My last post showed the process of building the armature for this piece. The photos that follow are first layer process photos. During this phase, I'm working to get the first layers done to provide a more stable surface for shaping the form. The plastic & tape armature I've used is something new I hadn't tried until now. I think that its great to get the proportions right, but it does have a tendency to lose its form. I'm doing a lot of shaping on the backside as when I did the front, the weight seemed to collapse the form. A bummer for sure, but something I can work with.
We've had some rain and windy weather for the past two days, so I was forced to move inside which slows the dry time. Drying layers before moving on is crucial or you'll have collapse in structure...while I know this full well...I still tend to push it a bit which only adds more work. Patience...something my creative flow has a tough time dealing with!
So I have two paintings to share, one is a 22"x22" acrylic on panel...it is based on the other sculpted piece which is mixed media 16.5"x17.5" also on panel. I began the smaller piece first, experimenting a bit with my medium. As any artist knows...sometimes an experiment works...sometimes it doesn't. In this case, my sculpture cracked...I kind of thought it might, but I went with it anyway and yes...cracks! But, rather than toss the cracked piece in the 'never to be seen' pile, I decided to keep working it. The painting is just about complete, the 3D sculpted piece is still being worked...but I thought I'd share them both on the same post so that you can see the two together.
The idea behind it...facing ones fears. While I've been pursuing my dreams of art school and an art career for the past 5 years, I had spent the previous 20 as a stay home mom & wife. Going back out into the world to pursue my own dreams was a terrifying thing to do...especially attending OSU where my peers are all younger than my own children. Now, I'm one semester from graduation and more happy than I could have ever imagined. Fear, what a thing...you either have to face it head on or let it hold you back. I chose to face it, a choice I will never regret!
If you like what I'm doing, please feel free to find me on Flickr and instagram as well...work in progress is often posted on instagram and my Flickr account features lots of my photographic work. If you like to hear my thoughts...this is the place to be! Don't forget to follow me so don't miss my updates and to hit the google + to share my work with others.
Thanks for stopping by!
I've been busy finishing up this semester of school...studying for exams, writing final papers and this...a final painting for my painting 2 class. I've been working in acrylic on panel...the first panel I've ever constructed on my own. It was an interesting and quite simple process really, once you get passed the fear of those friggen saws! Yes they are dangerous and the noise is deafening...but the results of a panel are wonderful. In the past I've stretched my own canvas and worked on papers, cardboard, and anything else that stayed still long enough for me to gesso...but panel is by far my favorite.
My original piece is a mixed media piece of this same image...though I must confess that through a bit of experimentation I had a catastrophic failure. I was sculpting the image out of papier mache and wanted to see what would happen by adding an air dry clay to the mix...my greatest fear happened...massive cracking. In its own way it is interesting to look at...so I'm continuing to work the piece, I'll be posting pics of that later. For now, this is the work in progress of the acrylic on panel. I used a glaze for the background/water...the rest is acrylic with retardant for the purposes of blending.
The hardest part seems to be waiting for one part to dry before I start hitting the next. The painting is currently a bit further along than this, but I thought I'd at least update you all to where I am at this point with a photo of the painting from last night. As I get a bit further with this one and the other...yes I fully intend to finish that other one...cracks and all...I'll post more pics.
Enjoy! And don't forget, you can find me on flickr & instagram. I hope you'll choose to follow me here on my blog & on my other feeds...thanks for stopping by!
