Halfway through the Complex Collage Designated Shape lessons

After taking about 3 months to complete a single collage (a funeral, end-of-school activities, and then summer trips have considerably slowed me down), I am finally moving on to the second one in the wonderful & amazing online workshop by Julie Prichard and Chris Cozen called Complex Collage.

This is on an 8x8 gallery-wrapped canvas. First I added the 3 architectural blueprints (from a sheet bought from Finchley Paper Arts) with soft gel gloss medium. I knew that I wanted the background color to be Van Dyck Brown, but I was concerned that it would be too dark. So I have come up with a two-part solution to counteract that: dilute it considerably with Acrylic Glazing Liquid, and also lay down some gold gesso before painting on the Van Dyck Brown. That did such a wonderful job underneath the acrylic inks, and I am hoping for the same results here.

Later . . .



In the middle of the lesson, I added a drawing of a Green Man onto my canvas and then painted it (shown in attached image before painting, obviously). At this point, I'm not too happy with what I've got. Too much opaque paint (the red oxide, I think), and I want the man to be coming out of the shadows, and that is definitely not what is going on--there's no transition between the background and the image. I may have to post it where it is and ask for help.

Complex Collage class progress

I enrolled in my first ever online class last month--Complex Collage, taught by Julie Prichard and Chris Cozen. Did great keeping up with things until life intervened, as it does. Had to make arrangements to go out of town for two days for a funeral (with two kids, that takes a lot of arranging!), then out of town again for a school event, then allergies descended . . . but the great thing about the class is that there are no time constraints on the lessons or access to the videos. What a wonderful thing, to have something in my life that is fun and also is no added stress!

Right now I'm working on the middle stages of completing my first collage for the class. I am gaining some confidence. I know how to do some things now that I didn't before. That's good. Now I have more information to analyze placement of items with, and to at least recognize when something isn't quite there. With reading all the comments and responses to other students in the class, that gives me a great deal to pull on when trying to turn that objective eye on my own stuff.

On the one hand, I feel like a child trying to learn cursive, but on the other I feel brave and am proud of myself for attempting something hard.

How to Finish the Water Nymphs Piece?

The water nymphs piece is not done. I could clearly see that when I took a picture of it. But what does it need, and where does it need it?

Maybe something more, something 3D along the lower lefthand and bottom sides. Could add necklace of small glass spheres from Alpha Stamps to main nymph? Put iridescent wash over all but nymphs, so they remain clear and glossy? Seems to need to be under some kind of layer--looks too raw to me. But I want to keep the difference of the women from the rest of the piece. Maybe put glaze over the nautilus and matte gel over the rest excepting women? Include an interference blue in the nautilus glaze?

Also could experiment with circles of white paint--it occurs to me the white of the water & foam on the nymphs isn't carried through the piece. Not sure where to put the circles, though, because I really want to preserve some of the open space between the nymphs and the cameo. Maybe larger ones over the lower area and a few smaller ones in upper area? Will have to experiment on a duplicate image.

And still would like edges to look a bit more finished. What if I glued small mosaic tiles in blue shades all along edges? That might be quite nice and actually be in keeping with the whole water theme, since I associate mosaics with baths.

In Process with "War" Project

Last weekend I had to attend a mandatory parent seminar at my son's school, and while listening to an extremely enthusiastic person expound on the benefits of kale smoothies and hemp seeds, I started writing about the "war" challenge. Just writing out the idea I had, which was good, but not a spark, really. And then the spark came, and I couldn't write fast enough to get all the thoughts and vision in my head down on the paper. I never thought that would happen to me! And yet there I was, sitting on the third floor of the school building, and I knew exactly what I wanted to do and how to do it. Magical.

Now I'm about a third of the way through, and as plans do, mine is changing. And also, as it usually happens, it is changing because something didn't work out like I thought it would. Turns out it's really NOT possible to collage magazine pictures onto a stretched canvas without them wrinkling . . . at least not the way I did it. But that's getting ahead of myself.

