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Positively Trying New Techniques, Face 13-17


29 Faces is about trying new things, and this piece is all about that.  Here are the steps that I took to create Faces 13-17.

Step 1: On a canvas board, I sketched the faces and scene.




Step 2:  Using old atlases, I used gel medium to collage grass.





Step 3:  Modeling paste and a stencil help to add texture to the cat.  Note to self, be sure to clean off mist spray before reusing stencils.  The cat has a chartreuse coloured body for now. 




Step 4:  Flowers are collaged on after drawing and cutting them from old atlas pages.




Step 5:  Acrylic paint assists me to paint this little house.  The three windows on the second floor would be where my art studio would be if I lived in this house!  The house in the photos looks red, but it is more of a pinky-orange.




Step 6:  Paving stones are cut out, again using old atlas maps, and then collaged onto the path.




Step 7:  I decide to add dimensional fabric paint as grout for the stones on the path.  I also add a few details to the flowers.




Step 8:  Using pages from the Nancy Drew book that I have turned into a journal, I collaged around the trees, house and cat to make the background.





Step 9 and 10:  Using British Columbia atlas pages, I create the trunks and branches of the trees and begin to frame the faces in the trees. I also use acrylic paint to make the sky.  Today's sky looked somewhat like this, mare's tails and wind.





Step 11:  Next I cut little leaves out of Quebec atlas pages and collaged them.  I also added a bush to the front of the house.




A close up:



Step 12:  Now the tricky part, painting the faces and adding paint to the trees to add cohesion and human qualities and bark.




Step 13: Creating the face behind the cat on the tree with paint.  It sort of looks like she has a cape.  




Step 14:  This is my favourite face, besides the cat. It went very smoothly and only took me one try!   Hallelujah!  I like the way it looks like it is part of the clouds.




Step 15:  The tree face next to the house is completed.  Now that I look at it closely, it sort of looks like me. Weird, huh?




Step 16:  Deciding what colour to paint the cat, my first cat in acrylics, was the hard part.  I decided to use colours of my cat, Painted Smile, the cat I drew yesterday.  I was originally going to paint the drawing I did of her yesterday, but decided I liked it with pencil, so today I thought I should be brave and try to paint a cat.  I used shades of grey, mixing white, blue and a smidge of black.  I added blue highlights, red and pinky orange colours to connect the cat to the sky, house, flowers, rocks and trees.





Step 17:  Finishing touches to the house are added.  I decide that I don't like the the blue window panes, and paint them white.  I use a white gel pen to add shingles to the roof, and curly-cues to the front of the house. Lattice is painted, stained glass details are added with a Sharpie and a door knob in silver.  Steps to the house are painted.




Step 18:  The flowers are outlined with dimensional fabric paint to add texture and shine. The cat's eyes are tweaked, too.





Step 19:  A butterfly and a few purple flowers are added using an old map from Montana.




Step 20:   A few touch ups here and there.






Step 21:  Deciding enough is enough before something goes wrong and trying to take a clear photo of the finished picture, I declared this picture finished!



Comments

  1. Fabulous Renee!!! So much of your collage uses materials and techniques I know and love, we are Artist twins!!!! ;) The faces are all beautiful, I especially like the idea of the face in the tree, I like to believe trees have spirits so it is nice to meet one visually. I smiled when you mention that the face in the sky looks like you, people often comment that my faces look like me, it is never intentional, perhaps it is just that our own face is the one which we find most familiar. I notice your use of fabric 3D paint, this is one of my favourite products and I have experimented with many brands, my favourite at the moment is ranger liquid pearls. I think painted smile is the perfect friend for Misty, much love x

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  2. What a wonderful way to incorporate five faces into one lovely artwork. And it is clear that it is not a speedy process, you have so many processes to go through, and you have so much patience and take such care with elements like the book page collage background. I love the finshed result and the fabulous cat. It all makes me think od a fairy tale in which the friendly cat is the main character. All this semi-hidden faces add to the mystery.

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  3. Lovely, and really well done Renee! I have a friend who also incorporates faces into her trees, water etc. I should take a photo and send it to you, (inspiration is always a wonderful thing). :)

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  4. Slowly catching up on your blog!!! WOW! You've been a busy artist!!! This is an amazing piece!!! So many textures and interesting details! Your pieces are always fascinating and I LOVE the faces in the trees! Aaaah ... the stories you pieces tell!!!! :D

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  5. Such a wonderful piece. I love all the different faces and details. It was fun to see it come to life with the different stages. I kept thinking that it must have taken a long time!

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  6. It's all very magical. So, much detail and energy. wonderful!

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  7. That's quite a piece of work! I love how you show all the different steps, and I love that big satisfied grin on the cat :-) Very clever how you did all those faces. The end result is magical ...

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  8. You all make me feel so magical with all of your beautiful words!

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  9. Very unique and creatieve!! Lovely work!!

    Smiles from Belgium, Saskia :)

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