Windmill, 6x9 Mixed Media on Paper, Bronze and Black

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I painted good-quality watercolor paper with bronze acrylic paint, then used liquid medium to transfer the windmill from a magazine print. I added the tulips to make it more interesting. It's too bad that the metallic effect of the bronze can't be fully appreciated when looking at it online.

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Mixed Media Artwork, "Mantilla," 8x10 Matted

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This is a mixed media piece on watercolor paper; the art measures 5x7 inches, and with the mat the outside measurement is 8x10. I used liquid medium to transfer pictures to the paper, and pen and ink to finish getting the effect I wanted. The background is metallic gold acrylic. 

 

After finishing a big illustration job that has taken almost a year, it was fun to try some new art techniques. Some succeeded, some failed, and now I'm ready to get back to squishy oil paints. 

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Mermaids and Sea Serpent, 14x11 Graphite and Watercolor on Nautical Chart

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This started as a graphite drawing on a nautical chart, like my last mermaid. My process is: I study the chart from a distance until I see something in it. In this case I saw the sea serpent first, and lo and behold, there was a stingray right in front of him. Then I noticed the possibility of mermaids toward the top. 

The sea creatures are actually made up of bodies of water, and I ignore that the chart is upside down; the aspect is determined by what the sea creatures dictate. After I did the drawing I thought I'd try some color, so I used watercolor. This is so different from my usual work, and I'm really enjoying creating these little fantasies.

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Flapper, 8x10 Mixed Media on Canvas Panel

This was an enjoyable project for a special event: the Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald Museum Gala to be held in Montgomery, Alabama on May 2nd. I began this piece by ordering Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald. This was a selfish act, since I had not read the book. I found a photo of a woman dressed like a flapper but I took 20 pounds off when I drew her, because in the 1920s everyone was thin. The Roaring Twenties were known for excess, but everyone was thin. No McDonald's, no Cheesecake Factory, no Olive Garden--you get the picture.

Anyhoo, I collaged pages (ones I had read, of course) onto a canvas panel, then I painted the figure in acrylic over it. I may do more of these; I love Roaring Twenties art and Fitzgerald's writing has me hooked, so I'm quite inspired. Another shiny object to chase. 

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Flower Fantasy, 20x24 Acrylic on Canvas

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Here is my acrylic skin technique on black. It is like collaging with paint skin, and just as messy as paper collage. Perhaps I could combine the two? Hmmm...

I love painting with oils, but now and then I digress and chase intriguing shiny objects. This one is, literally, shiny. The heavy lines are metallic gold paint.

Femme Fatale, Collage, 24x30

I'm venturing off into a new area here, and it's a little break in my Travelogue. When I returned home I attended a Derek Gores workshop and learned this technique. I almost forgot to go home, I got so deeply involved in ripping and pasting. Next time I'll try full color, and I can tell you there will be a next time. This was really a lot of fun. I'm looking at magazines in a whole new way.