On a smaller canvas I kept applying layers of white paint and then trying to chip it off. As I applied layers of watercolour on top the white paint would soften, meaning I could move the paint around and chip away at it.
With this painting I had painted a bright colourful painting underneath, I wanted to keep elements of this. I firstly applied a few layers of white wall paint, the first layer I simply chucked on and went over with a a roller, the following layer I poured on heavy and moved around the paint with my feet.
Finally after the white paint dried I simply threw on a cup of dirty water, I smudged around with my hands and left to dry. Below was the final outcome.
After smudging, throwing and getting messy I hoped that it would dry a paler grey so it would look similar to concrete or a wall.
I wanted to use old already used canvas’ so that what was underneath determined what I did. I wanted something that held history and already had a story.
I painted this canvas white, leaving areas of the old painting behind in sections. I then began applying layers and layers of coffee, I also used yellow ochre and blue watercolours and allowed them to fall down the canvas. This canvas I left like this, it showed for me sadness and the idea of using something old and worn. The back of the canvas was a flowery fabric as well which I wanted to show in my final piece.
I also tried experimenting with trying to create my work more abstract by using the oil paints in my favour, I tried painting and then experimenting with dripping, pouring and painting on white spirit.
I then wanted to try and combine everything I had found out onto a large scale. The image below is of an old canvas I had found that I began to work on. I actually really enjoyed working on a canvas that had already been worked on, it determined what i did next. 
For me this canvas was one of my favourites, it allowed me to play around with materials and allowed me to express my emotions on a large more impacting scale.
I began painting really loose abstract flowers with watercolours (similar consistency to thinned oil paints).
After exploring different abstract routes for painting flowers and using different materials such as salt and tissue paper to alter them slightly, I began to wonder where this could take me.
I tried painting on different materials, here I have painted on white icing as I thought it would be unusual to paint on. I also tried painting on toast, although that did not work out due to the watercolour would not stick to the toast.
I also explored painting on used or damaged surfaces such as these receipts which for me worked better as they came with a history.
The more flowers I placed on the photocopier the more interesting the images became, I found the best way was to have two people moving a bunch of flowers at the same time. I then began to paint these images in more detail on a canvas.
This painting fully showed the distortion I had captured with the photocopier, it appears so unusual yet recognisable. However, it was rather dull and lacked in luminosity, I wanted to carry on exploring with oil paints to try an get that luminous glossy finish to my work.
Emily Bunker 