Unexpected Paper Towel Art

You never know what will happen when you pull out the paints.  The other day I grabbed some paints to use on a piece of cardboard I had prepped with gesso weeks earlier (lol!).  I used a paper towel to blot off the excess water I was spraying on the paint.  As I was blotting, folding, and blotting again I hadn't realized that something cool was happening.

When I was done I slowly unfolded the paper towel.  I was totally surprised to see the cool texture and images that showed up just from the excess paint!  I actually like the paper towel art rather than the cardboard piece I was working on!  

You just never know what can happen in the studio!

xo

Control . . . Getting Messy With Paint

"Control"

acrylics on 8x10 art board

Its strange to me the title that came to mind for this piece. It feels very out of control to me. I painted this late last night which I don't normally do. But hubby fell asleep early and I was restless. So I went into my studio. I grabbed some alizarin crimson, payne's gray, a brush, some paper towels and started smearing then wiping. I had no idea or plan for what I was doing. When I saw what looked like water on the bottom start to come out I worked on bringing that out. I used white gesso instead of white paint. For some reason I really like the chalkiness of the gesso.

The butterfly stamps were an after thought but I like how they look against the darkness of this piece. It felt good to not pay attention to the end result but get caught up in the process which doesn't happen too often for me. With all the anxiety I had at the beginning of this week I feel like maybe I worked some of it out!

Its cool how you never know what you will see . . . I see a little white angel in the top left just above the "L" in Control! Do you see it too?

Shooting Stars . . .

Shooting Stars

mixed media on 9x12 canvas board

While we were snowbound in a blizzard the past couple of days I did some painting. You may remember seeing the sketch of this girl that I shared in this blog post. I wasn't sure at the time if I wanted her gazing at the sun or moon. But the darker colors called to me and there you have it! In shading her face with my water soluble crayons I added a rose pink to the mix instead of only salmon and I like the tone it gives. I added some stamping along her top because I just love that stamp but didn't feel it would fit in the starry background.

I tried the molding paste again and originally was only going to add it to the moon but decided to use it everywhere except her face and hair. I wish I had the patience to wait for it to fully dry! For the stars I used a q-tip with some iridescent pearl and smeared it around.

For those of you in the northeast hope you are safe and the blizzard is over where you are!

Back to Some Face Painting . . .

Untitled

mixed media on 9x12 canvas board

I hope everyone had a great holiday! Ours was quiet with my husband and I spending the day home together. I made lasagna which is one of my favorites and ate way too many italian pastries from our local bakery! Right now we are watching the snow fall here in NY. There is a fire in the wood stove and the pug is sleeping in front of it. A nice place to be.

After so many abstracts I took some time the past couple of days to work on painting one of my recent sketches. You can see the original sketch HERE. Of course the painted face looks nothing like the sketch but here she is!

I had more fun with the background than the face. I used light molding paste for texture and used payne's gray with burnt sienna for the background. It was hard getting back to faces after loosening up with the abstract work!

I hope that wherever you are you are staying warm and enjoying the day!

Love is How . . . More Abstract Mixed Media!

Love is how . . .
abstract mixed media on 6x8" canvas board

This painting did not come out of me easily. Although I woke up yesterday with the vision for it in my head, knowing what photos I wanted to collage as well as the color palette I would use, to get it on canvas was quite another story! I used one of my photos with a heart in the sand. I used light molding paste along the edge and carved hearts into it. I laid down a first glaze of burnt sienna and then used payne's gray to make some shapes on top. I thought it looked awful but continued on to add my molding paste.

Then patience got the best of me and I couldn't wait for anything to dry! The more I tried to work additional layers onto the board the worse it got! And the more frustrated I became. It got to the point where I couldn't get anything to blend! After 2 hours of trying I finally walked away. I just couldn't get in the zone. I felt like I would never be able to paint the way I wanted to again. My mind was completely jumbled up.

Then after a few hours late at night I went back to it and tried again. And I was pleased to see that I could do it after all! And I continued with it until I felt it was finished.

The quote I used "Love it how you stay alive even after you are gone" is by Morrie Schwartz. It is one of my favorites.

And thanks to all of you for your great comments on my last post! I am excited to be trying out new things and your encouragement means so much!

My First Abstract Mixed Media Painting!

Love Me

abstract mixed media on 6"x8" canvas board

available on etsy

I started this piece last nite. As you know I have been dabbling in abstract paintings. I have been thinking about incorporating my photography into some abstract pieces. So that is what I did here. I used one of my favorite images and printed it out on regular printer paper to collage on to the canvas board. I used payne's gray, burnt sienna, titan buff and zinc white in various shades. There is some gel medium for texure and to help incorporate the photo into the background. I added the stamping at the end as I felt that there was just something missing. I think it helped the composition.

I am pleased with how it came out! And I felt a bit looser during the process! There is hope I may start using my left brain more after all!

