"Psalm 100" (draft 6)

(draft 6....18" x 24")

Today I realized that I had forgotten just how much longer it takes to do lettering on a large piece. What you see today is my lines ruled with a white charcoal pencil and the roman versals written in skeletal form with a pointed pen. I need several days to finish due to other obligations so the final will be posted on Saturday (I think!)

You can now see where the piece is headed in the final stage. For my lettering art friends, I always write my versals in a skeletal form first just to make sure it reads and flows well before building them up with a Mitchell #6 nib and also a pointed pen on the smaller letters.

When writing free form letters like this, it really does help to draw in some free flowing lines first. It is also a good way to emphasize some of the words by making the space in between the lines larger. I am pleased with the flow, but the real test is after they're finished.

There is a lot going on in this piece, but I hope you can see how the black areas ground the piece and by adjusting some of the other values and toning down the texture, the piece tells the viewer where to look. The focal area is framed in by a band of textured areas with an outer frame of black, but just on three sides. It's a very interesting division of space.

And for my glass friends, a two layer kiln fired piece of glass is a very nice inclusion in a mixed media piece, especially if a part of the glass is transparent. In the case of the glass made for this piece, there is a totally transparent band in the upper center of the glass that magnifies the lettering from an old bible which says "The Book of Psalms". All of the text pages in the piece are also from the psalms. Keeping the main thing, the main thing keeps confusion out of the eye of the viewer.

There are also many "echoes" in this piece as well as a full range of values.  Another thing to notice is that well placed shapes of black and white plus other colors works every time it's tried. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.

"Change" (Final)

($125.00......6" x 8"....Mixed Media and Kiln Formed Glass....Mounted on a 2" Depth Clayboard)

"Change replaces one thing for another." Change is never easy, but growth will not happen without it. Old strategies must often be changed for new ones in order to get where you want to go. This has many spiritual as well as secular applications.

What a difference a day makes! Many changes occurred in this piece since yesterday. The most significant one is the orientation. The kiln formed glass is now at the top rather than the bottom. It seemed much more dynamic to me. If I had rushed to adhere everything to the support, this option would have been gone. This is why I gravitate to processes that allow me options for change.

Another very important thing I've learned when doing works with glass and the kind of erratic edges created with the covered balsa wood pieces is to completely finish the clayboard by preparing it to be hung before adhering anything to the support. Touch ups are one thing, but when there is gesso, black acrylic paint, and steel wool involved, it is best not to have all of those elements on the board. Besides, you take a risk in having some glass crack in the process of installing the screw eyes. 

There were also many more additions of papers placed in key areas. I paid particular attention to where the text would be seen from the side so much more text was added before the balsa wood pieces were attached to the support (with Gel Matte Med). They were then weighted down with wax paper, followed by a bk....followed by a rock...for several hours and then more plain rice paper was adhered to cover some of the seams. This was left overnight to dry. If you try to write on freshly applied rice paper, even if it has been dried with a hair dryer, it can tear in the process of writing. So it is best to leave it overnight. 

This morning, I sprayed the piece with Spray Acrylic Coating (glass was removed) which changes the nature of the paper to appear much more translucent. You can see in yesterday's posting what it looks like before spraying. There is quite a difference.

The piece was then prepared to receive lettering with (2) parts water to (1) part gel matte medium. I gave it (3) applications to make sure the rice paper was thoroughly covered. After writing the background writing....I sprayed with acrylic coating again...prepared the surface for lettering again and wrote the versals. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.

  Please contact me personally to inquire about this piece.

"It Is Finished" (Part I)

($450.00.....12" x 36"......Mixed Media and Kiln Formed Glass on a 2" depth Clayboard)

"It is finished." This is part of the text and the title of the piece. You are seeing the first half of a 12" x 36" piece. There is one more larger cross and one more smaller piece of glass with mixed media in between. You will see the actual lettering on the piece tomorrow although there is some pencil lettering in this first part.

There are significant things to learn when exploring new processes. And frankly, exploration is quite necessary in order to set yourself apart and establish a clear voice. Even while working on this piece after several practice runs on smaller ones, I have though of even more variations on this theme. So if you wonder why many artists like to work in a series or stay with a particular set of techniques for a long time, it is to discover everything that can be discovered until the well runs dry.

One of the things I've really noticed about my own personal aesthetic is that I love any materials that allow me to show transparency, translucency, and opacity and contrast all three in the same piece. Transparent glass is the premium material for transparency, but rice paper is the premium material for showing translucency. Depending on how many layers you apply, rice paper can reveal anything from a little to nothing. And that's what the process here is all about. 

