Constantly experimenting with new materials and painting techniques, Thomkins developed his "lackskin" (paint skin) technique in 1955. To create this psychedelic imagery he poured enamel paint into a tub of water; given its chemical properties, the paint pooled on the surface. The artist composed the biomorphic images and color effects by blowing on the surface of the liquid and cutting pieces of thread through it. Paper, placed directly onto the water's surface, pulled off the paint to make the final image.
Compass in Hand: Selections from The Judith Rothschild Foundation Contemporary Drawings Collection, April 22, 2009–January 4, 2010.
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