I gessoed an 18x24" stretched canvas twice, then I took strips of bleeding art tissue (Spectrum, available at Teacher Heaven and Jerry's Artarama) and added them on with matte gel medium. I did it in an abstract landscape fashion, with greens and browns at the bottom and blues with a few reds and oranges at the top. Mainly my objective was to have the sides of the frame covered, and it was an opportunity to play and experiment since my plan was to cover the front completely with magazine pictures. I was delighted with how the tissue paper turned out.

My overall idea was to put lots of pictures of the earth in beauty on the collage, following a general landscape layout--rocks and trees on the bottom, oceans and sunsets on top, mountains in the middle. That way when one first glanced at it, the impression would be one of peace and grandeur. But a second glance would reveal that in places the paint was cracking (use crackle paint); I had thought about using the peeled paint technique detailed in Christine Hellmuth's Collage Discovery Workshop in a few places, but since I've never experimented with it before I'm not going to do it for the first time on this piece. So I need to age it a little, not noticeably but somehow, in a couple of other ways. Maybe lightly sand a couple of areas, rub Distress Ink over a couple of bits.

Then what I wanted to do is to place magnifying glasses in various spots on the collage, and the picture in the magnifying glass would be one of the destruction and devastation the human race is waging on the earth--birds covered in oil from a spill, dead coral reefs, clear-cutting in the Amazon rainforest, etc. I thought of tying a single metallic embroidery thread between all the glasses, partly to contribute to the misleading initial impression that it's just about the earth's beauty, but it occurs to me now that it would also bring out the theme that everything on the earth is connected, and sometimes that connection is quite fragile indeed. So maybe I will still find a way to work that in.

The reason I have stopped and haven't done anything for a couple of days now is the wrinkled pictures. It actually gave me a great idea because the wrinkles remind me of one of those relief globes, where the mountains are really raised. Would have been neat to figure out how to do that underneath and then have the pictures on top of that (although I can see that would be tough in practice because the paper wouldn't go on evenly over a raised mini-mountain). But that then led to the idea of getting some small, teeny mountains--and maybe also some forests--from somewhere like a hobby shop that sells that kind of stuff for train sets. Their mountains might be too big for my scale of picture though . . . just not sure what I want to do about this and how to work the wrinkles in. I actually kind of like the wrinkles because it's the beginning of showing that all is not perfection, but I need to make sure it looks purposeful and not just like my pictures wrinkled during the adhering process!

At any rate, I'm having quite a lot of fun with this. I was delighted to find a way to do something on war that wasn't going to be immediately depressing to look at--it can carry a message and be serious, but it's also still pleasing to the eye. Hopefully it will all work out in the end.

Birthday presents

My friend A.'s birthday was last week, and I had quite a good time making her presents. The funny thing was that her card ended up being a wall hanging . . . couldn't figure out how to make it a card. My husband helped with suggestions on placements of the shards of mirror styrene; I ended up with an abstract easel supporting the sunflower collage. It worked out beautifully to stamp the design on acetate, color with alcohol inks, then use a Xyron to mount it on sunburst gold paper I got in England earlier this summer. I used foam tape to create depth among the background panel, styrene shards, and sunflower collage. This is one of my favorite things I've made!

I did also make a set of wine charms for A. These are done on 1x1" Stampbord using punched squares of paper and Liquid Laminate. Then I paint the edges with Liquid Leafing, punch a hole with my Crop-a-Dile, insert an eyelet, then add a jump ring and earring with suitable beads on it that complement the design while also maintaining a consistent look through the whole set.

15 September 2008

Well, I got started on my piece and am very pleased so far, but then I got sidetracked with the preparations for the surprise baby shower I hosted last Saturday. I think sometimes I avoid doing something creative (procrastinate) because of what I have mentioned before—it’s all great in theory, but I’m committing myself once I actually start, choosing a path and thus shutting off all the other potentialities. But I have started my water challenge, now it’s just finishing it that will be the challenge!

I do find that I have a lot more confidence about this piece than I have any other original item I’ve done so far. It has been a leap of faith for me to do what I have done so far and trust that the piece will reveal itself to me as I go; very different than following instructions for a project and knowing at the beginning what the end result will be. But it’s exciting! I did spend the first week of this month just thinking about the piece, and that was very useful. It prepared me so that when I went to my studio area one evening, I knew I was ready to make a start. I still don’t know how it’s going to end, but I knew to begin, and that was something.