I've carefully chosen what I want to reveal or conceal. There may be even more adjustments before tomorrow. For the most part, the piece is finished, all but the lettering, but I am opting to save that until early in the morning. It is ready to hang since all elements are adhered to the board, and the sides were painted and the wire and label were put on before adhering things to the board. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about. 

Please contact me personally to inquire about this piece.

"White As Snow" (draft)

(unavailable....6" x 6".....Cropped Portion of a Larger Piece)

"Though your sins be as scarlet, they can be as white as snow." (Isaiah 1:18 NCV) This is a cropped portion of yet another 12" x 12" piece for an Easter Exhibit. The meaning of the cross is spelled out in this passage with a comparison that even a child can understand. (The complete piece will be posted tomorrow.)

The interesting thing about working with mono printed rice papers, old book pages, and plain rice paper is the ability to adjust the values as you create the piece. Some of the sections in this cropped version might change a bit before I finish. 

This piece also represents a culmination of mixed media techniques I have been experimenting with in smaller versions. Even this piece is the precursor for another one that is 12" x 36". I am using the same materials in both pieces and have been working on the elements for both simultaneously. 

The raised areas are pieces of balsa wood painted with white gesso and then wrapped in mono printed papers, text, and plain rice paper. There will also be several smaller pieces of the solid transparent turquoise glass fitted inbetween the balsa wood pieces like a puzzle. The idea is to use more of the mono printed papers (all neutral colors) than the text pages. To create continuity, I also hand cut a zig zag stamp which appears randomly in the mono printed papers and is also etched into the glass paint before firing. 

This type of a repeat is a unifying factor and provides rhythm in the piece. The take away from all of this is an insight into process. There are many steps to completing a piece of artwork and working smaller first is an important step. And every piece is a learning process in which many decisions have to be made. So take a deep breath and work methodically and consistently to accomplish your goals whether it is in art or some other area. 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.

"The Motif"

(unavailable....6" x 6" Experimental Piece.....Mixed Media and Kiln Formed Glass Mounted on a 1.50" depth Board)

"Values are the motif in art and life." A motif is a salient feature of a particular thing. In the case of my quote today, values are the salient feature of a piece of artwork or a life. Without values, neither has the right foundation.

Values are the "sneakiest" of all of the design elements. I haven't quite figured out why that is except for the fact that most artists (including me) get caught up in the focal point, the colors, the line work and all of the other elements first because they are more obvious. However, it is the contrasting values that make the hugh difference.  Without value contrasts, there is essentially no piece of artwork....to speak of.

The most common error I've seen in my own work and in others is not having the darks dark enough or the lights light enough. So when you're working on something and can't seem to figure out what the problem is, always, always, always check the values. If you can't seem to tell what the values really are, then make a black and white copy of your piece and you will see it immediately.

Without the dark values, the piece will be weakened considerably. That's exactly what I was experimenting with today. Doing yet one more experiment in order to more clearly define my values in a larger work I am presently creating. I can see very clearly from my experiment today, that I will be very selective where I place text pages and may choose to paint the balsa wood white rather than black. And then use mono printed rice papers to create the "tone on tone" look I am after. Hence, the need to do smaller works to see if things work before committing to a larger work and becoming frustrated.

So this piece is all old book pages and rice papers adhered to smaller sections of balsa wood (painted black) and then making it fit together with the two pieces of glass. So my conclusion after today is that the text needs to be used very sparingly and probably exclusively under my glass pieces and leaving the rest with a variation of neutral tones with texture created from the mono printing. 

So the process I have been sharing shows a series of steps that are quite necessary in order to create a large work. Now I have a much better idea of what the next step needs to be. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.

"Foundation of Freedom"

($175.00.....6" x 6"....Mixed Media & Kiln Formed Glass in a 4" width Custom Frame)

"Trust in God is the foundation of freedom." Freedom of religion is a very important freedom as seen in the Texas and United States Constitution. This is yet another piece for an upcoming exhibit. (Thanks to all of you for your well wishes and prayers last week. I am feeling better now.)

Even when I was not feeling well last week, my mind kept going over the importance of process which invariably involves practice. I've already begun working on a 12" x 36" mixed media and glass piece which would have not been possible without going through the process on smaller pieces. 

Larger works can become overwhelming and even come to a stand still without having done the ground work of "test fires" (so to speak). The piece today is a bit different than other text pages I've done because I played around with the exposed black background as a more integral part of dividing the space. I rather like it and will more than likely want to continue experimenting with the amount of black exposed and perhaps including color patterns in those areas.

