After reorganizing my work table to provide more surface area for work, I set out to use my new watercolor paper. I didn't know what size I would need, so I picked up an 11" x 15" tablet. It might be a little big, but I can always cut a paper down to a smaller size, should I decide to.
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| Another trip to the hardware . . . and a shoe shelf that my husband assembled for me. It helps to get the clutter up and out of the way so I have some surface area to use. There is an issue with clutter on the right side of my table, but I will deal with that later! |
On Sunday afternoon, with Valentines Day on the horizon, I decided to work on a multi media piece that had a little romantic theme. I quickly pulled a few pieces of ephemera from my stash, pulled out some paper that I found last week in my miscellaneous papers that looked like it could pull off a bit of romance, and a few paints, inks and rubber stamps. I wasn't sure if I should use gesso on the paper first, but I did. I like to use gesso because:
1. It makes me feel like an artist. and . . .
2. I like to say the word "gesso". It sounds so . . . artsy! ;-)
Gesso was one of the first things I learned about when I started to do paper crafting. The artists I watched on YouTube were all referring to it, so I researched it and went to Michaels and got the biggest bottle of it they had. I like to use it because it gives surfaces some "tooth" for paint and other things to adhere to. Now, don't I sound like I know what I am talking about? Its all because of gesso!
Trying not to think too hard about the piece I was about to make, I taped the paper down to my work surface and started to place bits of that found paper on it.
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| Torn paper. Its a start! |
Pleased with the placement, I removed it and painted with a mixture of a few paints and a bit of the gesso that was left on my palette. I liked the color and after it dried, I glued the papers down with Mod Podge did some stamping. I added a couple paper doilies to the page.
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| Some paint, some stamping, some ephemera and a couple doilies, but it lacked something. |
I thought there was too much blank space, so I added free-form painted hearts. I added too many, but I left them there and hoped they would grow on me. They didn't.
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| So . . . I thought I would add a few free-form painted hearts to it. Hmmmm. . . . |
I decided to cut some paper hearts from some scraps I had in a bin, and didn't worry too much about color or pattern. Once they were glued to the page, I liked it better. But I wasn't finished. From a distance, the piece just faded and the hearts couldn't be seen. I got my glitter glue out and painted them and that helped. I am happy with my first experiment and I plan to journal a little bit on the back. I will probably make more of these and keep them in a portfolio, but for now the plan is to put this one in a frame and hang it in my studio.
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| The photo is a little dark, but I think I managed to salvage the piece with some hearts and an old standby . . . glitter glue! |
I continued on my art journey this morning. I really didn't have a plan, but realized in order to paint, I needed to learn to draw. So, I went searching around in YouTube to find some videos about sketching and drawing. I watched a few and pulled out a sheet of drawing paper. I began to sketch a tree that I look at every day right outside my studio window. It was actually fun. I think I will put my sketch in my portfolio. Now, doesn't just saying that I even own a portfolio make it sound like I really am an artist?
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| The maple tree right outside my studio window. |
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| My drawing of the maple tree outside my studio window. |
Thank you for taking the time to stop by and read my blog. As always, your questions and comments are welcome. And until we meet again, may the Lord hold you in the hollow of His hand.
Emmy
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