Letting Go of Control with a Palette Knife Exercise. This was a small, wild palette knife painting — not my normal way of working, but a fun and freeing adventure. We taped off a page into small sections, about 2 x 3 inches each. Using a palette knife with oil paint, we dragged paint across, through, up, and down the surface. No planning. No fixing. No control. And that was the point. © Laurie Pace Graphics One Design 2026 Texture Oil Exercise It was surprisingly freeing because the brain simply cannot take over in this kind of exercise. There is no time to think — only to respond. I can’t imagine doing this on a large canvas and feeling as loose as I did working small. This is also a wonderful exercise in color choice. Mine weren’t the best, but for a first attempt, I now understand the importance of pre-thinking color relationships before beginning. What does this teach us in the studio? Not to try to control everything. I have a lot pulsing through my th...
MR MAN Cartoon Painting with Melissa Cootsana by Laurie Pace The Man that entered back here in 2026. Several years ago, in the summer of 2022, I took a workshop with Melinda Cootsona. We were all seasoned painters — artists with years (and in my case decades) of experience. Melinda’s gift was not just teaching technique so much as encouraging us to push past habit. She asked us to loosen control, take risks, and wander into unfamiliar territory. Magic appeared in unexpected ways. © Laurie Pace Graphics One Design 2026 At one point she asked us to explore cartoon-like characters. That word — cartoon — did not sit comfortably with me. I was trained as a fashion illustrator. My work has always leaned toward structure, refinement, and intention. “Cartoon” felt foreign, almost dismissive of the language I knew so well. I tried once. I failed. Then I tried again — and Mr. Man appeared. He arrived without a plan. I wa...