And of course, this is the whole point of working small and working everyday. All of the ideas that come to mind cannot be realized in on just one large piece. By working small, the materials, techniques, and integration issues can be worked out with minimal time and expense.

So if you are not yet convinced that working small and frequently is for you, than perhaps a play date with a friend might be a consideration. And then you have a partner in crime as well as an enjoyable afternoon. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.

Please contact me personally to inquire about this piece.

"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.

"Heaven Flowers"

(unavailable....5" x 5".....Mixed Media....Mounted on a 1.50 depth Clayboard)

"Flowers were birthed in heaven and scattered upon the earth." Flowers possess all of the perfect elements of design...so of course they came from heaven!

This small mixed media piece is another experiment and practice session in laying down text pages that look like they're embedded in rice paper. By allowing the edges of all of the layers to be visible, a sense of depth is achieved. 

It also helps to have text pages with red or gold on the edges to define them and use that element of line to be a more dominant part of the piece. I haven't tried this yet, but it might be fun to paint the edges of the book pages before tearing them out to make a more creative statement. Since I haven't tried that, it might not work, but I expect that it would help to have the book closed tightly with perhaps a rock on top to make sure paint didn't seep between the pages. It would help to have the paint thick enough to not be "runny" and cause bleeding.

My mind goes wild thinking about this because there are other beautiful colors as well as other metallics that could add that bit of sparkle and line work that is so appealing. So if you haven't already purchased your stash of books, you might want to get to the antique stores very soon because these old books are becoming a "hot commodity"!

Of course, I already have enough to last me a lifetime, but I still keep looking. Poetry books and old Bibles are especially good. However, my friend Sue seems to be enthralled with numbers and odd books with architectural or mathematical type drawings. It's up to you. There's plenty to choose from. And unbeknownst to me, some of the Half Price Book stores have an old section that is promising.

As technology sweeps us off our feet, actual books that you can hold in your hand may become obsolete. And this is all the more reason I have personally gravitated to anything having to do with books. They make wonderful additions to artwork and provide a visual history of all types of books. 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.

"In The Morning"

($100.00.......6" x 6"....Mixed Media on 300 lb HP and Balsa Wood.....Mounted on a 2.00" depth Clayboard)

"Early in the morning will I pray to you, my Lord." This mixed media piece expresses my thoughts on how to start the day. I am really not pleasant until I've had conversation with God.

This piece has two levels of depth. The area surrounding the glass is a piece of 1/4" depth balsa wood to make it the same level as the glass. The dimensional look is quite appealing when viewing the original piece and creates a tremendous amount of depth. I even wrapped some of the text pages around the balsa wood which creates another level of interest. In pieces like this, where there is a hugh "wow" factor of fused glass, it is best to keep the main thing the main thing by not introducing too much color, line drawings, or any other imagery. This is a lettering piece....pure and simple. Even the glass has gestural writing written into the powders before firing. 

I did do a lot of deconstruction from some of the text pages and some blue monoprinted rice papers left over from other projects. In fact, using deconstruction to add a bit of color is a much more subtle technique than trying to do a wash or other type of painting. That would look contrived, but this leaves just a whisper or fragment of the color in a very random way. 

By using balsa wood instead of stacking 300 lb. HP papers to imbed the glass, the end result is a much cleaner edge which allows it to be mounted on a 1.50" or 2" depth clayboard rather than presenting it in a frame. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about. 

Please contact me personally to inquire about this piece.

"The Womb of Trust"

(unavailable......6" x 6".....Mixed Media on 300 lb HP....presented in a custom frame)

"Joy is birthed in the womb of trust." Trusting God is the core message of this quote. This is a piece that will be submitted for an Easter exhibit. So from now until the week of Easter, there will be pieces that are designed to fit in with the theme of "Fully Alive".

This piece incorporates the same materials as my posting yesterday. There is old book pages, rice paper, deconstruction techniques, and kiln formed glass. 

Today, I want to address the issue of deconstruction and patina on different surfaces. Several in my last mixed media class are still having issues with deconstruction. So I have been paying close attention to the particular elements that need to be in place to achieve optimal results. I have noticed that when I laid down plain rice paper over old book pages and then deconstructed another page of text over that (deconstruction is laying a paper down and pulling it off)...the moisture that was still present in the fresh rice paper that had just been laid down has everything to do with the deconstructed piece leaving part of its surface behind. 

So in this piece, I had laid everything under a rock overnight and all of the rice papers were extremely dry this morning. By simply brushing on some gel matte med. to the rice paper already attached to the piece....the piece you place on top of that (also coated with med) will more readily leave behind traces of the part that was laid into the damp rice paper.

