"Emerging Spring"

(unavailable.....6" x 6".....experimental piece)

"Spring emerges from the thaw." Of course this quote is not applicable to Austin in terms of having snow and ice. I took some liberties because of the background I was experimenting with. It is true, though, in other parts of the country. Thank you God for planting me in Texas!

This is a pouring medium piece deconstructed with a sander and gesso. If you have some pouring medium pieces you are not particularly fond of, this is a way to change it into something else. First, you must adhere your piece to a gessobord or clayboard or masonite. It needs to be on a hard surface and dried over night. (Do not try to sand it immediately after adhering to the board or you will have a "hot mess" on your hands.)

The following morning you can sand the piece with an electric sander and rough sand paper. It will take a lot of sanding to take off some of the detail in the pour because the color is all the way through and not just on top of the paper. You will not be able to get it to the lightness you see in this posting just by sanding. 

The next stage is to apply gesso in thin layers with a sponge brush and then dip the brush in water and keep brushing the piece. The gesso will be dilute and very "sloppy". Hold it up and let it drip onto a paper plate or other surface and then dry with a hair dryer. You will repeat this process several times until you are satisfied with amount of pouring medium being revealed. 

In the last gesso application, I kept it undiluted and pushed it around with a credit card to get the more solid areas of white. Dry completely and spray with Acrylic Coating and then prepare for lettering or leave as is. Part of my experimentation was with the values of the lettering. I wrote in several places with pencil...followed by gray gouache...and then the actual quote was written with Moon Palace Sumi Ink. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.

"Ninguna Condenacion" (Part 2 of 2)

($350.00....Two Companion 8" x 8" pieces...Pouring Medium on 300 lb. HP....Mounted on a 2" depth Clayboard)

"There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1) This is the second part of the piece posted yesterday. It will be in an upcoming Easter Exhibit called "Fully Alive". The Opening Reception will be on Friday, April 12th.

In any kind of artwork there is an element of fear. It almost sounds like an oxymoron because most of us love to create art. So it seems a bit ironic that there are times when we have fear and trepidation about going to the studio and getting to work. The underlying reason is that nagging internal critic that tells us we cannot possibly create what we have in hearts to create. And the fear of failing can be so strong that it is more comfortable and easier to not even start.

The reason I know these things is because I've read and personally experienced  them and I have talked to enough artists and ask enough questions to get down to the bottom line of why their work never gets done. There are some other reasons that come into play besides fear.

I have noticed that when I teach something that requires paying close attention to details and practicing techniques until they're mastered, that some in the class are quite disappointed. The initial excitement gives way to the realization that success might not come after one session of class. Indeed it won't!

Art is a process and each step needs to be savored and enjoyed. The truth of the matter is that we have all learned more from our successes than our failures, so if something doesn't work out, chalk it up to experience learned, make some notes (literally) and then carry on. Be intentional about doing your work and not giving into fear. Once you get started, you'll be just fine. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.

Please contact me personally to inquire about this piece.

"Ninguna Condenacion" (Part 1 of 2)

($350.00......Two Companion 8" x 8" pieces.....Pouring Medium on 300 lb HP...mounted on 2.00" depth clayboard)

"There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1) This piece is the final of the first in a pair of 8"x 8" pieces for "Fully Alive"....an upcoming Easter Exhibit. The second piece will actually have the full text from this passage.

Today's piece was scanned rather than photographed and you can clearly see by comparing the two postings (draft from yesterday and today) that the scanned image is much brighter and clearer and looks like the original. So any time you have the choice between scanning and photographing, remember that scanning is always the best option. 

Even if you don't blog, but simply want a record of your work, this is the best option. And just an FYI if the piece is larger, Kinko's is able to scan your original artwork on a larger copier. I have had 12 x 12's scanned there for around $5.00 and the image is crystal clear. It is best not to depend on your iphoto album unless you have everything backed up because once the image is gone and the piece has been sold, your are out of luck.

