Painting Skills

This is a scan of my first successful painting in the style of Gaelle Boissonard. In my painting lesson, I wanted to learn how to do shading and background texture, and Barbara and I created this background together using gesso, a comb, the opposite tip of a paintbrush, a meat tenderizer, and splotches of watercolor paint.  The green paint itself is a mixture of watercolor and acrylic!!!  I never would have thought to do that.

The main lessons for me in this project were the use of white to create depth in the body, and having the patience (aka taking the time) to make different shades of the same color to get the shading right.  Working on a painting really takes time.  And you can't do it all in one sitting.  

The scan didn't capture the entire painting, but I'm planning to keep this one to hang up in our house so maybe sometime you'll get to see the whole thing in person.

A week later, I continued on the theme and created this card for my friend Katie who got a job she really wanted!  After hanging up with her on the phone when she announced the news, I couldn't stop smiling!  I felt like it was almost my own accomplishment!  So that is what the card says: Friendship is when another's victory feels like yours.

Finally for today, here is me at last week's First Friday, with my "sculpture" and wearing a "featured artist" button.  The leg fit right in to the bike-themed show, and I had a lot of fun just being a part of any show at all.  You can see it on display throughout the month of June at the Poudre River Arts Center at 406 N College Ave in Fort Collins.  Of course, you can see replicas at a Brave New Wheel (105 E Myrtle St) and at the Cycologist (217 Linden St), and you can buy fashionable bike bands at any of the three locations.