Another technique I used on this piece was laying down some text in the bottom left hand corner that says "Trust in God". I did not want it to look like it was an afterthought, so I lightly sanded (with very fine grit sandpaper) the edges and brushed over the top. I then added ever more rice paper over part of that to completely imbed it into the background. After doing these things, I covered the glass part with masking tape and sprayed the text pages with Spray Acrylic Coating. This immediately makes the plain rice paper more transparent....and sometimes too transparent, especially if you are writing on top of this surface. So I added more plain rice paper strips in select areas before spraying again at least two times before preparing the surface for lettering.

Hope this helps those of you who have a keen interest in integration using deconstruction and sanding techniques. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.

"Trust"

(unavailable.....6" x 6".....Mixed Media on 300 lb HP.....presented in a 4" width custom frame)

"Trust emerges out of faithfulness." It is easy to trust someone who has been faithful to you. This has secular and spiritual applications. In a spiritual sense, it could have said, "Trusting God emerges out of His faithfulness."

This mixed media piece involves several disciplines. There is collage with text pages, design, kiln formed glass, and lettering. Each of these requires a tremendous amount of time, but it's a beautiful thing when they come together in one piece. 

It has long been my desire to combine the transparent and reflective qualities of glass with paper. No easy task. Finally, it has emerged in the way I have envisioned. Those who have been in my mixed media classes will recognize the old text pages, rice paper and slivers of black gesso peeping through. All of this was mounted on 300 lb. HP Watercolor Paper. After completing the collage part, cropping and mounting on a Gessobord....the piece was weighted under wax paper, followed by a book, and then a rock and left to dry overnight.

I did select my piece of glass last night after rummaging through my leftovers of other kiln formed projects. This one was perfect because of the colors, gestural writing and areas that were clear so some of the lettering could show through. I did select particular words and phrases and adhered them in the areas where the clear glass would land. 

The next step was to cut leftovers of my text pieces and cut two sections for the top and two for the bottom to bring the background up to the level of the glass. These sections were adhered with Gel Matte Med. for the text pages and Durobond for the galss. All of this was then weighted down while I practiced my lettering. After (45) min....I sprayed the text page parts of the piece (covering the glass with masking tape) and then prepared those portions for lettering with (2) parts water and (1) part gel matte med. 

The lettering was done with a Speedball C-5 nib and Moon Palace Ink. I then took it outside and photographed the piece and downloaded it on the computer and posted on this blog. And that's how it's done! And there you have it...just a few more things to try or think about.

"Art Happens"

(sold)

"Art happens by design." There are rare moments when art seems to come together perfectly with no "snags".   Most of the time, artists need to know enough to put all of the elements together.  It is a lifelong study.

This is another mixed media piece showing how to incorporate fused glass into the piece. This particular glass was textured with glassline paint, using a palette knife and then adding powders to the paint, inscribing the word artwork before firing. Just so you know.... I did not create this piece of glass for this particular piece, but it was part of a number of pieces fired at the same time and done months ago. Fortunately for me, the colors happened to go with the colors in this piece.

Instead of using an old book cover to frame out the glass, I used some scraps of the the text pages mounted on 300lb. HP which accommodates the thickness of the glass. In fact, this whole piece is different sections of bits and pieces and I arranged them to create erratic edges of the black background. You can get more interesting sizes this way. Very often, the sizes of the text pages tend to be laid down too predictably and this cropping and rearranging method circumvents that issues. It will also inform the way you lay down papers in the future. It is the line work and edges created by the black background that gives these types of pieces so much drama. 

And of course, the old book pages turn colors even more when sprayed with Spray Acrylic Coating. The glass provides a different texture and is one of the most time honored mediums to include in your work. It's been around a very long time and has the transparency and reflective qualities that will always bring your artwork to another level. Stained glass or found pieces of glass could also be included. (It will be important to incase the glass in a book cover or like I did in this piece to keep sharp edges from hurting people who have an insatiable desire to touch the glass.) 

The exploration of paper and glass together is an inviting thought process so I would encourage any of you who are feeling adventurous to see what you can do. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about. 

"Music, Art, and Life"

($50.00.......6" x 6".....Mixed Media on 140 lb. HP.....mounted on a Gessobord)

"Passion and tempo are the core of music, art, and life." If you can think back to the times where you were truly energized and at the top of your game, there were probably two ingredients that entered that equation. Those two things were probably passion and tempo (or pacing). Nothing gets done without them.

This is my warm up for beginning and completing a 12" x 12" mixed media piece. If all goes well, it will be posted on Sunday. 

