This portrait of a manzanita in an exploration in the use of thick paint. It seems counterintuitive, but the thicker the paint, the easier it is to adjust the shapes and edges in the painting. It takes a light touch, painting not with the brush, but with the glob of paint on the end of the brush. I usually shift from brushes to palette knives as the painting progresses. I like the directness and purity of color that the knives give me, in addition to making clean up a whole lot easier.