One thing I find interesting is that for all my thoughts on words and the enjoyment I get from other’s collage pieces, I am really resistant to putting words on my own pieces. Seems it will lessen them somehow, make them less serious, I don’t know exactly what it is. So I may, if I have time, make multiple items (perhaps meant to be hung in a group) and use words on some but not on others. But it’s a funny prejudice I’ve discovered, especially since I like it in others’ work.

25 July 2008

In water piece—or any piece—apply paint thickly and use palette knife to make rough swirls—indicate unsettledness, roiling, turbulence. Gradually change to perfectly smooth to indicate area of serenity, calm, peacefulness, tranquillity.

Idea: collage of the 9th Street house in Wichita Falls.

Notes from Duxford and Tiger Moth flight: Dale said his favorite part was the takeoff. He loved the uninhibited view of the fields and meadows below him and mentioned that he could see Saffron Walden.

24 July 2008

Some thoughts for what to do with Danny’s notes before his wedding—try using it in a mint tin assemblage as per CDW p. 85. Could paint the tin chocolate brown and Tiffany blue—try the peeled paint technique for both (pp. 100-1) colors. Use the notes as the liner for the main part of the tin.

Elements could include a key, as the notes are a key to his thinking. Fit some of the ribbon in somehow. Any other things—seed packets, small dried flowers, miniature paddle in honor of the gondola ride (or mini gondola!).

What to put on the cover? A pic of just Danny—have something of Joanna on the inside, since she was on his mind when he wrote those lines on the notepad. Maybe put a marble inside, to highlight or magnify something? Look for a wedding charm for the inner lid, or maybe my wild woman button.

Maybe, on the inside put a film strip length and put mini pictures from the photographer in the spaces. Put in either vertically on either inner lid or tin, or horizontally running across both.

Maybe add one of my little bottles with the wedding date and names in it? Or one of the silver capsule holders. (Paint bottle Tiffany blue glass paint.)

Could cut memo lines in half and extend across both inner lid and tin.

Think about what I’m trying to convey with the piece. As Rita said, it’s a glimpse inside his mind on one of the most special days of his life. Glimpse inside, revealing something hidden, providing insight, looking through or behind a veil (string up a veil that can be pushed aside to reveal the contents. Could do on wire, sew a little bit of tulle (from wedding aisle?). Or look for dollhouse curtain. Possibly a small doll’s bridal veil? Hate to use Barbie, ugh, but something like that.) I could call the piece “Behind the Veil” (not beyond).

Find image/background of brain diagram? Might be too obvious, that.

20 July 2008

Thoughts on the “foggy” challenge: I thought of the fog of memory and how people can suddenly pop out of one’s mind when if asked an hour before you wouldn’t have recalled anything about them.

So I thought about having a piece that had a foggy look all over but with faces emerging at certain points between the clouds (use Stampscapes clouds stamp recently purchased?). Not clearly defined, maybe some kind of transfer. Or transparencies.

Have to think about how to make it interesting and also how to make it pretty, or at least not dull.

I did have the idea of having the faces appearing in a circle on the piece.

Maybe the idea with “foggy” is that all the images should be obscured in some way, as though there was a fog or haze or veil in the way. Encaustic? Vellum? Angel hair? Nothing too hard, like metal or wire mesh. Fog is soft, no hard edges, can’t be contained in a form.

NOTE: for dolphin/sea piece, try using heat-transfer method to put a celestial map in the sky (p. 18 Collage Discovery Workshop).

Apply transparent colors on top of each other.

NOTE: try using Cobalt Blue first then Turquoise Phthalo on top for ocean (pp. 22-23 Collage D. Wkshop).

NOTE: try using a combing tool to make waves in the paint (p. 26 CDW).

NOTE: sprinkle sand or crushed shells onto the paint?

Something to try: apply plain white vinegar to copper sheeting.

Something to try in the right piece would be to use incense sticks, either tied together or just glued in place, to frame an element (p. 60 CDW).

