Treasured Miniatures
Who hasn’t felt hesitant to throw away unused paint or wondered what to do with all the left over paint on one’s palette at the end of a painting session? Good quality paint whether oil or acrylic is, after all, expensive. We know all too well how quickly the cost of art supplies can add up. Perhaps out of a practical sense of economy, you have even at times hesitated to use much paint.
The following suggestion can both be fun and productive. When possible, have a few very small canvasses handy such as 8”x8” squares. At the end of a painting session, why not paint a miniature with whatever paint left on your palette? For me it is like playtime at the end of a labor intensive endeavor.
Perhaps as a reward for the entire effort one has just done by working with focus and intent, painting a miniature for the sole pleasure of painting can result in some great surprises. Spontaneous painting without the censorship of either our intellect or expectations can be extremely liberating. By spontaneous, however, I do not mean to imply painted with haste. While I might spend less than 10 minutes at the time on a miniature, I often let it sit and finish it over several sessions thus letting the painting emerge through many transformations. As one phase leads to another, in the end, it becomes more and more about the process of discovery and that can be a tremendous learning experience. I have found this to be far more exciting than painstakingly saving left over paint in some small plastic containers which really only adds to more left over paint!