I have been very bad about not doing a better job of curating my own work, so my goal this year is to keep better track of my pieces and where they go. Believe me, you will not remember where it went a year or so from now!

Scanning is also much better for lettering and other fine details. Even if your piece is too large to make a scanned image, try to scan at least key portions of the details as well as a photograph of the larger work. It is always good to have a visual record of YOUR work since your next piece begins where the last one left off. It is your work that tells you the most about who you are as an artist and to notice your own habitual marks and the pieces you've created that actually bring a smile to your face.

Those moments of enjoying your work should be savored and cherished as gifts to be shared and a vision to be expanded. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.

Please contact me personally to inquire about this piece.

"Ninguna Condenacion" (Draft)

(draft only)

"There is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1) This is a draft of Part I of "Ninguna Condenacion" (means "no condemnation" in Spanish). I am giving you a sneak preview of the first of two companion pieces for an upcoming Easter Exhibit at Hill Country Bible Church NW.

Process is so important and most people enjoy "peeking" into someone's else's process and thought patterns. So you can see (if you look closely) that I have not completed the second word of Roman Versals...condenacion. The process here involved writing the same phrase in Spanish and English in the background with a Speedball C-5 nib and White Bleedproof Gouache (Winsor Newton). As I have said before, this brand does not crystallize like Dr. Martin's brand so it has become my favorite and is available at Jerry's or Asel's Art Supply here in Austin.

You might remember that I did this same combination of lettering styles in a smaller posting earlier last week in preparation for this larger piece. So after the background expressive lettering was completed, I sprayed the surface with Spray Acrylic Coating (3x)....drying in between. I then left it overnight to dry. (This same process could have been done with line work, gestural marks, or drawings rather than lettering.) 

This morning I prepared the surface for lettering again with (2) parts water to (1) part gel matte medium and then practiced versals. I wrote the final letters on tracing paper with a black pen and laid it over the background lettering to make sure I was getting the optimal overlay. I then placed another sheet of tracing paper with a scribbled area of a 3B graphite pencil underneath the tracing paper with the letters and rewrote the monoline romans to transfer it to the surface. You could also use Saral Transfer Paper or Graphite Paper, but it leaves a heavy line and smudges that then have to be removed. My experience has been that it is far better to make your own transfer paper than use the commercial kind. You can also use white or any color of watercolor pencil to create a different color transfer. Using a very sharp pencil will also ensure a thinner line and less chance of smudges. 

The techniques I have just explained can help you create several layers of lettering or other types of imagery simply by spraying the surface (3x) and then preparing the surface to receive more line work. You are essentially creating a new surface with the previous layer completely protected. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.

"Rest vs. Unbelief"

($60.00......6" x 6"....Mixed Media on 140 HP.....Mounted on a 1.50" depth Clayboard)

"Rest is the opposite of unbelief." This is the essence of the message from Hebrews 4. As you have noticed, I am rather stuck on this particular passage for an upcoming exhibit. It goes to the heart of what it means to be "Fully Alive" as a Christ follower, so bear with me as I complete my work. I am now ready for the larger works.

The challenge of this piece was enormous and why I am so late posting today. The background of pouring medium was very dark, but did have the association of looking like marbled paper so I decided to go with it, in spite of the complexity of making it look integrated with the text pages. 

In this case, I needed the text pages, otherwise the lettering would not have been easy to read. So by dividing the space into contrasting sizes of horizontal bands and by including another bit of text in the largest band, I was able to give significant weight to both types of bands.

It also helped to bring some mono printed rice paper into the bottom section, which gives the illusion that a portion of the large colored band was peeking through. This is otherwise referred to as an "echo" which is one of the keys to good integration. I also did some deconstruction to create erratic edges, a sense of timelessness, and providing more echoes of the text where the area was a bit static.

If you like this type of mixed media work and you are not a lettering artist, you might want to introduce some erratic marks / lines with a pencil or charcoal pencil. Pencil, of course, will be a lot more subtle. The important thing is not to introduce elements in the work that don't appear to go together. Text pages go with this type of background because of the association historically of marbled papers and books.

