Three works, three techniques — how method determines a painting's energy

⏱️ 7 minute read

Sometimes I paint with control. Sometimes I consciously relinquish that control. And sometimes I work so fast that there's no room for doubt. The three works I completed last week are each the result of a different approach, and these differences, in particular, reveal something about how painting technique and energy are inextricably linked.

If you're looking for an original painting by a Dutch artist, all three works are available immediately. But first: the story behind the technique.

What exactly is painting technique?

Technique is more than a method. It's a way of thinking. Each painting technique places different demands on the artist and imbues the work with a different energy. An alla prima painting breathes speed and decisiveness. An acrylic pour breathes surrender and chance. A work with texture paste breathes patience and layering.

That energy is visible in the final result, even if you don't know the technique itself. You feel it in the brushstroke, in the surface, in the way the paint behaves on the canvas. That's why technique is never separate from expression: it is the language through which a painting speaks.

Planum in Spatio — when gravity paints

Acrylic pour | 58 x 78 cm | navy, dusty rose, burgundy, crème

With Planum in Spatio, my role was that of a director, not an executor. I chose the colors, determined the proportions, and set the canvas in motion. But it was gravity that created the composition.

What is acrylic pouring?

Acrylic pouring is a painting technique where you pour and tilt fluid acrylic paint over the canvas. The paint flows, mixes, and solidifies in places you can never fully predict. By varying the paint's viscosity and combining different colors, organic patterns emerge that you could never replicate with a brush.

The technique has roots in abstract expressionism, particularly in the work of artists like Helen Frankenthaler, who began pouring thinned paint onto unprimed canvas in the 1950s. What made her work revolutionary was precisely that: the willingness to let go of control and let the material take its own course.

The crème block that appears as a focal point in Planum in Spatio did not arise from a conscious brushstroke. It formed as I rotated the canvas. That moment, when you see the work making itself, is precisely why I continue to explore this technique.

More abstract original paintings can be found in the Abstract. | Original collection.

The Hills that Witnessed — alla prima, one session

Oil paint | 24 x 30 cm | figurative, expressive

The Hills that Witnessed is the opposite of letting go of control. It is control under time pressure.

What is alla prima painting?

Alla prima is an Italian term that literally means 'at the first attempt'. The technique involves completing a painting in one session, while the paint is still wet. There is no time to wait, correct, or restart. Every stroke counts and every decision is final.

The technique dates back to the Flemish masters of the seventeenth century. Painters like Frans Hals used alla prima to create portraits that exuded a vibrancy and spontaneity never achieved with layered work. Later, the Impressionists made it their trademark: Monet, Renoir, and Sargent painted outdoors, quickly, in one breath, to capture light and atmosphere before they changed.

With oil paint, alla prima has a special characteristic: the paint remains workable for hours. This means that colors can blend into each other, that you can soften edges, and that the work acquires a fluid, organic quality that acrylic does not have.

More figurative original paintings can be found in the Figurative. | Original collection.

Neon Tide — texture as language

Acrylic paint + texture paste | 20 x 20 cm | seascape, expressive

With Neon Tide, the question wasn't how I wanted to paint the sea, but what I wanted to feel while doing it.

What is texture paste and why do I use it?

Texture paste is a thick, paste-like substance that you add to acrylic paint or apply separately to create relief. It dries hard and holds its shape, allowing you to create a painting that is not only visual but also tactile. You can smooth it, texture it with a spatula, or draw patterns into it.

In abstract and expressive painting, texture paste is used to give a work a physical presence. A painting with relief reacts differently to light than a smooth surface: shadows shift with the light, the work changes throughout the day. This makes it alive in a way that a print can never match.

The neon yellow sky in Neon Tide is not a realistic choice. It is an emotional choice. Storms don't feel gray, they feel electric. The texture paste I used for the frame gives the work a physical presence that you can only half see in a photo. The surface has relief, weight, resistance.

Three techniques, one signature style

What strikes me when I see the three works side by side: they are completely different in approach, yet recognizably mine. The color choices, the energy, the willingness to let something unexpected happen.

Technique is not an end in itself. It is a means to say something you otherwise couldn't. Planum in Spatio says: let go. The Hills that Witnessed says: be present. Neon Tide says: feel it.

These are three different messages. But they all come from the same place.

If you want to buy an original painting by a Dutch artist, I invite you to look further. In the abstract collection, you will find works that play with color, composition, and chance. In the figurative collection, you will find works that start from the human figure and expressive landscapes. All works are unique, signed, and shipped worldwide.

Frequently asked questions

Are these works unique?
Yes. All three are original, hand-painted works. There is no second copy.

What is the difference between acrylic pouring, alla prima, and texture paste?
Acrylic pouring uses fluid paint and gravity, alla prima is painting in one wet session, and texture paste adds physical relief to the surface. Each technique gives the work a different energy and a different way of looking.

Can I reserve a work?
Please contact me via the product page or send a message. I'm happy to help.

Do you ship worldwide?
Yes, I ship worldwide. All works are carefully packaged and sent insured.

What is the difference between an original painting and a print?
An original is the unique, hand-painted work. A print is a high-quality reproduction on paper. Both are signed, but an original has texture, depth, and a physical presence that a print cannot replicate.

Where can I view more original paintings by KOJO Art?
View the Abstract. | Original collection and the Figurative. | Original collection for the full range.

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