SOMETHING EXTRA!

50/50 #11

50/50 (11) COLLAGE BASE

The base for this drawing was created on deli paper with acrylics.  There is some gold metallic paint incorporated into the design.  It is always difficult to photograph metallic because of it's highly reflective surface.  

When I drew the face with ink, I didn't think I had enough contrast for the line to really show.  I decided to highlight with Gold (fine) fluid acrylic.  All of the deli papers needed the extra painting of the highlights. 

This was done a few days ago.  Today I created 12 collaged backgrounds. It was so much fun.  I always save the smallest scraps of painted collage paper.  Working this size, these little pieces add an interesting touch.  I loved making these little jewel of an abstract composition.  It helped knowing I was going to add an ink drawing on top.  Making a bunch at a time and having them each a different idea let me try out ideas as they came to me.  I have never worked in this manner before and it was exciting.  I have decided to complete all the backgrounds before I do any more ink drawings.  

The meeting last night was very interesting.  About half of the exhibitors were there and each brought examples of their 50/50 project.  We went around the room and each person talked about their ideas and how they were approaching them.   I am always so impressed by some of the things creative people  think about to express in paint and other art materials.  One is doing "Queen for a Day" (If you are not old enough to remember this, Google) Another is working with the spines of old books plus what was tucked inside the books.  This is going to be a fantastic show!

GUESS WHO!

50/50 #10

Well, I couldn't resist!  This was done on a deli paper covered with acrylic pattern that had gold and red

as the dominant hue.  I thought the line alone would get lost, so I added a light gold and white highlights with a little diluted ink for the shadows.   I have given more depth to subsequent images (which I will post in the coming days).  I was concerned that it wouldn't look right with the images done with just ink.  Fortunately, when intermingled with the others, they have a cohesive quality.  These do not have to be hung in order of completion.  If will be an interesting shuffling act when I am ready to put the entire 49 panels together. 

Tonight is a meeting of the artists that are participating in the 50/50 show.  I am looking forward to seeing what others are doing.  So far I have only seen my friend, Leslie Lambert's work.  Love what she is doing.  Can't wait to see some of the others.  I think it will be a violation to photograph tonight, so I will have to wait until the show opens to share images with all of you. 

 In the meantime, perhaps you might want to consider doing a series of small works, yourself.  It is presents some interesting problems to be solved.  Solving problems creates growth.

EIGHT!

50/50 8

I guess I forgot to photograph the background by itself.  The book will have the finished painting on the left and the description of the process on the right, so I guess it really doesn't matter.  I like the variety of the weight of the line with this one.  

AND ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST!

50/50 7

 

50/50 (7)

I can see it will be a challenge to come up with blog entry titles 50 different ways!    Here is the next one in the series.  I like how this turned out.  Since I am drawing directly with ink, there is no turning back, correcting mistakes or "do-overs".  They gave me two extra boards, so if I do have 2 do-over options.  I guess I could gesso over a disaster if it came to that.  So far I like some better than others but all are usable.    

GETTING AHEAD OF MYSELF SO EARLY IN THE GAME!

50/50 #6

50/50 (6)

Well, it turns out I miscounted and this is actually #6, the previous being number 5.  I know my math skills are under par but I was sure (up to this point) that I could count to 10 without any trouble.  Apparently, I was mistaken.  Actually, what happened is that the one I did fifth doesn't fit in stylistically with these, so I am renumbering them and confusing the hell out of myself.  It will all work out.  When they are all done, I just have to put my name and a date on the back.

I worked on three today and they are much more painterly with chiaroscuro.  I will decide later if I want to give that effect to all of them.  I just can't keep things simple.  I guess I find it boring to keep doing the same thing over and over exactly in the same way.  

Here's a great quote from a wonderful little book I just purchased called "Steal Like an Artist...10 things nobody told you about being creative" by Austin Kleon

"Don't worry about unity from piece to piece - what unifies your work is the fact that you made it"

NUMBER 6! (Actually #5)

50/50 #5

50/50 READY FOR DRAWING

I did four drawings today but decided to post them individually, one a day.  This one has some gesso scraped onto the paper.  Painted the paper with two colors.  When dry, I collaged two different tissue papers on....one is stamped using archival brown stamp pad ink.  The other is a tissue that had been laid on top of wet paint in my watercolor palette, then carefully lifted up and draped over the back of a chair to dry.  This makes wonderful collage paper and uses up paint that would be wiped up or thrown out.  

India Ink applied with a coffee stirrer completes the piece.  I will seal all the pieces with acrylic varnish when I have finished them.  I can still do more to each piece if I feel it needs something.  

You can see the difficulty in photographing the work.  The lower image most accurately reflects the actual color of this small painting.

50/50 PROJECT UNDERWAY!

50/50  1

50/50  2

50/50  3

50/50  4

Here are the first four finished panels.  My idea is to use collage, acrylic and ink on paper with each one to be slightly different in technique than the others.  I am writing down each step on a large post it note which I am sticking to the back so I can reproduce the idea again sometime in the future.  I have 10 more panels with the first layer on, ready to go tomorrow.  I am painting the edge of each panel a different color.  When they are hung with an inch between them, the colored edge should add some interest.