As an artist it is always interesting and even amazing to see how a project starts off and doesn't look like much of anything. You get the thoughts in your head that this looks terrible. That a child could paint better than this. But you're persistent and keep on going adding more here and there in those spots that just need something more. Until finally you get to the point where it is done in your eyes. Those who buy the art just see the finished piece. Not the process that takes place while developing it.
So I thought it would be interesting to take photos of a painting as it progresses so you can see some of my process. This particular mixed media piece I was painting as a gift for the Craftaholics Anonymous gift exchange.
Supplies Used:
Now you can see some of the details of the finished panting. I almost didn't want to give the finished painting away because I liked it so much!
I used a fine point sharpie to add my initials in the bottom corner.
I really love how all the colored layers came together to give these bright flowers a beautiful background. I must say I am very proud of this painting!
So I thought it would be interesting to take photos of a painting as it progresses so you can see some of my process. This particular mixed media piece I was painting as a gift for the Craftaholics Anonymous gift exchange.
Supplies Used:
- 12" x 12" Canvas
- 12" x 12" text print scrapbook paper
- DecoArt Americana Paint: French Gray Blue, Bahama Blue, Desert Sand, Whispering Turquoise, Alzarian Crimson, Royal Purple, Forest Green, Espresso, Golden Straw, Berry Red, Charcoal Gray, Irish Moss
- DecoArt Multisurface Satin Paint: Dark Scarlet, Black Tie, Cotton Ball
- Decoupage, Soft Charcoal Pencil, bubble wrap, DecoArt Decou-Page, Tim Holtz Dot Fade stencil, DecoArt Gold Glamour Dust
Although you really can't see it here I started off by painting the sides of the canvas in Espresso and then decoupaged the scrapbook paper onto the canvas. Then I coated it with a variety of paints trying to blend them somewhat. I added some streaks of brown for stem like shapes.
Here is where I decided that it was too bold and bright so I added a wash of Cotton Ball paint that was thinned down with water. I used a stencil I picked up from the paint section at Home Depot and a sponge to add the white filigree on the left side. I also added a layer of Gold Glamour Dust paint on top of the white filigree with the same stencil. I sponged on some dot type shapes with the Tim Holtz Dot Fade stencil in some more Espresso paint. Then I brushed some Golden Straw paint on some bubble wrap and pressed it onto the canvas in a few places to add some fun pattern and texture.
I added some white bubble wrap print as well. Then I started to paint on the flowers in Berry Red. This is where I was seriously questioning my painting skills. The flowers looked terrible. But I kept going and worked to add more shadows and distinguish the highlights on the flowers better.
After a lot of adding shadows here and there and adding some black dots in the center of the flower, some light colored stems, some charcoal pencil around the edges blended out to create more shadow and define the flower petals.
Here is what my work table looked like when I was done. What a huge mess!
Now you can see some of the details of the finished panting. I almost didn't want to give the finished painting away because I liked it so much!
I used a fine point sharpie to add my initials in the bottom corner.
I really love how all the colored layers came together to give these bright flowers a beautiful background. I must say I am very proud of this painting!
