, guaranteed not to crack the canvas application of Impasto.  Yes, as you gag and reach for the sick bag, I know what it looks like.   And so I am going to implore you to try and look past 'that' and notice the circular pattern and the possibilities -  not the colour or texture. I promise that by the next time I post, the situation will be under a little more control.