5x7 CHALLENGE : : WEEK #3

This mixed media 5x7 canvas is painted with acrylic paint, ink and oil paintstiks.  It is embellished with glaze, stenciling and glitter.  It has paper and fabric collage pieces and the 1 1/2" deep sides are also painted and stenciled.

Stretching to Sketch-WEEK #4

For this week's challenge, I decided to change things up.  I had my guy take a picture of me copying Kelly's pose (somewhat) and printed it on cardstock to make a stencil.  I cut out the image and chose to use the mask (positive) instead in a painted page in my journal.  It is finished off with stenciling, writing and a collage piece of fabric at the bottom.  Check out Kelly's blog.

5x7 CHALLENGE : : WEEK 1

available on etsy

I got so excited about this I am posting a day early.  I loved the way it turned out.  I painted all four sides (which are 1  1/2" deep) with this lovely flower.  The canvas measures 5x7 as I have stated before.  It is collaged, painted, glazed and drawn on with pastels.  On the eyes, I used glitter.  Way cool!

Stencil Me In Some More

page from my journal

Working with the same image, introducing color blocking and collage elements.  I wrote on this page then covered it up with a watered down layer of gesso.  Over that I stenciled then experimented with a bold stripe of color down the page on the image.  And then used a different color to highlight the features that were lost because of the darkness of that color.  The possibilities are endless.  But I stopped after adding a bit of collage (word torn from magazine).

Nature's Guidance

Nature's Guidance

When I allow myself a time of silence ideas flow freely.  Sometimes it's hard to contain them and other times the rush can be paralyzing.  I then think: where do I start?  What to do done first?  But when I start, it's magic.  I grab a pencil, a color, a brush and began as if called to.  It's interesting when I move myself out of the way what comes through.  The hard part is to get myself out of the way, to shut off that critical mind, to quell the chatter.  Painting has become a form of meditation.  It's my practice of letting go.

Torn Paper Portrait

It took me two days, but I finish this piece and found the whole process kinda meditative.  I wanted to limit to amount of color I used.  I added some paint to help with the contouring.  I could tweak it a bit here and there, but I've decided to leave alone.  Sometimes messin' around will mess it up.

I am free...with paint

I like trying different things.  This was fun, to get a feel for shaping a face.  I find myself really looking at someone's nose and eyes and the shape of their lips.  I am also less and less afraid of making adjustments and not giving up.  If I want I can put some more paint on and cover something up or add something different.  I am free to do just about anything.