I prefer to applique, so it may be a little bit prejudicial to promote it. Still there are wonderful products out there for painting on your quilt blocks. They also have permanent marking pens designed for enhancing and creating on your blocks as well. I have used them and like them. Though most I know have used them only on their quilt labels, I have seen them used to enhance objects in blocks and on the quilt as a whole...especially landscape quilts. Check your local quilt shop for anyone there who may have used them, or search the web....HGTV had a show on Simply Quilts that worked with the paints and the markers each. Good luck! Whatever you decide I am sure it will be a work of art. :D