There are several things I want to emphasize about old text pages and rice paper that you might not have noticed. Old book pages are often stained with age, spills, or simply fingerprints. Placing these text pages in a layering situation with white and pristine rice paper creates a wonderful dynamic. What really brings out the contrast, though, is spraying the piece with Spray Acrylic Coating. It's like a transformation of the piece right before your eyes. All of the "aged" qualities of the old book pages come to life and make an interesting background on which to build the piece. 

Another point about these two materials is the many different directions it can go. What you see today is only one way to use them. If you eliminate the mono printed rice papers and simply create a pen and ink drawing, you will have created a very strong piece which is totally graphic.

You could also change the base color of your support (140 lb. HP) and have a completely different look. Another way is to adhere strips of rectangular shapes in many different sizes and completely cover the support. ( I have done this on canvas.) After this first layer dries thoroughly (overnight)...it is then possible to paint over the entire piece with acrylic paints using a palette knife, sponge brush, or brayer.  The edges of the rice paper will always show through the paint.  I found it very useful to dilute the acrylic paint and apply it in thin layers as though it were watercolors. Fluid Acrylics would be good for this technique. You then have the option to use sgraffito effects, hand cut stamps, et. And if you're really brave, you can get out your sander and truly alter the surface. (I did learn the hard way that it is best to use a variable speed sander for more control. Otherwise you could sand straight through your piece. It would be wise to practice on a work off piece first to get the feel of the sander and what it will do.) 

My mind is whirling with all of the possibilities of rice paper and text pages so the studio will be a sea of activity today. Hopefully, you will also be in yours, working away on your work. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about. 

Please contact me personally to inquire about this piece.

"Vintage Memories"

($50.00.....6" x 6".....Mixed Media on 140 lb. HP....mounted on a Gessobord)

"Vintage memories are the remnants of days gone by." The one thing remaining in my studio that reminds me of Christmas is a poinsettia plant. So I decided to do a pen and ink drawing superimposed over some practice pencil lettering. The word happened to be vintage. It was then an easy thought process to create a quote to describe the memories of Christmas and days gone by.

This mixed media piece was created with a base of old text pages and rice paper in a grid format with slivers of the black gesso showing through. It harkens back to one of my favorites quotes...."Black and white plus one or more colors works every time it's tried." So the grid format in the background creates a foundation for another format on top. This one happens to be a cruciform format. It is nothing more than adding color and image from edges to edge both vertically and horizontally. It is one of the easeiest formats and has many variations since you have the option of dividing the space in both directions at any number of points. 

Since the ink drawing was created over my pencil practice lettering, you can see the word "vintage" written several times. The pencil writing adds a very personal touch to any piece and gives the feeling of movement as well as another layer of interest without being overpowering. (The computer can create letters and even drawings if you have the write application, but it cannot create pencil marks.)

Another important point in creating these types of pieces is to mix up very straight edges with erratic edges. So some of the original text pages were torn and some left straight which determines what kind of black line will be formed in exposing the black support. 

There is also a lot of deconstruction with extra text pages on top of the red/orange color blocks, the drawing, and some of the plain rice paper. This not only creates texture, but unifies the piece. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about. 

Please contact me personally to inquire about this piece.

"Textured Layering"

(unavailable)

"Textured layering with transparency creates depth." Technically speaking, all art is layering, but there is something about transparency that gives it more depth and more mystery.

This, of course, is another mixed media piece. Yesterday, I went into detail about the basic steps of how this particular process was created. Today I would like to touch on the particular techniques that create transparency. 

The most obvious transparency has to do with the materials. Rice paper is a wonderful paper because it was made for printing techniques and it has a wonderful translucence that can turn into transparency by gently rubbing over the surface, especially if it has just been glued to the support. There is just enough moisture in the top surface to "pill" off as you gently rub it with your fingers. 

The silk tissue paper (gampi) is also a beautiful material because it is totally transparent as you can see in the line engraved print of the leaves. Unusual color notes can be achieved by placing mono printed rice paper over the background, followed by the printed tissue paper. 

Deconstruction is also a way of achieving transparency by brushing gel matte medium over an old text page or a mono printed rice paper and then placing it over a section of the piece. Letting it sit for a minute or two and then removing the paper will leave behind an imprint of either the color or the text. It can be taken a step further by also rubbing over the deconstructed text and removing even more of the paper to create the transparency seen in the leaves and in the green color notes at the bottom.

This is a richly textured surface and even more can be achieved by working larger and introducing a more varied range of mono printed papers. It's extremely addictive, but I heartily recommend it as a way of show casing your personal drawings by printing them on silk tissue paper and including them in this type of mixed media setting. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.