Also notice how other mixed media artists combine different elements. Being able to analyze and figure that out will go a long way in understanding design. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.

Please contact me personally to inquire about this piece.

"Mi Reposo"

($60.00......6" x 6"......Pouring Medium.....Mounted on a 1.50" depth Clayboard)

"Stop striving and enter His rest." This is a paraphrase from Hebrews 4:13. It will be submitted for an upcoming Easter Exhibit. "Entraran mi reposo" is Spanish for "Enter my rest."

In this piece, I pumped up the volume in the lettering by combining gestural writing, Roman Versals, and Spencerian Script. There are many people who want lettering to be extremely readable, but I love expressive and gestural writing as well, so this is an illustration of how they can be combined to satisfy my artistic voice and also satisfy the average person who thinks all lettering should be readable. 

This is a pouring medium background from my stash. I am preparing to write on two similar surfaces in an 8" x 8" size so this piece was a precursor to the larger ones. I did the expressive background lettering with a pointed pen. (The surface had been prepared for lettering with (2) parts water to (1) part Gel Matte Medium with (3) applications.) After this lettering was dried, I sprayed it (2x) with Spray Acrylic Coating and prepared it for lettering again.

Next came the Roman Versals, written on tracing paper so I could position it over the expressive lettering. I then transferred it to the piece by scribbling on another sheet of tracing paper with a 3B pencil and slipping it beneath the tracing paper with the lettering and rewriting to transfer it to the piece. The Versals were written with a pointed pen. The one line of Spencerian Script was written last. 

So this is how I prepare to do lettering on larger works. Doing them in a smaller format is the ticket and also gives me another completed piece. The piece is now ready to be sprayed again with Spray Acrylic Coating (3x) and then mounted on a 1.50" depth Ampersand Clayboard. After the sides are painted black, the entire piece will be sprayed one last time with Golden Spray Varnish for Acrylics. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.

"At Rest"

(unavailable.....4" x 6".....Practice Piece....Pouring Med. on 140 lb. HP .....mounted on Gator Board)

"Enter God's rest through prayer and meditation." Lettering is on my agenda today so this is a practice piece with very casual Roman Versals.

This scrap of a pouring medium piece provided an excellent background for a bit of lettering in preparation for a pair of 8" x 8" pieces for an upcoming exhibit. I like to practice for about three days in advance, especially if I haven't written these letters in awhile. So all of my lists and notes about anything will be in Roman Versals for a few days now. 

In the meantime, mixed media is still going on with more glass in the kiln, carving a hand cut stamp, and cutting more balsa wood. And so this is how it goes when preparing for an exhibit. It is similar to weaving and adding different colors of yarn and even changing the pattern a bit.

So the blog is just another way of establishing a rhythm of practice that goes on and on in spite of any other things going on. My desire to work early in the morning keeps me engaged on a daily basis and is the equivalent of practicing my scales so I can play a Mozart Sonata with some degree of proficiency. 

It does become a bit "dicey" when there are several skill levels in play at the same time, so my advice is to add new techniques to your repertoire cautiously and NEVER right before an exhibit. You could end up pulling your hair out and vowing never to create anything again. So be kind to yourself and don't try to learn and combine new things two weeks before pieces are due.

Let me reiterate again, that if you want to become proficient at anything, you must find a strategy that gets you into your studio everyday. Trying to create one perfect piece is a "setup" for failure. It is far better to create as many smaller pieces as you can and then you will have the experience and confidence to work on the larger piece. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.

"El Palabra"

(unavailable....4" x 6" Experimental Mixed Media Piece.....Mounted on Masonite)

"El palabra es eterno." This is Spanish for..."The Word is eternal." This is yet another experimental piece as I am preparing for a much larger piece with mixed media and kiln formed glass.

There is no better way to practice with your materials than doing a small piece. Even one per week is completely doable for most artists. It is the only habit I've developed that has increased "fluidity" in my work. In order to go to the next level, it is imperative to work with your materials until it becomes second nature. Not all pieces will be successful, but the chances are a hundred percent greater in direct proportion to the hours spent in the studio. 

