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Friday, September 9, 2011

Paint Party Friday

Remember this painting from last week - the one I didn't know how to finish?


Well first of all, THANKS for all your great comments, suggestions, support and encouragement.  It was fun to read everyone's ideas.  I've been staring at this painting for weeks, and my "muse" was telling me to cut it into little pieces (because I find that most of my art is greatly improved by hacking it to bits).  My muse, however, is a little bit of a chicken and in danger of being stuck in a rut so I told her to shut up.

One of my problems with this painting is it's size - it's 18" x 24" - waaaaay bigger than anything else I create.  Trying to draw, paint or collage a central image was intimidating because it meant doing it on this scale.  If this was a nice little 8 1/2" x 11" journal spread, I'd feel much more comfortable.

Hey wait...how about I PRINT OUT my photo of it on 8 1/2" x 11" paper....

It was far less intimidating this way not just because of it's familiar size, but also because if I hated the outcome all I had to do was print another copy and try something else.

So here's what I did on the small sheet (I left my pen on there for scale)

I masked off part of the background with circles and painted the rest of it brown, then finger painted some white circles into the wet brown paint.  I lifted off the mask to let the background show through.  It was kind of ugly.  Then I painted some card stock with turquoise and white paint and cut out some circles and glued them down and drew around them with a white sharpie paint pen.  It was okay, but still felt like it needed more layers, so I painted a newspaper with gesso and turquoise paint, cut out circles and rings, glued them down and drew around them with brown sharpie and white gel pen. Sort of chaotic, but fun.

Moving on to the big painting, I still wasn't ready to paint directly on top of it, so I flipped my big pad to a blank piece of paper and painted some very rough flowers with brown paint and then highlighted them a bit with white paint.  After they dried I cut them out and placed them on the big painting.  Lame.  I painted more brown and white flowers on a sheet of newspaper, cut them out and laid them down. It was getting better, but I wanted more.

When in doubt, add more circles.  I found an old piece of painted paper that I'd done with turquoise and gold acrylic inks and black sharpie.  I cut it into various size circles and rings and played around with the placement.   Kind of liking this.

I had everything lightly secured with masking tape and was tempted to leave it that way indefinitely in case I changed my mind.  But I'm getting tired of worrying about this painting.  I'm ready to commit and move on.

Several layers of gel medium later, I ended up with this piece (click to enlarge)


It's still a little crazy, and I don't totally love it, but the process was fun.  I stuck it in a cheap poster frame and hung it on the studio wall for now.  We'll see if I get used to how BIG it is.  I still think I might just cut it up and use it for post cards.  Perhaps you'll see a piece of it arrive in your mailbox one of these days!

BONUS ROUND - WANT TO PLAY ALONG?
Show me what YOU would have done with this background.
Click on the above image to enlarge it, then save it to your computer and print it out. 
Leave a comment here, or on next week's PPF with a link to your creation and I'll figure out how to do one of those cool side-bar lists with all the links to your work.
Thanks to WrightStuff who suggested this last week
and thanks to our PPF co-host Kristin who offered free downloadable original art papers on her blog all summer long and is totally cool with me swiping her idea.


Happy Paint Party Friday everyone!
Be sure to check out what Eva and Kristin and the rest of the PPF gang are doing this week!





20 comments:

  1. Big can be a bit intimidating, but I think you've tackled it with awesomeness! Bravo! happy PPF! POP ART MINIS

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  2. Loving your large painting and a great idea to reduce it as well. Happy PPF, Annette x

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  3. Really inventive and earthy. I love anyone who hacks stuff up and re-uses it in different ways. Always lead me to a new direction - seems like it does you too! xox Corrine

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  4. I love the scribbles in some of the circles in the new hacked up version. But I really, really like the original.

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  5. I've loved reading about your experience with this painting. I meant to let you know last week that your piece with the masking tape the week before inspired me! I made something similar then cut it up to make postcards. Each little section is prompting something different. So thank you!!

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  6. It is a bit quirky but that's what makes it so interesting. Love the freedom felt in it. Faye

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  7. Wahey - I'm gonna print it our right now!!

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  8. Awesome large painting and also love the smaller one ~ Wow! ~thanks, namaste, Carol (Share the Creative Journey) Happy PPF.

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  9. It was so great to read your experience with this painting. I love that you kept pushing through to get unstuck and work it out! It's so easy to just stop. I also like the statement, "when in doubt, add more circles." I totally agree! Happy PPF!

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  10. Large painting could be quite intimidating. Hence I haven't try it out yet. Admire other creative who stick with their work and keep pushing. Love to see how go with this one. Well Done!

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  11. I always enjoy reading about the creative process of other people's work- and this was great. I can't tell you how many paintings I've called "finished" just because I was tired of worrying about them!
    I love the way you added the flowers and then more circles with a different pattern over them- this really creates a LOT of depth, and makes it so much more interesting- LOVE it!
    Happy PPF (a day late ;))
    Stephanie

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  12. Very cool. - still love the colours. That's an interesting challenge too. Unfortunately I'm not sure I will have a chance to try it.

    But then again, I love a challenge!

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  13. wow, thats such a cool interactive idea,, I think its beautiful

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  14. Ooooooh, I love what you did with this! The cut up circles and pieces are very cool! I still love the original as it is too! Wow so many choices, it will be fun to see what everyone comes up with! Deb

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  15. I enjoyed reading your process and I think it turned out great.

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  16. I love how you've been playing with this! The blue and brown color combination is so very beautiful :)

    Count me in - I can't wait to play and see what everyone else comes up with too!!! Wheee!!!

    xo
    Kristin

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  17. I love it!! and I'll be printing out that page right after I sign off here :)

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  18. Hats off to you for even trying a work this size and I think it is beautful! Have fun with all the submissions you will get with WHAT WOULD YOU DO? Happy PPF!

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  19. Those big ones are tough! But, you did such a fantastic job and I loved reading all about it. So many creative ideas coming from tackling this painting right...from you and others! SO fun!

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