Neuro sun #3

Hot on the heels of the previous neuro sun, this is the last of the three pieces of neurographic art I made to try out the technique. Like the last one, this is also painted over a gold gesso base. I started the same way as usual, scribbling some curving lines across the gessoed paper with a pencil.

Then — breaking the rules — rather than first refining the lines and carefully colouring in the blocks, I quickly painted a gradient. The paints were translucent enough that the pencilled curves were still visible and I could easily see the outline of the circle and use that to paint in the golden sun. Once everything was dry, I went over the lines with a Posca pen, rounding the intersections as usual. It was an interesting experiment: it almost looks like the swirling lines are in the process of coalescing around the sun.

When I came to photograph this a few weeks later, I was surprised to see that the Posca lines had developed a crackle effect. It didn’t happen on the previous ones so I can only assume it’s because the lines are drawn over the top of the acrylic paint rather than direct on the paper or gesso, but it’s all acrylic paint so…? As it happens, I quite like the effect and it’s not flaking off, so I’m still happy with it.