My figurative work has become more abstract and obscurred the more I do of them. I like to leave room for the viewers imagination as well as my own. I tend not to get tired of these suggestive pieces as easily.
I use water colour, wet into wet, on 140# ARCHES for soft edged and moody pieces. You usually have one chance at doing these - there's no going back into the work to touch it up. Oil or acrylic on gesso'd paper produce sumptuous and pliable surfaces that can be worked a bit longer.