Which way is up?

A couple weeks ago I attended a five day portrait workshop with Janet Rogers. Actually, I attended about 5 half-days of the workshop because of some volunteer conflicts, but it was an amazing week. Janet paints in this wonderfully loose style and makes it look so easy.

She encouraged us to make puddles of color and play with them. Mix a little of this and a little of that...oops, flood in another color, throw in something else, use big brushes, set a timer and make yourself paint fast, don't get too detailed... Challenging and fun.

Today I tried to use all these painting 'skills' in a new way. To really get myself out of the need to 'paint a picture' I thought I would just play... I'm going abstract ... and, remembering what many of you said the last time I ventured in this direction, I'm posting what happened this afternoon. Hmmm, which way is up? How to crop?

Here goes... Which way is up?                           #1

#2

                                                                                #3

#4

Now there are so many other choices.  Do I crop it? What shape?

#5 - Horizontal rectangle? Remember it could also go in any direction...

#6 - Another horizonal...cropped a little differently.

#7 - A square? Which way up?

#8 - Vertical rectangle? Which way up?

#9 - Another vertical rectangle?

What a fun afternoon it has been. It really doesn't make any difference which direction or what shape it is...I had a great time.  (but I'd love to hear from you - what do you think?)