Yesterday was the first day of my art sabbatical. I was happy at the end of the day with what I had learned – lots of exploring – and layers on layers! One of the items I played with was powdered charcoal. It can be used to give a more organic looking texture than, for example, spattered paint. This is the method: paint some clear matte medium onto the paint surface wherever I wanted black dots. Pinch some charcoal powder between my fingers, and sprinkle it over the desired area. It doesn’t matter if it lands on areas you don’t want it. Simply wait until the matte medium is thoroughly dried, then take a damp cloth and gently wipe away any excess charcoal. A final coat of acrylic varnish locks everything in. You can get the feeling of it from the detail image posted here. Not ready to show you the whole painting yet – perhaps in a few days.