More Lesson 2 horizon focus

This assignment has been very challenging to say the least! I love playing with the paint and the collage pieces, but getting the color down and then covering the collage is tricky. I am now trying to rework this piece to add more activity to the collage and then adding to the foreground in such a way that won't detract from the horizon. 

version 2

version 1

To me, this one looks like a city neighborhood. It is a busier collage than all my others, and I like the "signage" at right. Didn't like the brown foreground, but the texture is nice. I may try to brush some of the sky color over it to catch on some of the texture.

More horizons

The more I work on this project, the more frustrating it gets! Jane's feedback for the earlier posts (the first 3 for Lesson 2) said I should try for more contrast between the sky and foreground colors. I find this very difficult to do, especially on the larger pieces, because of needing to go back and forth between the 2 colors and dealing with a dry palette, having to recreate the color, and then it goes on with difficulty because the paint underneath isn't completely dry nor is it fluid enough to take the new coat of paint. I need to let the piece totally dry in between, which, of course, makes it impossible to wipe off paint to achieve the desired contract in the right places. So it's a balancing act for which I am unbalanced! 

The piece directly below (5 x 6) does not have the contrasting sky and foreground, but I like the softness of it, and I like the horizon even though the top pieces are even. 

The yellow piece was a nightmare because of the paint problems described above. It is a larger piece at 7.5 x 9.5, and there is more contrast in real life--the sky is blue-green and the foreground is grayish-yellow. The entire piece is "enhanced" with quinacridone nickel azo gold, there were no pre-background text layers, and I added the music scraps afterwards for more interest.

The last piece (also 5 x 6) was another difficult one because of the paint problems. I had mixed phthalo blue, burnt umber, and raw sienna with a tad of white for the bottom, and I used a "sea glass" craft paint mixed also with a tad of white for the top. The painting of the collage was difficult because of the open spaces and the transition of the sky and ground colors between the open gaps. The paint kept drying up regardless of adding glaze medium and then the brush would stick when I tried reapplying to a less-than-dry, less-than-wet base. Really frustrating. I finally then added a little interest with a dry brush of my phthalo blue mixture, a few more strips of collage, and then I called it a day.

Lesson 2 continued

Lesson 2

These were fun small (5 x 6) experimental pieces on the "horizon" focal-point compositions done during work breaks. :)

Jane's Dynamic Composition, Lesson 1

All the challenges in this assignment! 

My first attempt was the green/yellow-green color palette. Trying to stick to the palette was difficult and I wasted a lot of paint! My next challenge involved the infinite possibilities of positioning various sizes of squares and rectangles, and then making a mess with the matte medium. I also added stash scrap that violated the rule of "no diagonals" before I realized I had done so. This was not my favorite piece.

The yellow palette was more fun. I enjoyed creating the color swatches and found it easier to stay within the parameters. The background seems to blend nicely with the swatch colors.


The purple/red composition was fun to create but difficult to photograph. I used some white paint in the background that really shows in the photos. The palette is mostly purple and red, but the photo makes it look more contrasty than it really is. I think all of my pieces are busier than I like.


I really enjoyed having parameters within which to work, and at the same time, so much freedom. This has been fun.


On to lesson 1, project 2! 

I dislike the inconsistent color application made by the brush strokes.

Fall leaves

Bottles

Taken with Hipstamatic on iPad3

Postcards

These are all 4 x 6 cuts from two single compositions. I like the cuts better than the whole!  The first four are Acrylics and distress paint. The doodles were made with watercolor background, and various markers, including Crayola pip squeaks, Sharpies, Copics, Sakura white pigment marker, and Sakura gell pens.

Hipsta cat

Allie cat, 4 May 2013

Little book

I received one of these from a friend a while ago and I treasure it. Decided to try my hand at making one today. I'm so pleased with the new decorative papers I got from Blick--as shown on the cover. The real challenge was coming up with a theme for the inside. Making the little book was lots of fun though!

Stencil practice

Quick play this am with old and new stencils, Distress ink, and new dabbers....

Grandparents

I don't have a scanner, so I took pictures of pictures...the journal page is my grandmother, Florence, and grandfather, Abe, taken in 1907. Below that is a photo of both grandparents taken in 1957, from left to right: Anna V., Abe D., Paul V., Florence D.

My grandparents from my father's side, who lived in the Adirondack region of NewYork, used to take me for rides in the country after dinner.

I remember they had a framed print of the 23rd Psalm hanging in their home. For some reason, it comes to mind:

23rd Psalm

1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

Reading it now reminds me of how safe I felt when I was in their company.

Feeling autumn

Finally feeling outside of sickness and able to appreciate the warm glow of the fall season!

The boys at rest

New stencils

Trying out the new stencils from Donna Downey. Love them! These were made using Delusions ink spray "ghosting" technique for the background and ColorBox pigment inks for the stenciled flowers.