Mixed media in process
6 1/2" x 9"
Well, here it is -- mid-afternoon on a Sunday. The weekend window of opportunity is narrowing. Yesterday was filled with errands, a long overdue and much welcomed visit with dear friends, and a little baking. Interspersed, were trips back and forth from one studio "annex" (read: dining room table) to another annex (read: sunroom table) and then back to the "main studio" (read: converted bedroom). Mind you, this was strictly a "get re-acquainted with the 'this-and-thats' (sketches, surface designs, etc.), that might one day be useful in a work of some sort or another" kind of activity. Nothing productive by any stretch of the imagination. Late in the evening, I became sort of "desperate," if you will. So I grabbed a very "dullish," "reject " monoprint. "Dull" as in drab mauve and even drabber olive, and black. Then, I grabbed my Prismacolor pencils, set up camp in front of the dying fire, and begin to color. That's right -- color -- just like a schoolgirl. And now, my destined-for-for-the-trash monoprint has become this colorful "doodle-print-sketch-ditty!''
Which leads me to a wonderful bit of advice that I gleaned from the extremely talented artist behind Non-Indigenous Woman. NEVER GIVE UP ON A DRAWING. This little gem came forth when she generously took the time to respond to a question I had asked about a watercolor process she had touched on in one of her posts. (I've mentioned Non-Indigenous Woman on this blog before. If you haven't visited there yet, I highly recommend it. She instructs at the university level and the focus of her own work is currently printmaking. She is a fabulous illustrator and her mixed media sketches are just amazing.
"Graphic Ovoids" - first state
"Graphic Ovoids" - second state
Acrylic on canvas 36" x 36"
Speaking of schoolgirls (and boys), did you ever look at "Highlights" magazine in the waiting room of the doctor or dentist as a child? Remember the "Can You Find the Hidden Objects?" feature? Well, that's what these two photographs of "Graphic Ovoids" are like: Can you identify the differences between the first and second states? No? --I didn't think so -- :) -- because they are so darn subtle. So I shall assist: The changes include "Xs" in the orange rectangle, changes to the hue of some of the "white" quadrants on the eggs, darkening of the grey/brown quadrants of the eggs, additional definition on the perimeter of the eggs, and a warming up of the lower field. All that over the course of a few hours to achieve subtle differences! So that's what I've been looking at for the last week. And now, the time has come to garner my courage and jump back into the painting...
Stay tuned, and have a wonderful week!
:)
