Both canvasses have been turned up side down. While I previously started the underpaintings differently, the paint texture and imagery that developed through pouring paint and drawing into it with an oil paint stick demanded re appraisal. Frottage beneath looked too much and unfocused but additional paint and colour made me re think aspects of the intended topic. Both were in the direction of listing soil types but too general and a bit waffly all over the place.

The first image became about the journey of red soil through the dunes and the second became about the desiccated remnant Lake edge sand and clay from which constituted part of the dunes and Lunette.http://www.facebook.com/elainedesterreart/

When I reviewed the previous stage I felt that the composition required more focus, energy and contrast before I added more colour. The direction of an elliptical line referring to the remnant Lake, drawn with an oil stick, gives the composition a dynamic element and energy. More tonal contrast also became an area of focus – focal point.

I wanted to suggest path of water through this Lunette landform. However the white gash at the top of the image is a little too overpowering so in the next paint layer I think pouring colour and tone paint consistencies over this area will bleed and coalesce into random texture. But first the layer beneath needs to dry.

Top section of the composition was top heavy and needed some reduction and veiling. I mixed a grey with added red green and ultramarine in very small quantities making an earth -grey that I overpainted sides and top third of the composition obscuring shapes beneath.

Later when paint dries thoroughly I plan to swipe paint on a rag across raised areas exposing faintly raised parts of shapes beneath.

At this stage too the circular shape seemed to fight for attention so I painted it over with the grey shape that leaves exposed the main part of the painting and then with a soft rag whipped back some paint leaving part of the circle showing through faintly. Also left exposed is a triangle shape reminiscent of a Mungo dune beneath which is my handwriting left uncovered through masking out noting time and place of making this frottage remnant. A few more layers needed yet. Do I see a strange creature emerging?