For instance, I learned several things in this piece. The Bible pages I used were a bit too dark so I guarantee I will be very selective with the pages and amount of aging when working on my larger piece. The jury is also still out on this particular glass inclusion. It does replicate the background swirls to some degree, but I prefer to have it look as though it is embedded into the work by using a thicker material for the support that is the same depth of the glass.

So the point is, that even though this was not as successful as I would have liked, the value of seeing it in a completed state is instructive as I move forward to make other decisions in a larger work. This piece is a 4" x 6" which is easy to complete. Another good size with a rectangular shape is a 6" x 8". 

So even if you're not blogging every day, you might still want to consider doing several small pieces with the same elements that you plan to include in a larger work. It pays great dividends by giving you a more successful piece in the end. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.

"Dancing Thoughts"

(unavailable.....4" x 6"....Mixed Media on 140 lb HP....Mounted on Masonite)

"My thoughts dance in rhythm to beauty." The quote makes perfect sense if the definition of dance is any kind of rhythmic movement applied to things other than physical dancing.

I feel as though I'm dancing from one table to the next in my studio between glass work, mixed media, oil paints and lettering. What can I say...except that I am easily bored!

In this piece, I began with a cropped section of pouring medium which is very reminiscent of marbled papers. For that reason I like to combine that look with old book pages and rice paper. I like to go back and forth laying down the text pages and rice papers until it all looks very well integrated.

And of course, I am experimenting always so I added more pouring medium on top of the text pages just to see what it looked like. (The jury is still out on that one.) And so it goes with the nature of experimenting. You simply must try a lot of different things in order to see all of the possibilities. Since art is a visual discipline, most of us need to see unusual combinations of design elements in order to decide whether or not to add them to our repertoire.

So my encouragement today is to look at a lot of art, do a lot of art, and you will eventually have a wonderful "artistic voice" consisting of all of those elements and textures you love. The important thing is to keep at it every day. If you work full time, it is much harder, but if you have a designated place, you will soon find yourself slipping away to that place for a small retreat each day. How exciting to have opportunities to be creative and share our gifting with others! And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.

"Joy"

(unavailable.....4" x 6".....Mixed Media on 140 lb HP.....mounted on Masonite)

"Joy ripples through the peaceful heart." The predominance of red and the violet ripples created by the pouring medium prompted this quote. I have found it to be true that when I am peaceful, there is joy.

This is a 4" x 6" mixed media piece with the base support created with Liquitex Pouring Medium and Fluid Acrylics on a 140 lb. HP support. In previous postings I placed the text pages in the center, creating a vignette. This time, I decided to touch two edges with the shape of the collage elements. There is much that can be accomplished when thinking in shapes. Going one step further and making sure the space is divided in a pleasing way by allowing the shape to touch at least two or more edges of the design space is another option and a bit more dynamic than placing the shape in the center. 

There is a lot of layers of text pages and rice paper, along with deconstructed elements, to create a raised and complex shape with lots of layers. The slight marbling in the pouring medium is also a good pairing with this type of collage. So if you're inclined to rummage around antique stores and look for old books, this might be a project to consider. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.

"A Hymn"

(unavailable....4" x 6".....Mixed Media on 140lb. HP.....mounted on Masonite)

"The church bells rang and the voices sang a hymn to thee." I must be feeling nostalgic today because I remember the days when hymns were sung in church. I still remember most of the words to my personal favorites. In fact, a very special memory I have is my friend, Paula, taking me and a few other friends to a small church in Kennebunkport, Maine, where hymns were sung every Sunday with great vigor. A truly inspiring event for me.

This is a pouring medium piece done in a different way. Instead of pouring the medium onto the wet paper, the paint was applied with a palette knife. There was still some spontaneous movement of the paint, but not as much. It has a more painterly effect. The remainder of the piece is simply old book pages, rice paper, and one bit of a line engraving printed on silk tissue paper. There is also a lot of deconstruction going on to create some of those textures.

