Positively Surprising, Face 5

I never dreamed that this would be the outcome of my painting.  I was going to paint using only basic shapes, using the method I have been studying in Flora Bowley's book,  but once my music started playing, the music took over and my brush did whatever the music told it too.

I recently watched a wonderful movie called, Quartet, (directed by Dustin Hoffman) which is about famous retired musicians who all live in the same retirement home.  The soundtrack is equally enjoyable.  The music of Giuseppe Verdi, La Donna E Mobile, is the first song on the soundtrack and this is what it looked like.

Step 1:  Fingers my fingers and my entire body is dancing to the music and are doing the painting.

Step 2:

Step 3:  Every 15 minutes or so, I flipped the canvas, to prevent getting into a rut.  Using fingers and brushes here.

Step 4:

Step 5:

Step 6, 7 and 8:  Can you find the waltz?  This is where I stopped on the weekend when the 29 Faces challenge started.  I did have time to finish this, because of the time commitment I need to put into making each face.  Like I mentioned in my previous post, it takes me forever to make faces.  I continued to listen to my Quartet soundtrack over and over again.  There is one song called, The Mikado: The Flowers That Bloom in Spring, Tra La...  Maybe that is why I painted flowers?  I also love to garden, and draw flowers, so no real surprise here.

Step 9:  Today, I took a sick day.  My students were telling me they just couldn't take me seriously when my voice creaked and croaked.  I have been coughing all week.  It was time to stay home and not talk and convince my voice to come back.  Painting does not require talking, so I took the plunge.  I decided I wanted something to post for Friday's Paint Party, and also for 29 Faces.  I decided to combine the two. This is the largest canvas I have ever painted for myself.   It is a good thing my husband bought be a new easel that can accommodate all sizes!  What a guy!

 I continued to listen to my Quartet soundtrack over and over again. Good thing there are 24 songs, it didn't drive my sick son crazy listening to it over and over again!

Step 10-????  Obviously I got so involved painting, I forgot to take pictures for the next steps.  Besides the girl, can you find any other faces?  I used both my right and left hands to paint. My left hand is not my dominant hand and is looser in its strokes.  I love to read outside with the sound of nature accompanying me.  I also love to be outdoors looking for faces in the clouds and trees.  Hint, hint.

Step 15:  I stopped to take a few photographs of a downy woodpecker through my dining room window, and noticed the cool swirls in my paint water.  The woodpecker photos aren't good enough to post, but look at the water!

Detail:  Can you see the hidden faces now?  One is a happy accident and formed all by itself.

Final touch:  I added a few more little faces. Can you find them?

I was totally surprised to paint a girl in a dress.  I haven't worn a fancy dress since...I can't even remember the last time.  What isn't surprising is the painting involves nature and a a book, blue and my new favourite colour... magenta!   You never know with this technique what the final piece will look like to the very end.  A bit scary, but mostly invigorating!

I have another canvas one on the go that I used to clean the paint off of my fingers and brushes.  That may be tomorrow's finished piece.  It is the fourth of this sized canvas, so hopefully it won't take me all day like this one did.

Happy Paint Party Friday and 29 Faces hope you all have a pleasant healthy weekend!