Ive been working on this canvas all day today and i think i've ruined it
heres the story lol
I found the picture of this lady and i really liked her face, i CANNOT draw so i thought i would try to do a mixed media canvas with her as the focal point
Wellllllllllll
I wish i had have taken more step by step photo's but ive been totally engrossed and then stressed and then calm and then stressed again, lol
This is the background i started with, using acrylic paints in Burnt Umber, Orange Yellow, Yellow Ochre and Titanium White, i used a credit card to apply the paint and after playing around with it for a while i was quite liking it, i've never used the card before and i did enjoy that.
So anyway then i went all day with playing around and ended up with this, but before this, i cut her face out , without her headdress, as i just liked her face, then i layed some netting over it and dry brushed her hair on through the netting, i was still liking it at that stage lol Then i started added words and writing and thats when it went haywire, so i ripped them all off and started again, also as i was already making some silk paper i thought for texture i would add that at the bottom while it was still wet and play around a bit, I got stressed again i almost painted right over her face but thought better of it so scrapped some of it off, i kinda like whats there now bit but i really dont know what to do with the rest, not sure i like the silk paper on there and i'm basically stuck, up on the right hand side it looks like some sort of lizard or worm ready to strike lol and yet its only paper !!
should i just forget about this and start a whole new one or does anyone think this is salvageable ????
Its night time here and i'm not good with night pics sorry
So i sat it on my knee to try to take the gleam out
I was really going for texture mainly and i'm dissapointed that i think i might have to toss it. Being a learner in mixed media is quite frustrating as everything i try to learn is on-line due to , work, family,location. I would really appreciate any help i can get and if i do have to let it go then i'll miss her face lol
Hi Karen,
ReplyDeleteI love the textures you have created, and I think she looks mysterious peeking through! Every painting is a learning process, a part of your expression , and important.
When adding layers of color, have you tried a soft baby wipe as a means of removing the excess you don't want , or to uncover a previous element such as an image that you want to show through? I just mention it because you said you had scrapped it off her face, and sometimes the baby wipes can lend a subtle blending hand .
She is beautiful.
Keep up the great work!
~Shari
I like the background and silk paper. I always paint with card or plastic, too. Could you paint over the lizardy paper part, Kaz? Or peel it off? Or how about cover it with a bit of cheesecloth or muslin either to get some more texture or just to paint over when it's dry? You could always make that part a kind of 'panel' if you want it to stay flat to add words to it.
ReplyDeleteSorry that's all I can come up with.
It's really hard for me to help without knowing what words you wanted to use. But I do know that at this point I usually start adding 3 dimensional objects to my work. I think for her hair I would ( and this is my style ) start adding jewels, flowers and anything else I fancied to her hair. I do think the bottom of the canvas is begging for some words though. Hope that helps some, waving hi from the rainy hills of North Carolina ♥
ReplyDeleteKaren - I think it looks OK. I think if the "worm" was painted more the colors of the background it wouldn't stand out so much. The face is definitely the focal point. Perhaps you need to think about what you wanted to say with this piece. Why did you like her face? Was it the expression? What did it mean to you? What would go with those feelings? I can see that the lower portion could be made to look like her body with the textured part being the fabric of a dress or some such. So if you chose perhaps a darker color and made shoulders and incorporated the silk paper into the body? The "worm" looks almost like a candle to me? What else do you see in it? Can you make it into something else that would fit with the "theme" of the piece? I hope that helps a little.
ReplyDeleteThankyou Thankyou Thankyou so much ladies, i'm emailing you all but just needed to say Thankyou here, Your all Fabulous :)
ReplyDeleteHi Karen, isn't that just soooo frustrating?! Been there, done that LOL! I have sat stuck over something more than once, trust me! I must say though, I actually like what you/ve done so far,I really like the distressed look the entire piece has. I browsed your blog and really love your artwork. I've just started my own mixed media blog so I am a newby. Since I am looking for loads of inspiration I became your follower. Would love it if you would pop over for a visit on my blog too. Here's the link: http://messymixedmediabyfrea.blogspot.nl/
ReplyDeleteHugs Frea
Thankyou so much Frea, your being way to kind but i really appreciate it :) im off to your blog now lol xoxo
ReplyDeleteKaren, I am learning mixed media as well! I actually think this is quite lovely and would not toss it. Even if you aren't keen on this piece, use it as inspiration! I always think of the saying that "there are no mistakes in art." Can't wait to see your next MM creation! Enjoy the week!
ReplyDeleteTerry thankyou so much, I am just looking at her everyday and i really do want to keep her going so i'll wait till the time is right and then work on her some more xoxo
DeleteStep one... never, never toss anything! Especially something with this much going for it. I agree that the face is a wonderful focal point, and the glorious textures too make this certainly worth persevering with. Even if you set it aside for several days, weeks or even months until you find the way back into it, there will come a time when you know what to do...
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you can do some knocking back with paint around the parts that trouble you - some gesso over the top should keep you your texture, but allow you to rethink colours, and it can certainly temper the "worm" that bothers you! But my main thing would be to give it time... sit with her, and how you feel about her, and let things change when they're ready to.
Alison x
Thankyou Alison, I really appreciate that. Im learning slowly that your right, there are no mistakes and i am my own worst enemy but i'm watching her closely and getting more ideas. When the time is right i'll continue and hopefully do her justice. xoxo
DeleteI agree with this info. Put it aside let it rest, and you too. Go back later and try some other ideas here. Gesso is a very good product for what you're trying to do.
DeleteThankyou so much Silkartist, im doing just that with her and I do love gesso :) xo
DeleteI totally get the frustration...work,kids,creating and having a life too! I think if you do what you do well first and then add to it from there...and understand that the mixed media side will just develop how it is meant to be for you, then some of the pressure will go. Don't rush the piece, sit on it for awhile, and just let it happen.
ReplyDeleteDot x
Thankyou so much Dot thats very sound advice and i will definitely do just that :)xo
ReplyDeleteHello Karen, it's Gilli here from Tasty Textiles, thanks for looking at my new blog and leaving a comment - I have my button up now. I think your piece has a lot of potential and I would add a small focal point to the left to balance the whole thing because the eye travels from the left to centre and down as if reading and then will go back to focus on the lovely face - I think I'd also add a very small feature of the complimentary colour to lift it, but I agree with the other comment - do not throw it out - take time ;-)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Gillian, focal points are the things im working on, or trying to lol im still holding on to her and getting closer to doing some more work, im hoping that eventually i'll be able to finish her off and be happy :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for adding your button to which I will now go and happily follow along with you xo