If you are interested in abstract mixed media I learned some of these techniques from a great book I just started reading. Its called Creative Paint Workshop for Mixed Media Artists by Ann Baldwin. I am loving it! You can check out Ann's website to find out more about the book and her artwork HERE

Complimentary Colors . . . Abstract

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas paper

You made me so happy with all of your lovely comments on yesterday's post!! I am glad you like her! Big thanks to all of you!

Today I thought I would share an abstract I did last week. As I said when I posted my last abstract I tend to shy away from any bold colors. The color wheel scares me! lol And what is most difficult for me is choosing colors. So abstract painting which I want to learn how to improve with is really tough.

I chose complimentary colors to practice with for this painting. I used shades of orange and a light turquoise that I mixed with titanium white and phalto blue (gs). I had an easier time with blending on this one adding some titan buff to lighten areas in the orange and added some water to the bottom left corner blotting it off. (I am loving this effect!) At the end I added the blue to bubble wrap putting it on for texture. I have to say that my eyes do not like these colors together although they do make each other stand out! And again, the colors look bolder in person.

PS . . . I am hosting a giveaway on my life after cancer blog In My Life. I am giving away a signed copy of my memoir Breastless in the City to one lucky winner! You can check out the details HERE!

Your Light . . . New Painting

Your Light . . .

9x12 mixed media on canvas board

available on etsy

I finally had the chance yesterday to paint her! You can see the original sketch HERE. I used my new caran d'ache crayons and love them! Much creamier than the starter set I had been using. I used some molding paste for the angel wings and added a shimmery titan buff color to them.

I had fun creating her and hope to start on my other angel this week! She is the one with the heart tears. I am seeing lots of pinks and white for her. . .

Back To My Angels . . . New Painting

Thanks to all of you for your lovely comments on my last post! As an update I have decided to keep the hearts as is for now. After walking away for a bit that day I went back to it after a few hours and it popped out to me. I really liked all the colors and the hearts!

Here is a painting I did yesterday . . .

Look To The Other Side . . .There Is Hope

8x10 mixed media on canvas

You may recognize her from a sketch I previously posted (see that post here). I woke up yesterday morning earlier than usual and saw her in my head. The texture I would use, the color palette and rambled over the details until I couldn't go back to sleep. That has never happened before. It was like she was calling to me and telling me what she wanted!

I used molding paste for texture around the outside of the canvas board. Although I was leery about the dark colors and the black hair as they are new for me I tried to just go with it. And I am pleased with how it came out.

I find that I am having trouble getting a good shot of my paintings as far as lighting for the colors to show accurately. Are you photographing your art or scanning it?

Take Me Home . . . Something New I Tried

Take Me Home

8x10 mixed media on canvas board

I have to admit I almost didn't post her. She started out as a sketch and then I had to paint her. This is the first time I have tried one of my faces/figure onto a landscape background. I like how the background came out and am warming up to her slowly!

I am still finding my way. Trying to find my own style and what I like. It is hard when I try something new. That is when I can be most critical of my work. Have any of you felt that way when you go in a different direction for a piece of art?

Some Happy Little Flowers . . .

I am having fun painting faces right now but still enjoy my landscapes. So I thought I would share something cheery and bright on this Monday morning. At first I wasn't pleased with how it came out but after stepping away for a bit I realized that it makes me happy when I look at it. This was done on 9x12 canvas paper (which I have been using for practice) with acrylic. I did use red cadmium light as a base which helps add some color with all the green.

I have a hard time painting a scene off of the top of my head at times but this was one of them and I like how it came out. I did some more sketching over the weekend and hope to get painting later so I can share them with all of you!

Hope you all had a great weekend!

Dreaming And Some Birthday Love!!

First I want to take a moment to wish my new friend Silke Powers a very Happy Birthday!! She is the beautiful spirit who was the first to welcome me to this great creative blogland! I had been a stalker of her blog for a few weeks before I finally let her know I was there! During that time I was admiring her art and enjoying all of her posts! She was the one who inspired me to try painting my own faces!

There is a birthday party going on today in blogland for Silke. Find out more about it at her fabulous blog Metamorphosis (click here) and send her some birthday love if you haven't already!

For today's post I wanted to share my latest face painting "Dreaming".

This is mixed media on 8x10 canvas board. I have to say I had a little trouble with this one. I really wasn't sure where she was going but I really like how she turned out! I was trying to go for an image that would look as though she were by a window looking toward the stars . . .

Silke, I hope all your dreams come true!!

Landscape On a Red Canvas . . .

This is acrylic on 9x12 140lb canvas paper. I started with a red canvas....red cadmium light to be exact. I learned through a workshop I took recently that when you are painting landscape that has alot of green using a red canvas can give richness to the green as well as the other colors.

I really love how this came out. It is my first landscape on a red canvas. I think that all of the colors are more richer and look better with the red showing through them. And of course the key is to allow the red to show through. Sometimes when I paint I loose myself in what I am doing and forget about that! And with acrylic I need to be more aware because of the quick drying time so I don't loose the red!

Do you find that your background colors enhance the colors of your painting?