Perhaps something unexpected happens, and rather than react with dismay and a loud “Oh, no!” we can think, “Hmm, well that was a surprise. How can I incorporate that?”
An inadvertent drop of paint can become a whimsical image, or you can add more spatters for intentional interest. Thinking and reacting on-the-fly sometimes produces my favorite images. Not everything is under control, nor need it be.
I thought the ink I used to sketch our little backyard dragon was waterproof, so I was startled by the sudden smearing. I decided to go with the flow, as it were, and encourage the soft grays that the dampened lines produced, to suggest volume and shadow.
Cooperating with nature can be liberating as well as creative. I’m glad I didn’t give up on this image when it landed in the dirt fifteen feet below! I decided I loved the texture in the trees on the hill, so I went ahead and finished the image in my journal.