When a Mixed-Media Piece Begins Without a Plan

Not every piece begins with intention in the usual sense. Work sometimes starts with just a surface and a handful of materials, without a fixed idea of where it will end. What follows is nevertheless not random. It is a process shaped by attention, where decisions are made in sequence rather than in advance.

Starting with the Surface

A canvas panel absorbs paint differently compared to a journal page. Meanwhile, cardstock resists saturation in ways that change how color settles. These characteristics influence the earliest layers before any composition is established. A thin wash of acrylic, a fragment of collage, or a field of repeated marks then gives the surface a sense of direction without defining it too tightly. At this stage, restraint matters, as surfaces that are overworked too early tend to close off possibilities.

MICHELLE WARD⎟ SOMERSET STUDIO SUMMER 2022

"Permission to play is something I try to regularly grant myself in the studio. It’s an indulgence, but I believe that making time for practice is an important part of moving forward. Creating without intention lets me experiment, try new techniques, and make discoveries about the process. Coming to the table with no deliberate plan is the essence of play. Less preparation matched with more impulse and abandon can yield unexpected delight." — Michelle Ward

Responding Instead of Predicting

Without a plan, each addition is a response to what is already present. Color relationships begin to form through adjacency rather than selection. Shapes appear because they balance or interrupt existing areas.

This approach depends on pacing. Allowing brief pauses between layers makes it easier to read the surface as a whole.

KAREN ARTHURS⎟ SOMERSET STUDIO SUMMER 2024

"I consider my process basically an intuitive, creative frenzy. I start with a photograph, but beyond that, I usually do not have a specific plan in mind. I need lots of inspiration to complete my pieces as a result. I do this by pulling out numerous items from my literal “treasure box” of ephemera. I have come to terms with the fact that I will inevitably find torn bits of paper or random flowers in places around my house for the duration of my creative project, but it is worth the chaos for the final product and the joy of creating." — Karen Arthurs

Establishing Direction

At some point, the work begins to suggest its own direction. A particular color may start to dominate. A shape may repeat enough times to feel intentional. An area may emerge as a focal point without being planned as one. This is often where direction solidifies. The work no longer feels open in every direction. Instead, it begins to narrow, asking for reinforcement rather than exploration.

Recognizing Completion

A piece that begins without a plan often reaches completion in a quiet way. There is no single moment of resolution. Instead, the surface begins to hold together. Layers relate to one another. Nothing feels out of place, even if not every area is fully defined. Stopping at this point preserves the clarity that has emerged.

FATMA TAZE⎟ SOMERSET STUDIO AUTUMN 2023

"I typically do not plan when I start on a page. I start by laying down some color and collage materials, and then I add the materials and magazine cutouts I find interesting. Most of the time, the process takes days for a single page. I work on multiple pages at the same time, and when I’m happy with a page, I count it as finished. I never really know what I will have as a final page, which I especially like about art journaling. You’re free to experiment with anything you want and change it as you wish." — Fatma Taze

 

Find more inspiration in our Somerset Studio magazine.