Letting it be more about the paint, less about the story as in illustration, is a liberating process. Trying to let the viewer's first visual hit be an interesting fusion of colour shape and texture that then gives way to the subject.  

I'm experimenting with gesso and hessian for added gnarliness and have even explored random shaped paintings ( you can paint any imaginative thing - why then confine it to a rectangle!?) and various forms of presentation.  

Water colour techniques have often been used in my acrylic paintings and now I'm leaning more seriously on the water colour medium itself. It's challenging and exciting - doors opening to reveal more doors...