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I have always loved to draw. The beauty of a model can be examined more closely when drawing. It is a reflective activity that allows the artist time to observe the little nuances that make a person an individual and helps develop sensitivity to the medium used and the image created. I always use drawings instead of photos in mixed media pieces because they add my personal interpretation to the subject.

A collection of bits and pieces of flora found in my walks led to an idea of combining them with a recent drawing. I wanted to alter the drawing to look as if it was created on an old silk surface. I photographed a piece of silk and used that photo in a transparent layer over the original drawing in Photoshop, playing around with texture and color for an afternoon until several alternatives had the feeling I wanted. 

After choosing one that spoke to me I printed it out on BFK paper, which is heavy and feels like cotton, and tore the border with a raggedy edge. I noticed that the edges had a lacy feel so decided to color it to look antique. I completed the look of embroidery edging using a dry brush technique in gold paint over the outer edges. Gold acrylics were spattered and dry brushed over the complete surface for a mottled, vintage look. After coating with a UV-Resistant spray the whole paper was covered in Acrylic Gloss Medium.

I prepared the basswood base with the red medium bole and adhesive and added the real gold leaf along the edges and sides. I always design the leaf so some of the bole shows leaving a distressed look. Too much perfection makes me nervous! Old weathered walls, antique fabrics, and surfaces with character inspire me and reflect my esthetic. In this case I did not antique the gold leaf because I wanted a cleaner look to focus attention on the central area.

At this point I realized that my bits of leaves and berries could not stand up to the wear and tear of affixing them to the surface because they were already dried, not alive and malleable. Besides, I am an artist, right? So I photographed the whole assemblage tilted to create shadows under the berries and twig, and used the photo to meticulously copy them as if they were really sitting on top of the piece. This technique is called Trompe L’Oeil; French for “fool the eye”. 

Here is a picture of me starting to copy the berries on to the BFK surface. My little helper Chelsea was willing to share my chair, or at least a few inches of it, while I painted. 

Then I assembled the parts with Acrylic Heavy Gel, used a brayer to make sure no air bubbles were trapped under the paper, and voila! Winter Berries was complete. I love the open-ended experimentation of this way of working. It brings me back to childhood projects and keeps me learning new ways of expression. It is always a surprise how the final piece looks at the end because I never exactly know what choices I will make along the way or where I am going with it. Art is always an adventure that takes you to new places. Thanks for reading my blog. I look forward to hearing your own thoughts and ideas.