Even the colors in this piece reminded me of the Northeast Coast. It's only a 4" x 6" size so it's extremely easy to complete. The important thing to remember when doing these types of mixed media pieces, is to have as many selections in your "stash" as possible.

For instance, you could have a whole day of doing nothing but mono printing rice papers. It makes it so much easier when you already have that part done and all you need to do is go look through your papers to find just the right one.

I do use Speedball Printing Ink (water soluble) for this type of printing because you get a better print than you would if you used acrylic paint. Of course, you then need to spray it with Spray Acrylic Coating before it's ready to adhere to your support. 

You will not interrupt the flow of your creative process if you have these done in advance with all of the typical colors you use. I store mine in large plastic baggies and throw them into a plastic storage container. It's easier to dig through your plastic container of baggies than to rummage through a drawer and you will soon have too many of these to fit in a drawer anyway. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.

"Islands"

(unavailable.....4" x 6"....Mixed Media on 140 lb. HP)

"Islands are the places in my mind where the quiet can be found." Everyone dreams of a far away place where there is sun, palm trees, beaches, and quiet. We cannot always physically be in those places, but we can go there in our minds.

This piece represents yet another way to incorporate old text pages and rice paper. Because the pouring medium technique used in the background is so similar to marbled paper, it matches up beautifully. You may have even found some old books with marbled paper inside the front and back covers. It's one way of remembering the beauty of books that are now quickly being replaced by ipads and Nook. Thank you very much, but I still enjoy holding an actual book in my hand.

So part of me is still wanting to keep the book arts alive by retrieving some of those old books and incorporating them into works of art. I personally believe that bookbinding will still remain popular and will rise to an elevated art form in much the same way that quilts have done. If you've ever been to the Houston International Quilt Show, you will know exactly what I'm talking about.

Anyway, for those of you who have learned how to use Liquitex Pouring Medium and Fluid Acrylics, this should spark your interest. You will soon be scouting around looking for just the right kind of old books. What makes them more appealing than newer books is the patina that magically appears in stark contrast to the rice papers when they are sprayed with Krylon Spray Acrylic Coating. Great fun for a Saturday! And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.

"Vivid Color"

(unavailable)

"Vivid color pierces the eye with its intensity." Color has more power than all the other design elements. It's like a visual "sugar shock" to the senses.

It's been days and even weeks since I've created a pouring medium piece, but I have been wanting to experiment with a more controlled version of doing the pour. In this piece, I taped a segment of 140lb HP to a masonite board with gummed tape that is used for taping down paper for watercolor painting.  (Available at most art stores.)  So the first step is to cut the gummed tape so you have a segment to completely tape down each side. Using a wet sponge, wet both sides of the paper and lay it on the masonite board. Run the wet sponge down the gummed side of each segment of the paper tape (one at a time) and tape down the paper. Let this dry overnight. 

The next day, take a wet sponge and go over the 140lb HP until it's thoroughly saturated. You can then pour your Fluid Acrylics that have been mixed with Liquitex Pouring Medium across your paper from edge to edge. (Don't forget to wear latex gloves.) 

The beauty of this method is that the paper stays flat and does not create a ripple that can cause the color to pool in one spot. In this piece, I picked up the board and let the color flow in one direction only and then left it to dry overnight. 

It was completely flat the following day. So if you've had fun with this technique in the past, you might want to try this much more controlled method. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.

"Growth"

(unavailable)

"The fire of affliction creates growth." There is a caveat to this quote. Affliction only creates growth when the right attitude is displayed. The result is phenomenal!

By keeping a strong color at a minimum...it will actually have more power in the piece. All of the colors in this piece are very transparent. They are some of my favorites. Manganese Blue, Green Gold, and Pyrrole Orange are all Golden Fluid Acrylics. In this piece they are mixed with Liquitex Pouring Medium to create the pour.

