New groove and no boundaries

What with one thing and another, I haven't spent any proper time in the studio over the past month. Today I returned to a new idea I have been brewing for a while. Following on from the 'Man Made' composition for the RA Summer Exhibition, I thought I would continue the style with a portrait using bright colours rather than monochrome.
This is the result of this morning's efforts. A canvas 16 x 16 inches square.
All I have done is cover the canvas in paint to give me a base to work from. My idea is to have a girl embracing herself yet staring intently outward. A way to go yet, but I am pleased with some of the effects and can almost see where this one is going.

Getting paint down like this lets you see where you need to make changes. Much easier that trying to paint each little part exactly as you go along. It also allows for much free-er brush strokes and carte blanch (or in my case palette blanche) where colour is concerned.

Wherever possible, I prefer not to draw out my paintings beforehand. And this is an example. Drawing with paint from the inside out is something I learned a while back and, for me at least, allows much more freedom of expression than trying to 'paint within the lines'.