If you haven’t read yesterday’s post, check that first or this won’t make sense.

So I realized the big canvas was really too big for me right now, but I was bound and determined to get something on the wall for my party on Friday. So I went down to the smaller size, which still felt quite big as I was pouring it.

The first thing I discovered was that I absolutely hate the new white paint I bought. When I poured it, the whole surface was covered with tiny lumps. At first I thought they were air bubbles, which are easily fixed with heat, but the hair dryer didn’t help and that’s when I realized they were wee lumps — gazillions of them! By this time I had all the colours mixed, so I decided to go ahead anyway. The pour turned out not bad — not great, but acceptable — but these lumps wouldn’t budge. I poked a finger into one of them and managed to lift it out, but it left a dent. Hmmmm, what if I made dents all over? Would they disguise the bumps? Nothing to lose, so that’s what I did. Weird effect and it definitely is not a permanent part of my decor, but it saved the day. Here it is.

But I didn’t want to let go of the big canvas, so first thing this morning I spread it out on the kitchen counter. I had an idea of what I thought could work, so I mixed all the paint and did all the faffing about you have to do, and eventually I was ready. I poured. OMG, what a disaster. Made it worse than before. The paint was so thick it would hardly move on the canvas — even though it seemed fine in the cup. I usually paint over my failures, but I felt there was too much on this canvas already and I just couldn’t handle trying again. So I attacked it with a box cutter, cut out the canvas, rolled it up and pitched it in the garbage!

Next thing: hang the picture, as well as my Rabbie Burns plate. I went into the art supply store downstairs and, not knowing the word for a picture hook, explained what it was for. He didn’t get it, and eventually he gave up and said he didn’t have any. I went to the hardware store, and here is a translation of the conversation:

Me: I’m looking for some of those little things you use to hang pictures.

Him: What things?

Me (miming): You know, to hang pictures on the wall.

Him: You want a picture frame?

Me: No, just something to hang a picture.

Him: Ah, you mean a canvas!

Me: No. I have a canvas. I have painted a picture on the canvas. Now I want to hang it on the wall. What do you use to hang pictures on the wall?

Him: Nails.

Ah well then, why didn’t I think of that? They sell the nails individually here, so I bought a dozen and now the first picture is hung. Don’t laugh, but here it is! I know, I know, it’s way too small for the space, but hey — as we say in Scotland (I translate) “If you take what you have you never want.” When I got the nails in, the picture wasn’t in the middle over the couch. I was hyperventilating at the thought of messing with those nails all afternoon, so I just moved the couch to fit under the picture! (I think I still have to move it a couple of inches.)

Anyway, lesson learned. I’m now going to go out and buy a whole lot of small canvases and do what I did in Toronto when I started pouring. I’ll experiment with all the different materials and make notes of the results until I get what I want. And then maybe I’ll try the big canvas again.

Maybe.

Maybe I’ll buy a wall hanging.