Experimentations
December 3, 2007 · by Christine
Yesterday afternoon I spent hours diving into art materials and experimenting. My new favorite material to work with is tissue paper. I worked off of 8×8 canvases, then used acrylic gel medium as my glue and as a layer over the top. I recently got some sparkly art tissue and tore off three colors and created the base (top photo). I actually really liked the effect at this point and almost could see doing a series just exploring the colors and shapes of art tissue.
I printed a number of my photos, including the one of the crow above and laid it over the tissue paper. Then I used some gel medium with a bit of silver to create some continuity across the piece. I carved out a rubber stamp to make the spirals and then used a silver inkpad for those. I finished by using molding paste mixed with a bit more silver paint to create the moon and the edges of the crow image.
I’m pretty pleased with how it came out. A fairly simple process and a lot of fun beginning to explore how to use my photos in other pieces of art.
I did a similar process with this second piece. I began by layering art tissue in red and gold and pasted it using acrylic gel medium. I laid out the photos, these are of my mother as a little girl (I scanned the originals and printed copies of them). Then I painted over them with more gel medium mixed with some gold paint. I made a rubber stamp of a leaf and added that throughout the piece. To finish it I used some red acrylic paint around the edges.
**I updated the images above because both pieces were dry enough to scan this morning and you can see the color and detail better now.**
-Christine Valters Paintner @ Abbey of the Arts
**Come visit my Etsy store to find winter prayer cards and reflective art journals**
Posted in Art and Spirituality |
December 3rd, 2007 at 4:50 am
I love the look of those. Very rich, which appeals to me, anyway. Thank you for sharing the process by which they came about. I also like that you created your own stamps for each one.
December 3rd, 2007 at 6:16 am
Very nicely done, and I love the relish with which you describe your enjoyment.
I sent off for the book you mentioned, Mixed Emulsions, and it arrived today. Oh dear. So many ideas tumbling in my head. So little time. It’s a beautiful book, and I love the way it encourages us to look at things in different ways.
December 3rd, 2007 at 11:12 am
Beautiful Christine! I’m so moved by the piece with the pictures of your mother. Question: Did you place the tissue paper DRY on top of the canvas and then go over it with this gel medium? If I’m just going to play around with tissue paper, could I just use watered down glue as some people did at the retreat?
Love,
Rebecca
December 3rd, 2007 at 11:51 am
Thanks Dawn, I love stamp carving but have gotten out of the habit, so it was fun integrating it back into my art.
Thanks Tess, yes that book is very inspiring to me. I didn’t even use it for yesterday’s session, but it definitely got me thinking outside my usual parameters.
Thanks Rebecca, I want to do a whole series on different family members. I actually put the gel medium on the canvas, then laid the tissue on that, and then put another layer of gel medium over it. Mixing glue with water would also work, you might want to experiment with different kinds though to find one that will dry transparent. You can mix a little bit of acrylic paint in to get some sheer color.
December 3rd, 2007 at 2:09 pm
Wow! Each work evokes a different emotion but I love them all.
I just picked up Mixed Emulsions from the library. I peeked inside and now I’m getting excited. Tonight I’m joining a group of women from our church for Advent by Candlelight. In addition to several readings and warm fellowship; we’ll be inspired by a string quartet.
December 3rd, 2007 at 3:24 pm
I love those…both the meaning and the texture and layering and color.
I just put Golden acrylics and gel on my husband’s bed. People are having a hard time finding what to give me for christmas (family). That has me revved! I saw a nice set on sale in a local art store.
Anyone have any different ideas of paint supplies? I am a real rookie at this but I have been reading Cloth, Paper, Scissors for awhile.
Is Mixed Emulsions a book about doing collage?
Chartreusovaova…an Advent by candlelight with warm friends sounds wonderful. And the string quartet would sent me over the edge. I would be crying right away. Hope it is lovely!
December 3rd, 2007 at 4:50 pm
Thanks chartreuseova, your evening sounds amazing. I’m staying in because we have really heavy rains here and lots of flooding around the area.
Thank you Suz, art supplies for Christmas sounds grand. Mixed Emulsions offers a variety of techniques for working with photos — hand tinting black and white ones, using gel medium and molding paste and such to incorporate them into a larger artwork. Some collage elements, but really focuses on the use of photos — both vintage and new, and so I am really inspired to use my own photos in new ways plus the family photos I have been sorting through.
As for paint supplies I really like liquid acrylics like the ones you tried at our retreat Suz and those Twinkling H2O watercolors. There are lots of acrylic paint supplies, I especially like shimmery ones in gold and silvers.
December 3rd, 2007 at 5:33 pm
Oh, my…how could I forget. I loved the Twinkling H2O’s!!! I used almost all the purple:-(
I will google them…great idea!
December 3rd, 2007 at 9:25 pm
Christine, these are awesome!! I absolutely love them. Beautiful collage of colors, carving, photos, and tissue. This looks like it was great fun and I wish I were there with you playing with art!
December 3rd, 2007 at 10:38 pm
Thanks Bette! You’re welcome to come on over anytime.
December 4th, 2007 at 4:23 am
That top one looks just totally edible.
December 4th, 2007 at 10:20 am
Thanks Sue, what a great description!