In addition to the transparent color, I also used line engravings printed on silk tissue paper underneath and on top of the pour. By using them underneath and on top of the color, more depth is created. The combined techniques of pouring medium and transparency gives a similar look of an encaustic without the hot wax. It's a great look and I hope you will try it sometime. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.

"Caretakers"

(unavailable)

"Angels are the caretakers of the world." There are celestial beings known as angels and then there are people who have the gift of mercy who are also angels. God uses both.

(This piece along with all of the other 4 x 6's I've posted will be given away in a drawing at an upcoming Opening Reception for "Visual Rhapsody".  The date is Friday, Sept. 21st.  For more information check out our website at http://www.pactofaustin.com  Everyone is invited!)

This is a piece created on 300lb. HP watercolor paper. I worked on a larger sheet and began by painting it with black gesso. The papers chosen for the "frame in frame" collage layout were first prepared by mono printing on rice paper. (Mine was purchased at Jerry's and it's called Shanghai)

The process of preparing the rice paper was quite dependent on Speedball Printing Ink and a rubber brayer. The color was brayered on a glass surface and then texturized with gestural marks created with the edge of an old credit card. After these strips of paper were painted, they were dried and sprayed with Spray Acrylic Coating since the ink is water soluble. The importance of this step is to achieve some movement in the piece since most of the edges are straight. However, I took care to have some torn edges as well and to vary the angle a bit. If this is not done, the piece will become very static.  The papers were then caredfully adhered on the support with Gel Matte Medium.  (Golden)

Also notice that the text was adhered to the surface and then overlaid with a blank piece of the rice paper. It is important to include some plain white parts for the sake of light and dark values. Overlaying the rice paper over another image or text also gives a translucent effect.

After the collage was finished, I sprayed again with acrylic coating, dried with a hair dryer, and mounted it on a 4" x 6" piece of masonite. I then poured a white mixture of pouring medium over the entire piece, followed by spraying it with water to remove most of it.  It is very important to mount the piece, if you are simply doing a pour to create a hazy or encaustic look.  I did leave on a considerable amount over the capital "A". It was left to dry overnight and then the surface was prepared for lettering and completed this morning. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.

"Truth Remains"

($60.00.........6" x 6".......mounted on a 1.50" depth clayboard)

"Words may come and go, but the truth remains the same." Reality is a difficult thing, but no amount of words will change it in any area of life.

Many of my compositions come from inspiration in traditional document layouts or things I've seen in the book arts.

When I am creating pouring medium pieces, I consciously try to anchor the color with bands of darker color at the top or bottom of the color bands, and sometimes just the bottom. I find that the grounding color (for me, mostly black) weights the piece at the bottom which gives visual weight in the right place. In this piece, of course, the black band is at the top and bottom with a contemporary twist by having spontaneous shapes rather than the very straight and ordered decorative elements found in most graphic design prints.

By using touches of black with bright colors, I am also referencing my love for Spanish colors. Other grounding colors could be a rich brown such as raw umber, a very deep green, prussian blue (navy), or a very deep burgandy. For me, it is easier to establish echoes with my black line engravings, and black hand lettering than to be switching to other dark colors, so black remains my favorite "ground" in both my art and in my wardrobe. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.

Please contact me personally to inquire about this piece.

"Fragrance of Heaven"

(unavailable)

"The fragrance of heaven is found in prayer." When any kind of stress overwhelms us, it is prayer that transports us to a quiet place of peace and power. It calms the storm.

This visual, along with others I've posted, has a strong repeated design element. The steady drumbeat of a repeated element will always bring calm into a piece and firmly ground it and get rid of the sense of floating elements that are vague and ambiguous. It is similar to the steady beat of a drum in musical presentations. Repetition creates rhythm.

Every artist can make their work stronger by understanding this design principle. In all of life we look for repeated patterns (similar to counting telephone poles) because it has a calming effect on our psyche. And the good news is that there are many different ways to incorporate repetition in any piece of art. It can be a repeated line, color, shape, value, or texture. Because of the strength and boldness of moving color, I have chosen to use a repeat pattern that is bold and strong as a counterpoint to the moving color.

