Initial layers of acrylic.

I have found that the encre de chine is not actually water proof so as I try to paint in where the chinese lanters will be going the black ink mixed in with the white paint. Hopefully this will stop happening once I build up a few layers of paint.
I like the direction this is going so far. I just wish I knew how to make the colors of buildings with yellow street lights shining on them at night. The contradictions of light shining on dark. All of this is still very loose as I paint it. Finding the right colors for now to come back later and bring the detail back/add more.

Taking breaks I took out my tarot deck to show it to Inga. I deal us both a couple of hands. Past, present, future.
I think the first card I drew for my future was perfect to explain the fears and anxieties surounding my future of returning to the states.
It was one of the darker cards in the deck that doesn't come up too often. Not shades of gold like the others, but black and blue. The image was of a hand coming out of something abstract and reaching for the earth, but the only area of the earth that can be made out is Europe. This place is going to be hard to leave. It will be nice to return to family and friends and have some kind of notion of being able to prepare for a future and know that I won't have to leave everything behind by a certain date.
Both of our two hands each ended with the futures seeming somewhat dark. Perhaps it was just the theme for the night.

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