15 July 2008

Today Joy, Brian, and I took the kids on the train to Southend. It was fine but not terribly exciting for me until I realized the tide had gone out—a lot—and that I ought to be able to get tons of seashells out there. Oh I had fun squelching around in the mud and found lots of pretty or interesting things to boot. The first “seashell” I picked up was still in use by its owner! A little “foot” was sticking out but pulled back in quickly. We saw lots of crabs scurrying about. And I didn’t know things grew into clamshells—other shells, snails, etc. They are a work of collage all by themselves!

At Clacton the rocks I found most of that appealed to me were white, but today at Southend it was black ones. I found lots that had a deep rich hue and nice shapes with a flat surface. Now to think what to do with them.

Would like to try Opalite inkpads on them to see if they work on rock. Could make some sets with Celtic or Mexican small stamps and use as wine charms? Have to be small rocks for that, or padded on bottom. Would need to write up a small card (find those recipe cards I got for Joy & Brian a long time ago) noting source of stones and then brief description of symbols on them.

I’ll keep exploring what I like about them, and that will help me find out what to do with them.

NOTE: challenges this week from sites are “let’s have tea” and “foggy”.

11 July 2008

Or maybe the thing to do is make a piece and then make up a story for whom it belongs to or where it belongs. Although if I could do that, I guess I wouldn’t need the story at all. . . .

Notes to self:
--use a bleach pen
--gold gesso
--get some Frisket

Idea: Collage with pictures of bread, old-fashioned ovens, wheat growing in a field, cheesecloth [use pics of my bread]. Sprinkle salt, use eggshells.

College with bouquet garni bag, herbs dried and fresh, seed packets, smoke swirls (for aroma), pots (big ones, like for soup), pictures and layouts of herb gardens. Sprinkle salt on part of it.

Mica idea—glue down in one corner and cover up with gold or copper flakes (p. 97 A. Cartwright book).

Conflict of being parent/wife—incredible heart, hope, love, but with a cage around it, or part of it; maybe use wire to anchor it down. Something that conveys the spilling over of so much love and emotion but the constraints of responsibility and duty enclosing, surrounding, encaging.

--Scott Davis Jones (gallery)

13 July 2008

Kayleigh and I went to the seaside today at Clacton-on-Sea. At the beach she helped me wash lots of rocks, and I wrapped up the parettiest ones in plastic to bring home.

My thought is to use them in some kind of dump art project, but I’m not sure what to do with the rest of it. Maybe I could print out 1 or 2 of the photos I took of Kayleigh today and use them as the backdrop. Should I try painting the sky a la Angela Cartwright? Maybe I could use a waves texture plate on just part of the picture—combination of water and sky to blend the picture together a little.

What else could I try? Could have the pic and rocks be only the top part and have the bottom (1/3) be what’s under the ground, flotsam and jetsam, gems hidden in the earth (use Rox recently gotten), a sea monster in its den, “hot lava” as it reminds me of Kayleigh and it’s like the burning love for one’s children; something that indicates or represents ineffable mysteries, things that are hidden.

Just now we passed some fields—cows, cows, cows, then bunnies. Must have been at least 30 of them. I know they are a nuisance to farmers, but they sure were cute.

1 July 2008, on plane to England

Notes on Somerset Studio Gallery Summer ‘08:

p. 32 “I think my luck stems from my ability to search and find items I can build a story on.”
Good idea—start with an object and build a narrative around it. Create something that fits into the narrative and uses the object. Put the story on the back.

Xmas ornaments p. 38
Sandwich two images back to back and enclose between glass slides. Wrap with silver tape and apply Stickles over the tape. Wrap with wire to form a hangar. Attach wire with beads to bottom.

p. 52 “Legend”
Attach smaller canvas with hinges to a larger one. Add a handle. Hang two tags from bottom.

p. 58 Create a collage like this using Kayleigh’s face. Handtint the photo.

p. 73 I’m really interesting in trying the encaustic medium. Must ask Joy if she has any—she always mentions encaustic. Try it on Claybord. Can buy from rfpaints.com and at Jerry’s Artarama.

Maybe a biweekly challenge is the thing to suggest to A. Alternate picking the theme.

Really like using miniatures on a large canvas—see “Enchanted Garden” p. 77