One good way to understand the power of repetition is to look at other artist's work and see how they handle repetition. By narrowing your focus as you study another artist's work, you will be able to observe this particular design principle without the distraction of trying to notice everything at once. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.

"Music and Conversation"

(unavailable)

"Listening is a core skill in music and conversation." Listening requires practice in both of these areas. Because I always seem to have an opinion about everything, this is a difficult one for me, but I am determined to continue with my practice.

I must admit this background was not my favorite one to work with, but I decided to see how I could overcome the challenge of pulling it all together.

When there are horizontal bands of color with very little or no detail, there is a challenge to make the piece more interesting. My first attempt was to try a horizontal band across the bottom, but it just didn't work. I then tried a nice oval and flourished line engraving in the top middle. That didn't work either.

This particular column seemed to do the trick because it crosses over all of the color blocks and provides detail and a contrast to the horizontal bands. The music also contributed to the interest and especially when the notes were added to the upper right hand corner...creating an "echo". And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.

"Peace"

(unavailable)

"Peace can calm the storm of any circumstance." Peace is never achieved by wearing the peace symbol or holding up two fingers. It starts with a choice to live with a focus on the God who is Peace and let it be transferred from Him to you and to others. The spirit of peace is not belligerent or rude, but kind and generous.

This piece has a rich layer of color and texture and borders on visual overload. One of the ways to calm down all of this is to introduce imagery that has a strong grounding color (like black) with some definite form. That is why I am so keen on using line engravings printed on silk tissue paper for these kind of works.

I also chose a capital "P" that has a lot of engraved detail around it and framing out the cap beautifully. The transparency is the key here and would look like it was just "stuck on" if it had been a solid opaque image. The white lettering of the quote is an "echo" of the white peaking through the engraving at the bottom. It is also good to keep in the back of your mind that white has a very calming effect on almost any piece. Just be sure to have white somewhere in the background to echo the collage. It generally doesn't look integrated to stick white lettering on a background that has no other white in the piece.

Because of my time constraints, I don't always have the option of using my owning ink drawings, but that is a wonderful option in this type of work. And the beauty of pouring medium is that it adds color and movement to an ink drawing that can sometimes feel a bit stiff and contrived all by itself on a white sheet of paper. And even if you don't feel confident with your drawing, you could trace a few elements from an image and I can almost guarantee that in time you will be adding your own touches and then drawing free hand. If you are not skilled at working with a pointed pen, there are some pens (available at Jerry's) that have black ink. They are a Prismacolor brand and to achieve a really thin line, you will need to purchase the one that is (.005) in size. It's a wonderful way to learn to draw.

After completing your drawing, you can then print it on silk tissue paper and use as a collage or draw directly on top of your pouring medium. (You will need to prepare the surface for lettering first.) And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.

"In Living Color"

(unavailable)

"Bring it on in living color." Color is always a good thing, but especially good on Monday mornings and holidays!

Horizontal bands are one of the best stabilizers in any composition. After working with moving color for many, many postings, I have come to some conclusions that might help you, especially if you are adding any kind of collage element to the piece.

If you have a very nice directional flow of color in your pour, it is best not to interrupt that flow by placing a collage element in any area that interrupts that flow, especially if it has a lot of interest.

The best way to calm down all of that moving color and bring good design and stability to the piece is to make use of horizontal bands...especially at the bottom of the piece. That will weight it visually at the bottom, which is always a good move.

However, it will have more power if the collage element is a strong grounding color...like black. Black is a fabulous counterpoint in a pouring medium piece as long as you don't let it overtake the piece. So you need to be very careful when doing the pour to keep the black occupying less space than the other colors. It is also a great idea to keep a bit of white pouring medium from the first layer showing, like you see at the bottom of this piece.

Another thing to consider is open line work such as the lettering and flourishing you see here be the horizontal band. It still allows the viewer to enjoy all of the nuances of color in the pour.

By stamping (with acrylic paint) on the blank 140 lb HP before the pour, you are also creating more depth and a bit of mystery. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.