I didn't have the birch wood panels Elizabeth uses, so I used an 11" x 14" piece of Fredrix Watercolor Canvas Board - it has a hardboard core so it's rigid enough to push the "glue" into the paper to get it to stick.
So I started with that, drew my image, then used Da Vinci fluid acrylics to paint the scene - I should have painted it looser but it's fine (going to be almost completely covered when I finish, anyway).
I didn't want the background "sky" to be too busy so used this single sheet of artisan paper I've had a long time. It has inclusions of little green weeds and rose/violet flowers that I think work well. Looks like spring to me.
I've collaged the sky and most of the background hills/grass. Elizabeth says to start collaging the background, then finish with your foreground subject. I tore each strip/piece of the paper so no hard edges but I see a few that need to be covered over to soften them.
Haven't touched the post or the crow yet - that's just fluid acrylic paint so far. So I have work to do to finish it and I want to include some words, perhaps in his legs or feathers. I'm liking the way it looks so far...and there is something meditative about this process. I thought I would get impatient and restless with the process, tearing the paper and gluing each bit here and there, overlapping, etc. - but it calmed me down and took me into a nice place where I enjoyed it very much. (And to think I kept putting this off, making excuses because I didn't have the exact acrylic gloss medium to use as glue, didn't have the birch panels, etc.!) Thanks, Elizabeth, for being so open and sharing with your technique!! I'm already thinking about painting some of my own papers for next time :)
13 comments:
I will be waiting to see your next post on this collage painting. Always curious to see what you design.
Looking good, Rhonda! The texture is great - the crow looks good considering he isn't even finished.
I like what you've done so far, Rhonda. I love Elizabeth's work, and have perused her blog several times. I find collage very relaxing too.
Ann, the trick will be for me to be patient enough to tear those papers in the shape of the crow, creating feather, etc.
Barb, thanks - I liked it too so far and was surprised!
Michelle, yes, here DVD is great - tells you all the steps and you get to see a lot of her work. I've never found collage that relaxing but this time it was.
Woo Hoo! I'm with Ann, where will you go next?
Also, congrats Sunshine :)
Thanks, Pam :) I'll get back to this after the big Science Fair today - my hubby runs it and I am him assistant for the morning.
Can't wait to see your next steps on this one Rhonda, BTW how do you like working with the medium? is it hard to stick so many pieces of paper overlapping each other? do they move around?
Teresa, it's easy! Using the Liquitex Acrylic Gloss Medium as glue, it just works well - I did have a time peeling the dried medium off my fingertips, though - may have to wear latex gloves next time (or buy a good brush for my fingernails).
nice Rhonda. It says spring. Maybe one day here. And winter starts in 5 more months.[in Wyoming]
Gary, what do you mean winter starts??? You mean you haven't had winter or you are having your 1 month of spring followed by one month of summer right now and winter is just around the corner??! ha ha Not sure I could take that weather in Big Sky Country.
Rhonda, you are making excellent progress! YES it is a meditative process, I LOVE collaging in my studio and listening to jazz and just getting into the zone. Love it. I am glad you finally started. And too funny, crow is on my list of things to do, actually a raven, at the request of a friend probably two years ago. I procrastinate too! your background comes first so that the edges of your subject overlap the background and this helps to make it come forward. So far so good, I'd try varying the greens you are using on the bottom, don't use just one paper, the texture and variety of multiple papers is what makes it "painterly"
Thank you all for so many positive compliments on my DVD! I am glad that you find it helpful in starting you on your collage journey.
As for the wood Rhonda, lately I've been using American Easel Wood Painting Panels available at DickBlick.com, they are very reasonable, pre sanded and boxed out like a gallery wrapped canvas.
I'm interested to see how you treat the crow. try incorporating a lot of dark blue, purple, and colors, very hard to achieve detail with just black. and remember you are the artist, you may add as much color as you like, your interpretation of reality is going to be much more interesting that the straight forward black of the crow.
Very nice, I like this a lot! Looking forward to seeing your finished piece!
Thanks so much for your comments, Elizabeth! I know I won't have anything as nice as your work - afterall, this is my first try :) - but I'm pleased with how this is working and you're right about that green. I have to make myself look closely at values and think about that before thinking color here :)
Glad you enjoyed getting the Sunshine Award - even in the Sunshine State, you can use more sun :)
Thanks, Sandy! I like your collage/mixed media work a lot!!
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