Fashion - Turn of the Century - Series #4

Fashion - Series #4

I love the colors in this piece and especially love the seafoam green.  The background is again a scanned piece from a journal page I created after taking a Mary Ann Moss class in stenciling and stitchery.  Capturing a portion of the ovelapping stenciling and delivering it to a new piece recyles with a fresh view.

Fashion - Turn of the Century - Series #3

Fashion Series #3

This piece is #3 in the Fashion Series.  The background is stenciled using spray paint with rub-off butterflies.  To make the background I scanned pages that I had made for a journal.  I printed the scan on tissue paper and then adhered it to the ATC size card.  Next the butterflies were added and then the historical fashion figure.  I absolutely love creating the backgrounds using tissue paper.  I recently read about gampi tissue paper and sent for some which has yet to arrive.  Supposedly using gampi will eliminate any paper line in larger collages.  I will let you know.

Four Generations

Four Generations

This piece has a lot going on.  Techniques used are photography, cut and paste, tissue paper, and PhotoShop.  First I collaged a photo of my paternal great grandmother and grandfather holding my father.  I added the house, the persimmon, homemade tissue papers of which there are three different types and finally I added a self-portrait of yours truly.  After scanning the collage I added the  PhotoShopped leaves created from  tissue paper.  I slightly posterized the piece in PhotoShop.  I made the background paper using alcohol inks on freezer paper.

Fashion - Turn of the Century - Series #2

Fashion - Series #2

I really love the gracefulness of the L'Art Et Ca Mode vintage ephemera.  Simple works well here.  I am also loving the tar gel which pops the color on the ATC.

Fashion, Turn of the Century - Series #1

Fashion Series #1

I found some wonderful fashion drawings from 1895 to 1905 online.  There must be hundreds of them.  The drawings have sparked a series of seven ATCs and postcards.  The background appears to be a blown up wing of a butterfly.  However, it is a scan from a journal I created for a friend to hold her ATCs.  I found some wonderful rub off butterflies online and here you have the piece created with three simple steps.  I have layered tar gel over the completed ATC which has made it shiny and has enhanced the colors.  This piece actually appears to be a digital work but it is all cut, paste, and rub.  The others in the series will make their blog debut over the next month or so.

Contemplation

Contemplation

Many hours in the sun struggling to make a living at the loom, this Navaho woman contemplates her next move.

Woman

Woman

I am loving doing portraits.  Even though I have a lot to learn, it is really fun to think that I am beginning to create something on paper that is realistic in nature even though I am only capturing a feeling or essence from a photograph.  Noses are really hard for me, but the gesso is sort of forgiving and I love how it gives the appearance of skin with wrinkles and all.  As I stated before, I am thrilled with how the collaged background comes through into the work.  I imagine it gives character.   In this morning's email an artist friend chatted about how she saw progress in her own drawing after doing 100 drawings.  We shall see if that is the case for me, 98 to go.

Myrna Wacknov created 365 self portraits in 2010 for her book Drawn to the Mirror.  I may have to attempt ink midstream after more practice.  Oh and she did hands!  Also I think I will try adding more gesso along with the drawing pencil like Ann Bagby does.  So much to explore!

New Attempts

Anne Bagby has a relatively new DVD out called The Grunge Book: An Acrylic Art Journal and this is my first attempt at drawing using the described techniques on the video.  Following her procedures I created a collaged background  which I gessoed over lightly.  I found a photograph of a person that I was interested in and began drawing.  Anne believes that practicing daily will increase skill and she has me won over.  Do I think that portrait looks anything like the photograph that I used?  Yes and no.  I have work to do, but I do feel a sense of accomplishment.  Anne believes that no matter how the portrait turns out, it is a likeness of how the person is seen by the drawer.  I love how the collage is showing through the gesso.  I will take guesses as to who you think is the subject of this portrait.

Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year

February 10, 2013 begins the Chinese New Year.  Honoring ancestors is culturally adhered to.  This piece exemplifies the ancestor theme wholeheartedly.  The background was especially fun to make as joss papers, gesso, and acrylic paint were used extensively. 

Empress Dowager Cixi and Mrs. Conger

Empress Dowager Cixi and Mrs. Conger

 

Several months ago I attended a reading of a new book by Grant Hayter-Menzies, The Empress and Mrs. Conger.  The book is about the Empress Dowager Cixi and Sarah Pike Conger who grew to be friends right after the Boxer Rebellion.  This piece is my tribute to their two year friendship.

The Dowager Empress was quite fit and spent time with her ladies in waiting at a Chinese Pavilion known as the Pavilion in the Clouds which took some effort to reach.  The Empress may have spent time with Mrs. Conger in the pavilion exchanging stories and learning of each others' culture.