HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!

THE CLAN #2 STAGE 1

THE CLAN #2 STAGE 2

THE CLAN #2 STAGE 3

This is the start of my new series.  I am calling it "The Clan" because the faces belong to my husband and three sons.  I am going to number this painting "2" because I like the first painting to be a fairly representational example from my source material.  I will start on that one tomorrow.  In the meantime, I had this idea in my head and wanted to get it going.  

This is a very exciting part of the country to live in when Chinese New Year is being celebrated.  We have the good fortune to have one of the most authentic Chinese restaurants in the entire Bay Area right in our little town.  The food is wonderful and they treat us with love and share their culture with us.  Monday was the beginning of the Year of the Dragon!  So, this is my version of a Chinese painting.  I went to the restaurant and picked up some free newspapers to collage into the background.  I was disappointed that there were no dragon images but lots of great calligraphy.  Red is for good luck and prosperity.  I put two coats of gloss medium over the painted collage for a lacquered effect.  When all was dry, I took my large chinese brush loaded with ink and attempted to draw the faces in a calligraphic style.  I wanted them to reference Chinese language characters.  I took a course in Chinese Brush Painting in college, so I know the general idea of manipulating the brush.  Like many of my ideas, it looked better in my "mind's eye" but it was fun to do.
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